Give Rupert Murdoch credit.  He’s savvier than Tom Freston and the whole lot of them over at Paramount.  And Tom Cruise too.

Rupert knows it’s a new era.  That old media is in trouble.  That’s why he purchased myspace.  He’s making a play for the future, just like he got into satellite TV years back.

But you’ve got MTV/Paramount thinking the old rules still apply.  That you coddle talent, employ PR people to spin yarns and continue to live in a walled garden.  That YOU’RE in control.

God, isn’t it classic that Brad Grey is caught up in the Pellicano scandal.  That’s OLD WAVE entertainment business, thinking that the rules don’t apply to you.  That you can do whatever you want, that you’re all powerful, you can win by sheer deviousness and will.

Tom Cruise is a national joke.  The fact that Katie Holmes is knocked up does nothing to undercut his image as an ignorant megalomaniac who uses women as a beard.  Sure, he fucked up on "Oprah".  And then ridiculously added fuel to the fire on "Today".  But what killed Tom was the web.  Where one could view endless repeats of him jumping on Oprah’s couch.  Could read his transcript from the "Today Show".  You see it’s as if a sunshine law has been passed.  Now, light is shined on EVERYTHING!

You parade yourself as a sensitive macho man in control of your emotions and you don’t live up to this and those on the web are going to POUNCE!  You use your leverage to get a rerun of "South Park" pulled and you appear a prick with too much money who believes he rules the world.

Fans rule the world, make no mistake.  And without fans, you’re nowhere.

Oh, the story isn’t supposed to be true.  Tom didn’t say he was going to withhold promotion of MI3 if the "South Park" episode was aired.  Yeah, right.  Then why haven’t Matt and Trey gone on record?  Shit, they’ll normally comment on ANYTHING, not worried about speaking the truth.  But they’ve been strangely silent here.  So, the public ain’t buying it.

Oh, "South Park" could have aired the scientology episode again and NOBODY WOULD HAVE NOTICED!!  But Tom didn’t like it.  And Tom has Paramount over a barrel.  So, he flexes his muscles and Paramount caves.

HOW FUCKING IGNORANT CAN YOU BE?  DIDN’T THEY REALIZE THE TRUTH WOULD OUT?  THAT THE STORY WOULD SPREAD ALL OVER THE WEB?

Not even the L.A. "Times" is buying their denials.  Everyone believes the story is true.

The usual suspects just don’t get the web.  It’s not only the record companies, but big outfits like MTV and Paramount.  They can’t see the shift.  That now it’s about pull not push.  That the audience is in control.  And if you fuck up, do something untrustworthy, the public is going to be ALL OVER YOU!

You can’t lie anymore.  The truth outs almost instantly.  Just like Paris Hilton’s herpes.

Oh, you didn’t read she was infected?  Then maybe you don’t care.  But netizens DO care because mainstream media wants us to believe that this woman actually has talent, when in reality she’s famous for being such an idiot, someone we can make fun of.

You also must have a net play.  A way to move your entire business online in a heartbeat.  No pussyfooting, just playing by the new rules.  Movies in theatres is a dying business.  DVD sales have stalled.  New revenue is going to come from internet distribution, not high definition DVDs.

Where is MTV’s internet play?  A lame website with the same faux coolness as the TV network that runs slowly and reflects reality shows and not music?  MTV is losing the music franchise along with Sony.  They just don’t get it.  So, MTV made a deal with Microsoft.  Bullshit.  MTV should be THE site for online music.  It’s just that the execs have their heads SO far up their asses concocting teen participation shows for their TV networks that they’re blind to the future.

And, there’s mismanagement at the studio.  Brad Grey comes in and nobody knows who has a job and who doesn’t.  And then DreamWorks is purchased because there’s nothing in the pipeline.  The fact that this guy won in the past…can you tell me why he should win in the future?

From now on, if  you’re caught in a lie, if you’re doing something untoward, don’t deny it.  Let it die.  Otherwise the netizens will make mincemeat of you.  AND, if you’re breaking the rules, expect somebody to find out, you’ll have egg on your face.

And one last thing…  This is what media consolidation has bought us.  The same guy owns everything.  Like MTV is gonna trash MI3 on its channel or website?

That’s what’s making the public raise its proverbial head and cry foul.  People are sick of the bullshit and now have a forum within which to express their displeasure.

Honesty rules in the future.  Because now everybody is watching, and participating.  We live in a Wiki world.