Action 218. Ministry of Truth?
Background. In George Orwell’s dystopian and increasingly relevant novel 1984, the Ministry of Truth was the omnipresent propaganda outlet. (Can you believe that Donald Trump named his social media empire “Truth Social”? Was that ironic, or idiotic?) Anyway, Orwell described the Ministry of Truth as involved with news media, entertainment, the fine arts, and educational resources. It manufactured “facts” for propaganda effect, to maintain the illusion that the Party is absolutely infallible, and should be trusted without question.
Today, in the non-fiction reality, a corporate merger is pending that would create “the largest pro-Trump media monopoly in America. Two of the nation’s biggest news organizations — CBS News and CNN — along with CBS entertainment (home to Stephen Colbert) and Comedy Central (home to Jon Stewart) and HBO (John Oliver) and TikTok (where 1 out of 5 Americans now get their news) — are all about to become one giant mega-media monopoly under the control of Trump allies and suck-ups: multibillionaire Larry Ellison and Ellison’s son, David.” (1)
Don’t look for relief to the agencies that are supposed to prevent dangerous monopolies on news and entertainment (“infotainment”). Pam Bondi’s “Justice” Department and the anemic Federal Trade Commission (2) won’t lift a finger. If there is a light in this dark picture, it is that YOU can do something about it. How?
Action: Write to Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey. Ask him to join the investigation being initiated by California AG Rob Bonta to prevent a Trump-dominated media monopoly in possible violation of the Clayton Act (3) as well as the intent of the Constitution’s First Amendment (4). While you are at it, send a copy of your letter to Senator King. (The other one is useless.)
Contact:Attorney General Aaron Frey
State House Station 6
Augusta, Maine 04333
207 626 8800
Urgency: No time like the present.
Extra Credit:
(1) https://robertreich.substack.com/p/a-pro-trump-mega-media-monopoly-emerges
Also https://edition.cnn.com/2026/02/27/media/cnn-paramount-ellison-bari-weiss-wbd-merger
(2) The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reviews mergers of news organizations to prevent anticompetitive, monopolistic consolidation under the Clayton Act. Along with the DOJ, the FTC investigates whether media mergers will limit consumer choice, inflate advertising prices, or reduce content diversity. The agency can approve deals, negotiate settlements, or sue to block transactions. There are supposed to be 5 commissioners with no more than 3 of one political party. Currently there are just two commissioners, both Republican. https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/commissioners-staff . Also see https://www.axios.com/2025/11/17/ftc-two-commissioners
(3) https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/clayton_antitrust_act
(4) Here is an amazing resource for arguments about the First Amendment : https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/amendment-1/ But for a simple explanation see https://www.acluaz.org/news/first-amendment-101-the-freedom-of-the-press/