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The world's wealthiest person controls the platform formerly known as Twitter.

The family of the number two billionaire person manages Paramount, which then controls CBS, and could soon take over Warner Bros, which operates CNN.

The number three billionaire mogul owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.

The fourth-richest person owns that prominent newspaper and Amazon MGM Studios.

A different tycoon operates Fox News, the Wall Street Journal and the New York Post.

For what reason are the ultra-rich buying up so much of the media landscape? Ego may play a part, but there's a more calculated – certainly a sinister – explanation.

If you possess vast wealth, you may see democracy as a likely risk to your wealth accumulation. Control over a major stake of the dwindling number of news organizations would permit you to safeguard your interests from democratic pressures by curbing negative coverage of you and fellow billionaires, and preventing any attempt to – for example – redistribute your assets.

The Influence of Trump

You must also contend with Trump. Upon his re-election, Trump has flagrantly and illicitly employed the authority of the White House to target his opponents and reward those who lavish him with support and lucrative deals.

So perhaps it shouldn't have been unexpected that the editorial board of the Jeff Bezos-owned Washington Post defended the razing of the East Wing to create Trump his giant ballroom – omitting the fact that Jeff Bezos-owned Amazon is a significant financial backer to the ballroom's funding. Its editors praised Trump's defense department's decision to acquire a latest iteration of compact nuclear power units, but omitted reference to Amazon's stake in an energy company, a company that's designing miniature nuclear units. And it questioned the capital city's rejection of driverless cars omitting the fact that Amazon's self-driving car company was attempting to enter the Washington DC market.

These violations are unforgivable.

The Ellison Connection

It's very similar with the relatives of Larry Ellison, co-founder of the enterprise software giant Oracle Corporation and the number two billionaire. He is a longtime supporter of Trump who as court documents show, participated in a conversation to explore how his 2020 election defeat could be contested.

In June 2025, Ellison and Oracle were financial backers of Trump's military parade in the capital. At the time, the Ellisons were awaiting the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to greenlight their $8bn merger with the media conglomerate, owner of CBS News.

In the period before the acquisition, some top brass at CBS News and its flagship news program stepped down, citing concerns over the network's ability to preserve journalistic integrity, and disclosing coercion by corporate leadership to soften stories critical of Trump. Regardless. Vast sums were at stake.

Outcomes and Settlements

In mid-year, Paramount paid sixteen million dollars to end the former president's legal action against the network and ended a popular late-night program, much to Trump's delight. A few weeks after the settlement was announced, Trump supporter the FCC chair, chair of the FCC, authorized the billionaires' acquisition, elevating David to top executive of the merged company Paramount Skydance and giving him control of CBS News.

In the fall, Ellison appointed the anti-"woke" opinion journalist a controversial figure the top editorial position, although she had no background in either broadcasting or journalism. Earlier this month, it was disclosed that the news division doctored Trump's newest 60 Minutes interview, cutting his boast that the broadcaster "gave me a large sum".

When Journalism Was Different

Historians note when the network maintained its integrity to a demagogic president. But those were the days when CBS News – the home of Edward R Murrow and Cronkite – was separate from the broader network, and when the leadership of the company had a distinct mission to the citizens.

It is impossible to know the full extent to which negative coverage and his government has been deterred by the media-owning billionaires, or what fawning coverage has been prompted.

Commercial Interests

But what we do know is that ultra-rich investors like Musk, Jeff Bezos, Larry Ellison and Rupert Murdoch are businessmen primarily. Their highest goal is not public service but to maximize revenue. They understand Trump can wreak havoc on their companies by imposing adverse regulations, implementing worker protections targeting them or refusing them lucrative government contracts.

And in an period when riches is held in the hands of a small group who have purchased major news outlets, with a thin-skinned chief executive who is ready and empowered to disregard regulations and standards to punish or reward, there is a growing danger that the public will not be obtaining the truth it requires to function in this society.

What Can Be Done?

What to do about this?

Firstly, news organizations should inform their readers about any and all potential conflicts of interest, and media watchdogs and ethical organizations should ensure they do.

Another proposal (assuming) the leadership changes) is that regulatory bodies block the purchase of a major media outlet by an individual with multiple enterprises that could create conflicts of interest.

Acquisition of a media company should be treated differently than the acquisition of, for example, a company developing self-driving cars or {one|