Most Powerful Newspaper..?

[Masato]

Hey all

I propose to you a theory. Prove me wrong.

WHAT IS THE WORLD'S MOST POWERFUL/INFLUENTIAL NEWSPAPER?

New York Times? Wall St Journal? The Daily Mail? The Times of India? The Yangtse Evening Post?

Nope.


Folks I present to you:

Metro International.




You know, that free 8-page flyer/newspaper you see on the subways and buses? I used to see it all the time, thought it was some local rag.

But then I saw them being distributed in BRAZIL. For FREE

WTF, it looked the same and they were FREE (not much is free in Brazil lol). What's more, they were actually paying people to hand them out everyday to motorists and other locations. Every day.

I was surprised to see the same publication on 2 different continents. So I researched, and this weird little tabloid rag is printed and distributed in 19 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, and 15 LANGUAGES.

What other news publication gets such a wide net of readers?

On top of that, remember it is FREE. The claim is that it makes money off the advertising, but this seems way bigger than that to me, there is funding here. So because its free I am guessing you reach an even wider audience (albeit perhaps a less educated one)

Here are the countries Metro is peddled in:

Asia

South Korea: Metro is published in Busan and Seoul

Hong Kong: Metro is published across MTR stations in Kowloon, Hong Kong Island, Tsuen Wan and Tseung Kwan O

Europe

There are national editions in:

Czech Republic
Denmark
Greece
Hungary
Italy
Finland
the Netherlands
Russia
Sweden
Switzerland

City editions of Metro are published in many major cities.

Belgium has a bilingual free newspaper with the same name, but it is not owned by Metro International. Likewise, Metro in the United Kingdom is not part of the network.

North America

Canada: Metro's Canadian newspapers were launched in 2000 and were originally published by joint ventures with Canadian companies to comply with Canadian media laws. The 2000 launch of Metro in Toronto sparked a newspaper war as the daily Toronto Star and Toronto Sun both scrambled to put out their own free giveaway versions aimed at commuters. The Toronto edition of Metro merged with its Torstar rival GTA Today in 2001.[13] Metro International sold 40 percent of its 50 percent share in most of the English-Canadian papers to Torstar Corporation[14] though they retain the Metro masthead and layout.

Guatemala: Metro is published in Guatemala City
Mexico: Metro is published in Guadalajara, Mexico City, and Monterrey
Nicaragua: Metro is published in Managua
Puerto Rico: Metro is published in Puerto Rico
United States: Metro is published in Boston, New York City (Metro New York), Philadelphia (Philadelphia Metro)

South America

Brazil: Metro is published in major metropolitan regions including Curitiba, Belo Horizonte, Brasília, Porto Alegre, Rio de Janeiro, Campinas, Baixada Santista, and São Paulo

Chile: Metro is published in major conurbations including Concepción, Rancagua, Santiago, Talcahuano, and Valparaíso

Colombia: Metro is published in Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, and Barranquilla

Ecuador: Metro is published in Guayaquil, Quito and Cuenca

Peru: Metro is published in Lima



That's pretty big, no? Can you imagine the POWER of this?

It seems like a trashy leaflet, some goofy headlines, some celebrity gossip, sports idols etc - harmless right?

Can you comprehend how many minds on a GLOBAL SCALE are having their headlines unknowingly inserted into them on a daily basis? Most I would suspect without an ounce of skepticism, its an just innocent free flyer, right? No one takes it seriously, it's not 'real' news, LOL @ comparing it with a legitimate news publication like the Times, etc. Right?

Right??

Son of a bitch, this kind of boggled me.

[Canuckster]

I knew you were going to make a thread on this after we talked yesterday. It is kind of surprising everyone thinks it's likely some local rag.

[Masato]

Some names and terms for further research:


Its roots are in SWEDEN.

Founder: Per Andersson

It was originally a subsidiary of the Modern Times Group along with Viasat Broadcasting, both apparently Swedish media companies.

Modern Times Group was formed out of the media holdings of investment company Kinnevik

Kinnevik company was founded in 1936 by the Stenbeck, Klingspor and von Horn families


First launched 1995

First International edition was in BUDAPEST HUNGARY (this is kind of odd, no? Of all places to expand! lol)

[Masato]

I see media and 'news' not as any good-hearted endeavor to keep the people informed, nor do I see it merely as a capitalistic industry aiming solely to make profits. I have come to consider the sheer power and influence one can have when wielding such a publication. We are talking MILLIONS and MILLIONS of people, widespread over several continents, languages, and cultures.

All at the same time. All free. All completely unsuspecting and under the radar.

If you can't understand the power of such a weapon and how EASILY it can be used to influence the thoughts, opinions, and behavior of grand masses of people, well I don't know what to tell you.

Go ahead then, lap it up. Be entertained. It's free.

[Masato]

Is there any other publication that compares to it's international reach?

Is there any other publication that can access the minds of the lower class who are not likely to pay for 'better' newspapers, and get it free on the bus each day?

[Masato]

Even the fuckin logo is a globe, lol

[Masato]

I'll look forward to doing some more digging on the owners of this publication, should be interesting.
No way this is not politically driven imo

[Redneck]

I'll look forward to doing some more digging on the owners of this publication, should be interesting.
No way this is not politically driven imo

I was going to ask you what you thought the agenda was, if any.

It does look like an idea that was just allowed to grow, it doesn't appear to be evil.

[Masato]

^ yeah I tend to be a bit paranoid lol

Can you not get a flavor however for the sampling of headlines I posted? Would be curious to find more (how did they cover 9/11? for example, WMDs etc)

Why of all places would a Swedish mag make its first international branch in Budapest Hungary in 1995?

I didn't say 'evil', but considering the influence such a publication would have, would you really trust the owners to be politically unbiased? Not use this tool to lean public thinking sometimes in their favor?

Further research has shown the publication is actually not doing so well, many locations closed down.

Still hope to find time to look into the founders

People underestimate the power of mass-media. But I figure those who control them are quite aware

[Redneck]

^ yeah I tend to be a bit paranoid lol

Can you not get a flavor however for the sampling of headlines I posted? Would be curious to find more (how did they cover 9/11? for example, WMDs etc)

Why of all places would a Swedish mag make its first international branch in Budapest Hungary in 1995?

I didn't say 'evil', but considering the influence such a publication would have, would you really trust the owners to be politically unbiased? Not use this tool to lean public thinking sometimes in their favor?

Further research has shown the publication is actually not doing so well, many locations closed down.

Still hope to find time to look into the founders

People underestimate the power of mass-media. But I figure those who control them are quite aware

If it's being forced to shut down, then it's probably a genuine organic media source. Not wanting to be naive here, but i still have hope that things like that can exist. I would guess that they take content from wherever they legally have access to republish, and of course most of that is going to be Pro NWO stuff. They probably also welcome independent writers, who are prepared to work for free.

That being said, it's almost impossible for any media source that has readership, to not at least become partially absorbed by a big corporation.