Peirspictiochtai Ar An Saol
Zero-Based News
Part Eight
The ownership structures of those that provide news to the American people have changed – evolved – through the years.
In the United States of America today, those that provide news to the American people may or may not be entities steeped in the heritage of journalism.
While some private individuals with backgrounds in journalism still control individual entities within the news media, businesses – many structured in different forms, such as corporations – control much of what is provided as news.
With rare exceptions, businesses are designed to make money for their owners.
Most businesses – as well as most private individuals – do not have the luxury of losing money on a regular basis.
Some businesses and private individuals do look long-term. Some are willing to take less profit or even lose money in providing news in the short term. Eventually, even these long-term-oriented businesses and private individuals still typically seek to cover their costs and earn profits.
Most owners of businesses – just as most private individuals – want to make money. Not all want to make the most money, but many do want to make as much money as possible.
The ownership of individual newspapers, radio stations, television stations, websites, newsletters, billboards, and other forms of media may appear to be very diverse because the names of the entities that the average American sees are different from one another.
The structure of those ownerships, though, may show a concentration of ownership.
Private individuals and individual businesses that founded and developed single newspapers, for example, grew those newspapers by focusing on the needs of their audiences – their subscribers and their advertisers. They also needed to focus on the needs of their employees and the views of those in governmental entities that regulated businesses.
The advertisers, in many cases, saw newspapers as a way to place advertisements to sell their products and services.
As individual newspapers developed, some owners saw greater opportunities by purchasing or merging with their direct competitors. Some would keep multiple newspapers alive by having them compete against each other or complement one another in the same market.
Some, though, would purchase a direct competitor and then shut it down. The subscription list of a competitor may have been more valuable than the newspaper as a publication itself. The real estate and equipment of a competitor may have been more valuable than the newspaper as a publication itself. The loss of a competitor may have limited the opportunities for advertisers to play one newspaper against another to achieve lower ad rates, better placements, or other related results.
As newspapers developed in one market, some businesses and private individuals saw even greater opportunities by purchasing or merging their newspapers with other newspapers serving other markets. Some would retain each acquired newspaper, but consolidate operations not seen by the public – accounting, for example – in efforts to make more money. Some would then keep the names of the individual newspapers, but streamline operations that were public-facing. The news content could then either be the same or similar across multiple newspapers.
When radio stations became viable, a similar pattern developed. Grow a local business providing news. Acquire, merge, and/or establish additional local radio stations. Acquire, merge, and/or establish additional radio stations in other markets. Consolidate back-office operations. Streamline public-facing operations.
When television stations became viable, a similar pattern developed.
The same took place for billboards, websites, and other news media since.
Sometimes, the consolidation is reversed, and separate business entities are formed as a consolidated business is disassembled.
In many cases, news became – and is – content through which people make money.
To some business owners and private individuals, news content is no different as a product to sell than a grapefruit or a tulip bulb. Both grapefruits and tulip bulbs are perishable. Both have a shelf life. Both can be excellent when fresh, but not worth much when they are stale.
The ownership structure of news media may or may not influence what you read, view, stream, or otherwise consume. Owners may decide to highlight, discount, or not include news about a specific entity, activity, or other aspect of life (or death) because it enhances or conflicts with ownership interests.
If funds generated by providing news are not sufficient to cover the costs of providing the news – and providing a profit margin deemed acceptable and/or necessary – the specific business may decide to no longer provide news coverage.
The next news column in this series will focus on the type of ownership structure utilized in journalism through non-profit organizations.
Peirspictiochtai Ar An Saol – Gaelic – Irish – for "Perspectives On Life" is a column focused on aspects of accountability and responsibility as well as ways people look at life.
Contact Richard McDonough at
© 2025 Richard McDonough
