"As the mainstream media has become increasingly dependent on advertising revenues for support, it has become an anti-democratic force in society"

In this quote, Robert McChesney is highlighting a vital view on the relationship in between the mainstream media and marketing earnings, highlighting how this reliance can undermine democratic concepts. The core of his argument is that when media outlets rely heavily on marketing for financial backing, their top priorities might shift from serving the general public interest to satisfying marketers. This shift can have substantial implications for democracy, which counts on a notified and engaged citizenry.

First, let's think about the role of the media in a democracy. Ideally, the media serves as a guard dog, holding power to account and supplying residents with the information required to make informed decisions. Nevertheless, when media organizations prioritize marketing income, they might favor material that takes full advantage of earnings over content that serves the public interest. This could cause sensationalism, a concentrate on stories that draw in more viewers or clicks (therefore more marketing dollars), instead of stories that supply substantive value or challenge the status quo.

Additionally, the need to bring in advertisers can cause a dispute of interest. Media outlets may prevent reporting that casts their advertisers in a negative light or might prefer narratives that line up with their advertisers' interests. This jeopardizes journalistic self-reliance, restricting the media's ability to function as a check on effective organizations and decreasing its function in promoting openness and accountability.

Furthermore, this reliance can add to media consolidation, where a few big corporations own many media outlets. This concentration of media ownership can reduce the diversity of point of views and voices in the media landscape, additional entrenching the power of elite interests and narrowing the scope of public discourse.

In summary, McChesney is recommending that the increasing reliance of the mainstream media on marketing incomes can change it into a force that weakens, rather than supports, democratic values by prioritizing revenue over the public good, jeopardizing journalistic integrity, and lowering diversity in media representation.