The problem here isn’t as simple as torrenting. It’s the narrowing of what culture is created and promoted and what isn’t. Paramount is overtly a right wing organization now under the Ellison’s. Part of their bid to WB is “it’d be a shame if trump killed this deal of yours”. Netflix’s groveling or Paramounts success might mean we see less art critical of the government and more that panders to its interest
It's more about how the buyers intend to use the media themselves.
The Ellisons are personal friends of Trump and Netanyahu. Netanyahu has spoken repeatedly about media as a weapon, e.g. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/3tdrO8bA7rs. Ellison is the largest individual donor to the IDF. Trump handed Tiktok to Ellison.
The bid is backed by Kushner (i.e. Trump) and their Saudi allies.
And that’s before we’ve even touched HBO. John Oliver is probably the most obvious example. But I’d say shows like Watchmen count too. Fahrenheit 451. Succession was pretty clearly mocking FOX News and its media ecosystem.
Art that’s critical of the government doesn’t literally have to be shouting “Trump bad”, it can be done through critique or mocking of the values it holds.
It's hard to cancel popular shows for political reasons (at least in america) - it's too transparent.
But its possible to starve them of talent, funding and eventually let them wither into obscurity, by not promoting nor giving it the opportunity to flourish.
But there's still youtube even if these incumbent media outlets are compromised - independents can still create and distribute there. This is very different from the airwaves or cable.
