Media of the United States consist of several different types of
media: television, radio, cinema, newspapers, magazines, and Internet-based
Web sites. The U.S. also has a strong music industry. Many of the media are controlled by large for-profit corporations who reap revenue from advertising,
subscriptions, and sale of
copyrighted material. American media conglomerates tend to be leading global players, generating large revenues as well as large opposition in many parts of the world. With the passage of the
Telecommunications Act of 1996, further
deregulation and
convergence are under way, leading to mega-mergers, further
concentration of media ownership, and the emergence of multinational media conglomerates. These mergers enable tighter control of information. Currently, six corporations control roughly 90% of the media. Critics allege that
localism, local news and other content at the community level, media spending and coverage of news, and
diversity of ownership and views have suffered as a result of these processes of media concentration.