Today more than ever, the mass media are the dominant influence in our culture. Markets are becoming global, and simultaneously, media ownership is becoming concentrated in the hands of a very few select conglomerates who, along with media professionals and advertisers, effectively control the information and ideas that impact our society, politics, and lifestyles.Focusing on TV news and television in general, this book examines why this media gate-keeping happens, how it works, who the gate-keepers are, as well as the destructive effects of structuring the viewpoints presented in news and entertainment. Through interviews with major media figures, professionals from a wide range of backgrounds, and civic leaders, the author explains exactly how this modern mind control thrives, and offers practical suggestions for breaking the media stranglehold.