He’s almost always a step ahead of everyone else - and almost always right. What is his secret? How does he do it? I wish I knew the answers, but truthfully, I haven’t got a clue.
We’re talking about George Soros, the multi-billionaire with the Midas Touch, whose every transaction turns into additional riches and wealth. But Soros is not your garden-variety billionaire interested only in amassing more wealth. For years, his primary goal has been gaining more political power and supporting his
Far-left ideas.
Looking To November
Soros’ latest venture was purchasing 220-plus radio stations across America from Vice Media, the second largest radio chain in America. Variety reports that Vice filed for bankruptcy in May, and closed a deal to sell their stations for $350 million, a shadow of the $5.7 billion valuation they once enjoyed. The buyer was Soros Fund Management, so now Soros has control over all of them. Commentators say he bought them at a fire sale price.
Although radio doesn’t have nearly the clout it once did, the deal could very well prove to be incredibly significant, lucrative, and extremely influential. Some people would add the word “scary” to the mix. They are concerned, as one writer put it, this will give Soros “a new way to exert influence over public opinion in the months leading to the 2024 Presidential election.” Although Soros hasn’t even hinted anything to that effect, actions speak louder than words, and with this purchase his actions are shouting.
Talk Is Not Cheap!
In theory, news outlets are supposed to present the news, not spin it or attempt to influence listeners’ opinions. Reality is very different.
Many years ago, nearly everyone read newspapers. In New York there were enough to satisfy every view out there. They could easily be purchased – at scores of newsstands, candy and convenience stores, and even from individuals who stood on busy corners and got the attention of passersby with shouts of “Read all about it.” Over the years, both radio and newspapers have lost a lot of their clout, but while newspapers continue to fade from the scene, many people still tune in to radio.
These days, many Internet news sites and social media have a distinctly liberal/leftist slant, including once highly regarded sources like The New York Times, Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times. And so do news agencies such as the AP and Reuters.
Talk radio, on the other hand, has a vibrant, right-leaning voice. It has even been credited/blamed for Trump’s election in 2016. Talk radio hosts as a group are not only very well-informed, but are also very articulate, passionate about their views, and do not worry about offending people who have different opinions.
If you’ve ever caught some of their shows, then you’ve probably heard them focus on Biden’s alleged cognitive weaknesses, his mishandling of the border, economy, and Afghanistan, and his wavering support for Israel. Pro-right listeners believe this is not only fair but important, because they believe most other segments of the media are virulently anti-Trump and those issues important to the right wing.
And they add that without talk radio listeners would never have an opportunity to learn about both sides of issues. It’s even been suggested that talk radio encourages Republicans to turn out and vote, and sways independents and others sitting on the fence, thereby making a difference in close elections.
It’s very possible – even likely – that Soros would agree and believes that talk radio could make the difference in the upcoming Presidential election. So it appears that there were two reasons why he decided to purchase Vice Media. One was purely business – he purchased Vice’s radio stations at a bargain. The second, more important, was political – by purchasing Vice he has strengthened pro-left views on the air while also keeping those stations out of the hands of the right. And that means large segments of the public could be left in the dark because of the way the news is presented. The following is an example of that.
News Or Fake News?
The latest Consumer Price Index, released on Feb. 13, showed an increase of 0.3% for January. This was not only the biggest gain in eight months, but also higher than forecast and an increase on both a monthly and annualized basis.
“Fed Chair Jerome Powell keeps saying the Fed wants to get to that 2% target inflation rate but clearly that is unlikely to happen any time soon,” said CPA Lena Petrova. “The market expectation of six rate cuts this year was over-optimistic. The Fed will delay interest rate cuts now.”
If the rate of inflation accelerates, the Fed may even have to consider raising rates. However, considering that this is a presidential election year, Petrova still believes the Fed will cut rates several times in the second half of the year.
So let’s sum up this news. The CPI was not only disappointing, but a cause for concern. “If the Fed feels compelled to raise rates high enough to reach its 2% target inflation goal, that could increase the possibility of the government defaulting on its Treasuries,” she said. “And it could lead to some banks collapsing because of the burden of the unrealized losses on their books.” And it also could lead to higher unemployment. So the news about the CPI was cause for concern.
But you’d never know this from following the news on the mainstream media, which reported this news with a major spin. The Financial Times wrote “January inflation slows less than expected,” a way of disguising that it rose more than forecast. Reuters’ headline was even bolder. They wrote: “Yellen Says CPI Data Shows Progress In US Fight Against Inflation.”
Here’s the headline on NBC News: “Price Growth Continued To Cool In January, But Not As Much As Hoped For.” And then there’s CNN, which wrote: “Inflation Cooled Last Month, But Some Price Hikes Continue To Cause Pain.”
Viewers who rely on mainstream media sites such as the ones noted here may make important decisions regarding their personal lives and businesses without realizing they’re not getting the complete or accurate story. By the way, it’s not just left leaning sites that play these games – those on the right also do.
The bottom line is that the public needs the option of hearing both sides of a story. Do you think this will happen with Soros at the helm of all those radio stations?
Sources: bloomberg.com; variety.com; zerohedge.com. YouTube: Lena Petrova, Bad News For Powell; thisisjohnwilliams.com
Gerald Harris is a financial and feature writer. Gerald can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
