News JVTech “How much does it cost? »: challenged by Donald Trump's son, Elon Musk responds
Published on 11/26/2024 at 7:00 p.m.
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Faced with the sale of certain media assets by Comcast, Elon Musk, under the leadership of Donald Trump's son, is jokingly considering the purchase of the liberal channel MSNBC.
Media giant Comcast has announced a major restructuring that could shake up the American media landscape. The group has decided to split some of its activities, notably those linked to news channels. CNBC and MSNBC, two pillars of economic and political information in the United States, are directly affected by this operation.
This decision raises many questions. Why does Comcast want to sell these profitable assets? Rumors are rife, suggesting a desire to concentrate on other activities or to prepare for a possible sale. And, following a small challenge launched on X by Donald Trump's son, the name of Elon Musk comes up insistently.
The eccentric billionaire, known for his radical stances and impulsive acquisitions, has previously expressed interest in the media sector. Logically, like many other billionaires, he knows that owning the media means having influence. Musk, who has already acquired Twitter and renamed it X, makes no secret of his ambition to shape public debate. The acquisition of MSNBC would give it considerable influence over information broadcast in the United States. The takeover route is all the more likely when we know the editorial line of MSNBC, a deeply anti-Trump media outlet. You probably already know that Musk, for his part, is very close to the American President recently elected for a second term. If he were to buy the company, the richest man in the world would thumb his nose at his ideological adversaries.
The challenges of such a takeover
A takeover of MSNBC by Elon Musk would have major consequences. First, we would observe a profound modification of the editorial line. As has been said, the channel, known for its rather liberal orientation, could see its editorial line radically modified under the influence of Musk. Perhaps a new Fox News could be born.
As for MSNBC journalists, they could find themselves in a delicate situation, faced with a new owner with often criticized management methods.
It's still too early to know if Elon Musk will actually buy MSNBC. However, the mere possibility of this takeover is enough to cause concern among observers of the media world. The concentration of the media in the hands of a few large groups and the growing influence of billionaires on public debate are major challenges for democracy, and it is not Musk who will say the opposite.
