Very good points being brought up. No doubt, what we hear in the mainstream media - as Rush vividly points out when he plays the excerpts of a "catch phrase" that is repeated on almost every news outlet - there is no doubt what we hear on the MSM is completely manipulated.
Abaraxas makes an excellent point too with the rebuttal - YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, blogs, etc - aren't even included - yet they have a HUGE audience.
However, I think the 6 giant dinosaurs of media have a definite influence on what is talked about in the new media alternatives and I see, at times, their attempts to control that as well. I'd say there are schemes being implemented right now to take over these new media giants and swallow them up. There's just too much power there to ignore.