These are the times  for common man to worry when  Large corporations  have a vested interest  in  the large media  companies and COULD POSSIBLY OWN THEM and run them for their own benefit . We saw the big  ad campaigns being  run  TV , MEDIA AND RADIO   against the mining taxes on these mining companies  ( costing millions of dollars) by  Mining companies  when there was a risk to their big mining profits  and pockets,  when the Government  were planning to introduce  New mining taxes.  With mining companies now directly having a stake in media companies this could be a game changer  for them.

GINA RINEHART ( Australia's richest person thanks to her iron ore fortune in the Pilbara ) last night joined the ranks of Australia's media barons after becoming the biggest shareholder in Fairfax Media.

Image courtesy : Icantpaymybill.com - The complete debt management resource

The company ( Fairfax Media )  for which she is now one of the major shareholder runs Various Influential NEWSPAPERS AND RADIO STATIONS like www.smh.com.au , The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian Financial Review, radio station 3AW
Lachlan Murdoch also personally controls 50% of radio company DMG
According to “get up”

“In July last year, climate-denialist Christopher Monckton advised mining industry insiders to create a US-style Fox News channel in Australia, supported by the "super wealthy" in order to provide supportive coverage for the mining industry. The video, filmed in the boardrooms of pro-mining organisation “Mannkal Economic Education Foundation”, shows Mr Monckton offering to work with commentators such as Andrew Bolt to establish the channel.”

In relation to this video , you can  read his article here: Monckton to Push for an Australian Fox News to get an idea of what is currently happening

GetUp is an independent, grass-roots community advocacy organisation which aims to build a more progressive Australia by giving everyday Australians the opportunity to get involved and hold politicians accountable on important issues.

Articles in relation to this
Gina Rinehart lines up Fairfax to expand media influence – australian.com.au
Gina Rinehart, Australian mining magnate and now media mogul – the guardian.co.uk
http://campaignfortruth.com/vestedmedia.htm – campaign for truth
GINA RINEHART takes Big stake in media company fairfax – smh

Tech companies ipo’s have been pretty unexciting so far  and not lived up to people expectations , but the facebook Ipo could possibly change this. Facebook is no one of the most popular  social network website  in the world  and  continues to expand at a rapid pace. Facebook has entered the homes of billions of people and become part of their lives wether it being a uprising ,flash mobs organising,  riots information and social sharing,  or then just LIKE.

Ref: http://www.behance.net/gallery/Adidas-Facebook-Superstars/817509

The Wall Street Journal ( financial newspaper) reports that Facebook is preparing to file initial paperwork for an offering that could raise as much as $US10 billion ($9.38 billion) and value the company at $US75 billion to $US100 billion.

Some Major ipo’s raised previously

• Visa Inc's $US17.9 billion IPO ( March 2008 )
• Agricultural Bank of China Ltd  $US19.3 billion( July 2010 )

Facebook and its valuation

“Facebook's IPO” is reported to be one of the biggest for a US Internet company - topping the debut of one of its main rivals, Google . Facebook's reported valuation of $US75 billion to $US100 billion compares with many other major US companies valuation as listed below.

• $US100 billion for McDonald's Corp
• $90 billion for Citigroup Inc
• $US55 billion for Hewlett-Packard Co
• $90 billion Amazon.com Inc
• $US75 billion for Bank of America Corp .

The other giants like APPLE have giant market capitalisations in comparison  APPLE ( US$ 417 Billion) ,Microsoft (US$245 Billion) and Google (US$188 Billion). Founder Mark Zuckenberg has been saying that Facebook is in no hurry to list, but the US securities and exchange commission  requires companies that have  assets worth more than US$ 10 Million and 500 shareholders to disclose details of their  financial performance making it harder for the facebook IPO to not come any sooner.