Corporate Media

I just heard that Toyota dealers have been pulling ads from ABC over what the dealers believe is "Excessive Coverage" of the recalls of Toyota cars. ABC News
This just reinforces my belief that we need to be ever more skeptical of the reporting and news we get from for-profit media companies. Companies are able to influence media companies and the new coverage of them by spending and withholding money. It's not just pulling ads. For years I've wondered why a company like CSX (they make trains) advertises on CNBC and other stations. Maybe they just want me to feel all warm and fuzzy about the company? I'm not sure why they would pay good money for that, but I'm sure that I don't know anyone who is in the market for a new locomotive. I mean, they make trains... big, huge trains. I doubt that I know anyone who knows anyone who looking to buy a train anything larger than say an '0' scale. I do like those though...