>4th branch? That's a new
>one to me....

It is part of the reason that we have a free press. Read some of Thomas Jefferson's, or the rest of the framers thoughts on the matter.

>You're right about the press serving
>multiple masters. However, the
>bottom line is ratings and
>sponsorships.

Both long term and short term. Many will miss out on short term ratings for the long term money. And it works vice versa also.

If they feel
>the video will cause them
>to lose sponsorship, then why
>should they view the video
>regardless? Rebellion doesn't always
>pay the bills, you know.

It never pays the bills. It threathens those whom we owe our debts too.

>Hell, what part of hip hop
>doesn't glorify drug use (figuratively
>speaking)?

Point taken. But I think the difference is that you no longer see guns, logos, and weed in videos. But prescription cough syrup concoction in baby bottles is a horse of a different color. In terms of things that they might lose advertising revenue for, a Dead Prez video is low on the totem pole.

>Well I dunno what you do,
>but I think I can
>make those decisions on my
>own.

The decisions that you can make are often decided by others. They don't choose what you can do, the only choose your possible options. Hence the 2 party system/lesser of 2 evils that we debate constantly.

k. orr
My post is longer than my sig file.