Once upon a time lefty academics used to write unreadable tomes about the problem of concentration of media power (Robert McChesney anyone?). Forget William Randolph Hearst and Max Beaverbrook. They were concerned. Now, at last they have allies in the world of corporate PR. Here’s Sir Richard Branson‘s larynx, Will Whitehorn (pictured left, smiling – before the threat to Britain’s democracy):

“In print media we are pretty healthy compared with the USA where it’s pretty bland. In many ways the media is our democracy because we have consensus politics.” [Indy]

The media is our democracy??? Deep breaths. Luckily the moment passes and Will is back on track:

“The reason we have gone back into the UK media is that we saw the logic of linking Virgin Mobile with broadband, voice over internet, and television. That logic remains well beyond any deals with ITV.”

Phew! For a moment I thought he meant that owning blatantly partisan newspapers was fine, but owning regulated TV stations lets you dictate the media agenda? (Of course, anyone at Sky News or ITN will remember the memos circulated by the owners, the faxed rundowns and the blacklists…)