Hollywood Protests Signal Wider Democratic Crisis
On 18 September 2025, demonstrators gathered in Hollywood, California to protest ABC's controversial decision to remove Jimmy Kimmel from broadcasting schedules. This event symbolises growing public concern about media freedom as billionaire ownership of news organisations reaches unprecedented levels.
The Billionaire Media Empire Expansion
The world's wealthiest individuals have been systematically acquiring major media platforms. Elon Musk, the planet's richest person, controls X, while the family of Larry Ellison - the second-wealthiest individual - owns Paramount and CBS, with potential Warner Bros and CNN acquisitions looming. Mark Zuckerberg commands Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, while Jeff Bezos possesses the Washington Post and Amazon MGM Studios. Rupert Murdoch's empire includes Fox News, the Wall Street Journal and the New York Post.
This consolidation represents more than vanity projects for the ultra-wealthy. For multibillionaires, democratic processes potentially threaten their astronomical net worth. Controlling significant media shares allows them to hedge against democracy by suppressing criticism of plutocrats and discouraging wealth redistribution policies.
Trump's Second Term Intensifies Media Manipulation
The situation has escalated during Donald Trump's second presidential term, where he has illegally wielded presidential power to punish critics and reward supporters. The Bezos-owned Washington Post editorial board defended the East Wing's demolition for Trump's ballroom construction, failing to disclose Amazon's financial contribution to the project.
Similarly, the Post endorsed the defence department's smaller nuclear reactors initiative without mentioning Amazon's stake in developer X-energy. The publication criticised Washington DC's resistance to self-driving cars while Amazon's autonomous vehicle company sought market entry there.
The Ellison family's influence demonstrates similar patterns. Larry Ellison, a longstanding Trump donor, participated in discussions about challenging the 2020 election results. In June 2025, Oracle co-sponsored Trump's military parade while the Ellisons awaited FCC approval for their $8bn Paramount merger.
During this period, CBS News executives resigned, citing editorial independence concerns and pressure to suppress Trump-critical stories. Paramount subsequently paid $16m to settle Trump's lawsuit against CBS and cancelled Stephen Colbert's Late Show. Three weeks after settlement, FCC chair Brendan Carr approved the Ellison deal, installing David Ellison as Paramount Skydance CEO with CBS News control.
Subsequent appointments included anti-woke journalist Bari Weiss as CBS News editor-in-chief despite her broadcasting inexperience. Recent revelations show CBS heavily edited Trump's 60 Minutes interview, removing his boast about network payments.
Safeguarding Democratic Media Integrity
This concentration of media ownership among business-focused billionaires creates inherent conflicts. Their primary objective remains profit maximisation rather than public information. With Trump capable of influencing FCC rulings, labour law enforcement and government contracts, critical coverage becomes commercially risky.
Potential solutions include:
- Mandatory disclosure of all media conflicts of interest
- Anti-monopoly prevention of major media acquisitions by individuals with conflicting business interests
- Supporting independent media organisations like the Guardian, which maintains editorial freedom through reader funding rather than billionaire ownership or powerful advertisers
As darkness threatens democratic transparency through concentrated wealth and media manipulation, supporting truly independent journalism becomes increasingly vital for informed public discourse and functional democracy.
