Is it? Is it not the main power? What politician could rise whose profile wasn’t vetted by the media? Can any politician decide something different than what is broadcasted by the media, for example if all media say we should lock down for Covid, despite population disapproval, can any politician resist?
Media is probably the power, and the 3 other heads (executive, legislative, judiciary) are basically following, at our current point, in 2021. At least, if they want to stay relevant.
Corollary: The definition of democracy should include the 4 powers. Media should be free, and due to Loi Avia in France, and due to the state of emergency, media is not currently free to say what it deems correct.
Lots of politicians and wealthy people control some media. Also, "what politician could rise whose profile wasn’t vetted by the media?" -> isn't Trump a strong countexample?
Putting aside that the election wasn’t forged, didn’t the media make him fall too?
It is true that there was a breach in the fabric, which allowed someone billionaire to become president (albeit with little control over other key institutions), and that was probably because they hadn’t harnessed control over internet when it took off, circa 2012-2016, but that gaping hole is now closed: Someone reasonable is back as the head of state, media now agree with the president, social networks put a cap on network effect for viral news, people can be arrested in UK and Canada for mistweeting, and the accusations of rape/pedophilia will do the rest for the remaining figureheads - In France for the last 3 elections, accusations/investigations on tax evasion hit 4 figureheads (excluding the DSK story, not talking about Assange accused of rape intermittently). Everything is back on track, “Oops, you saw through the matrix, move on”.
Is it? Is it not the main power? What politician could rise whose profile wasn’t vetted by the media? Can any politician decide something different than what is broadcasted by the media, for example if all media say we should lock down for Covid, despite population disapproval, can any politician resist?
Media is probably the power, and the 3 other heads (executive, legislative, judiciary) are basically following, at our current point, in 2021. At least, if they want to stay relevant.
Corollary: The definition of democracy should include the 4 powers. Media should be free, and due to Loi Avia in France, and due to the state of emergency, media is not currently free to say what it deems correct.