Science Loses Out In Corporate Media Drawdown

Two announcements were made this week that are pretty disappointing.

CNN is closing its science and technology unit.  Miles O’Brien and six producers are being cut.  CNN says science reporting will be folded into its general structure.  I’m not impressed.

Then, NBC announced that it was cutting the Weather Channel’s “Forecast Earth” weekend program.  NBC (General Electric, really), with private equity firms Blackstone Group and Bain Capital, bought the Weather Channel earlier this year.

On the one hand, I find it disheartening that a mega-corporation like GE, which is tied to funding anti-climate change white papers from right-wing propaganda tanks, has decided to cut the only environmental newsmagazine show.  Forecast Earth was allowing laypersons access to critical information.  At this time, more than any other, Americans need that information.

On the other hand, more information sources are available to Americans than any time before.  If the corporate gatekeepers decide to remove sources from us, we’ll go get it by some other means.

I won’t say much about the millions of dollars wasted on every show NBC makes that is of poor quality.  It’s their money to waste, not mine.

More from A Siegel.

Credit card banks to charge 30%?

CNN just had a spot on about the rates credit card companies will start charging if your monthly payment is even one day late: 30% or more!  It won’t matter what your credit rating or payment history is, they said.

As things stand right not, credit card companies can charge interest rates that are outrageous.  The host asked their financial adviser what people can do if this happens.  Here’s a novel concept: how about some legislation from Congress?

Here’s why: the actions these corporations are taking work from a punishment frame: miss their deadline and BAM!, you’re in trouble.  How about rewards for doing things correctly, like making your minimum monthly payment or history of on-time payments.