Toll Road Giant Buys Newspapers to Silence Critics

[pisshead]

ahhh, this will convince how giving up sovereignty and paying taxes for mexico is good for freedom...

Toll Road Giant Buys Newspapers to Silence Critics
Critics charge that the Macquarie purchase of American Consolidated Media is designed to silence critics of a Texas toll road project
[align=left]The Newspaper
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Australian toll road giant Macquarie agreed Wednesday to purchase forty local newspapers, primarily in Texas and Oklahoma, for $80 million. Macquarie Bank is Australia's largest capital raising firm and has invested billions in purchasing roads in the US, Canada and UK. Most recently the company joined with Cintra Concesiones of Spain in a controversial 75-year lease of the 157-mile Indiana Toll Road.
Sal Costello, the leading opponent of toll road projects as head of the Texas Toll Party, says the move is directly related to a 4000-mile toll road project known as the Trans-Texas Corridor. It will cost between $145 and $183 billion to construct the road, expected to be up to 1200 feet wide, requiring the acquisition of 9000 square miles of land in the areas through which it will pass.
"The newspapers are the main communication tool for many of the rural Texan communities, with many citizens at risk of losing their homes and farms through eminent domain," Costello wrote.
Many of the small papers purchased, most have a circulation of 5000 or less, have been critical of the Trans-Texas Corridor. An article in the Bonham Journal for example, states, "The toll roads will be under control of foreign investors, which more than frustrates Texans." [/align]

pisshead Reviewed by pisshead on 01-29-2007. Toll Road Giant Buys Newspapers to Silence Critics ahhh, this will convince how giving up sovereignty and paying taxes for mexico is good for freedom... Toll Road Giant Buys Newspapers to Silence Critics Critics charge that the Macquarie purchase of American Consolidated Media is designed to silence critics of a Texas toll road project The Newspaper Sunday, January 28, 2007 Australian toll road giant Macquarie agreed Wednesday to purchase forty local newspapers, primarily in Texas and Oklahoma, for $80 million. Macquarie Bank is Rating: 5

[pisshead]

Toll Road Conglomerate Silences Nagging Texas Newspapers by Purchasing Newspaper Group. [align=left]Sal Costello Blog

Monday, January 28, 2007
Don't like the bad press from dozens of newspapers?
Just buy them.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports Macquarie Media Group Ltd., a subsidiary of Macquarie Bank and Cintra-Macquarie partner, has swallowed American Consolidated Media (ACM) for nearly $100 million.
The purchase allows one of the largest toll road operators in the world to control some of itâ??s industries most outspoken critics in Texas, dozens of rural independent Texas newspapers.
The deal could help to clear a political path for potential Texas contracts worth Billions.
The purchase comes after the ACMâ??s rural independent newspapers have clearly been the most vocal opposition to the Trans Texas Corridor (TTC).
Countless articles over the past months and years peg the TTC as an eminent domain land grab. ACMâ??s publications had placed serious political pressure on the TTC, therefore future TTC contracts worth an estimated $185 Billion dollars.
Editorial independence
is being bought out.
The newspapers are the main communication tool for many of the rural Texan communities, with many citizens at risk of loosing thier homes and farms through eminent domain. Future TTC contracts are estimated to effect about one-half million acres of land, and 4,000 miles of Texas toll roads.
Founded in 1998, American Consolidated Media is a privately owned media holding company. Based in Dallas, Texas, the company owns and operates about 40 newspapers, primarily in the small-to-medium markets of Texas.
Texas newspapers under the ACM umbrella include: Waxahachie Daily Light, The Hearne Democrat, Calvert Tribune, Alvarado Post, Bonham Journal, Ellis County Chronicle, Ennis Journal, Stephenville Empire Tribune, Midlothian Mirror, and the Franklin Advocate.
Macquarie is currently poised to buy more newspaper groups. From the Sydney Morning Herald report:
â??The Macquarie Bank-backed fund, which already has broadcast assets, is "in a number of discussions" with other US newspaper businesses, including some exclusive negotiations, but declined to offer more details.â?�
This is Macquarie's first print media purchase and first move into the U.S. media market.
Macquarie Bank is the parent of Macquarie Infrastructure, one of the largest toll road operators in the world. Macquarie Infrastructure last year partnered with Cintra (Cintra-Macquarie) in a $3.85 Billion dollar toll road deal in Indiana.
D.J. Gribbin, a director for Macquarie, has just been nominated by President Bush to be General Counsel for the U.S. Department of Transportation and is awaiting senate confirmation.
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UPDATE: Selling agent Halyard Capital finally returned my phone call from yesterday and stated that this deal is "subject to HSR", and would not elaborate. The FTC has an HSR approval process. [/align]

[Zimzum]

Good old America. If you can't beat them, buy them!

[medicinal]

Good old America. If you can't beat them, buy them!
No truer words were ever spoken. I think Japan and China owns a good share of us, and I've heard the Brits own a lot also, now the Aussies are comming, Geeze, I'll be lucky to hold on to my little homestead.

[eg420ne]

NOOOOO! look over der... Irans Prez just called gwbush a douchebag! ATTACK ATTACK ATTACK NOW

Who care if america being takeover from within we have 2 kill them over there

[Psycho4Bud]

YOUR flying the Mexican flag???:S2: CLASSIC!

Have a good one!:jointsmile:

[eg420ne]

Its all i see around here now... the public schools around here all taken down the america flag, im just waiting for them to put the mexican flag up...then i go burning

[Psycho4Bud]

If/when that happens let us know.......we'll round up the posse and bring our torches!:S4:

Have a good one!:jointsmile:

[eg420ne]

shouldnt be 2 long now, they pretty much get der way

[eg420ne]

im just waiting for them to put the mexican flag up...then i go burning

What i meant to say is "go smoke a joint, for the usa:stoned: " silly me, i would never burn any countries flag but ours-- j/k...

.you know post 911 era :S1: