The historical struggle for control over information, from ancient elites to modern tech giants, is re-emerging, but a new initiative called Newpress aims to democratize journalism through community collaboration and in-depth understanding.
Mind Map
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คลิกเพื่อสำรวจ Mind Map แบบอินเตอร์แอคทีฟฉบับเต็ม
- Information is power,
(lively upbeat music)
which is why information
has always been stuck in a tug of war
between the elites and the masses.
We're in one of those moments right now.
For a lot of history,
information was controlled by the king, the emperor,
the Church, who jealously guarded
the few handwritten books in existence
and used that information monopoly
to control what people thought.
Then there was this German inventor
who created a device that covered little metal words in ink
and pressed them onto paper.
The power of information was unlocked to the masses.
Not just in Europe,
China had been doing this printing press thing
for a long time.
Suddenly, the kings and the Church
were losing control of the narrative,
which led people to question the Church's story,
leading them to new discoveries and creations,
an explosion of new ideas, rethinking who should rule them.
A revolution brought on by words on a page,
recorded and openly passed around.
Information is indeed power.
The authors of the American Revolution
recognized just how vital all of this was,
and right at the beginning,
they wrote in that the government can't control
the flow of information from the press, that it was sacred.
It's what had made this revolution possible.
Information is power.
And look at all of this power pouring out to the masses
every day on cheap gray paper.
(printing press whirring)
But the elites didn't suddenly stop
trying to control information.
Here they are again, looking to control the story
and influence society and succeeding quite well.
Soon, the press wasn't just a press;
it was information traveling in waves through the air.
First, just the sound of a voice, but then moving images
appearing to millions of people live.
- [Narrator] He wanted to see
his favorite television program,
which starts at seven o'clock.
- Information just got a lot more powerful.
And with time, it was controlled by the few big corporations
that could afford all the expensive infrastructure
required to make this magic work.
Or in some places, controlled by a regime
who manipulated what people believe,
what they were allowed to know, who they were allowed to be.
(ominous dramatic music)
Information is power.
(light upbeat music)
By the mid-20th century here in America,
even though information still flowed
through just a few big companies,
those companies took the responsibility seriously,
partly because they weren't under intense pressure
to chase profits, but partly because the federal government
would take away their license if they didn't clearly show
that they were serving the public interest
with fair, balanced journalism.
This wasn't just an expectation;
it was a policy enforced through the Fairness Doctrine.
So the big networks reported the facts.
This guy was called the most trusted man in America.
- And that's the way it is.
Friday, March-
- [John] The nation shared a common reality
and definition of truth,
power held by the people.
- Reporting for CBS News.
- Oh, but here come the money people again.
(groovy upbeat music)
In the 1980s, the haters of government regulation
killed the Fairness Doctrine,
and very quickly, journalism shifted from a public service
into a full-on profit-maximizing business once again.
The content started running nonstop, 24 hours,
optimizing for attention, ratings, opinions,
and deprioritizing truth and substance.
Once again, powerful people
are trying to control the information, but not for long.
- [Announcer] Happy 2000!
(crowd cheering) (fireworks banging)
- Are you kidding?
I can't go another day without the internet.
- The internet was a big moment for this tug of war.
It was the ultimate democratizer of mass communication.
It even promised to end this tug of war altogether.
End the cycle of powerful people
always trying to control the flow of information.
Kings and priests back then,
media moguls and financiers now-
- This is the most humble day of my life.
- Was their reign over?
- You can find anything from planning a vacation to MTV
