[Terry L Smith]

Are they not the industry of 'nothing', since they do not fabricate, manufacture, forge, or 3D print tangible products?

Think about it. What can a television manufacture? What does a radio manufacture?

[REDWOOD99]

Just the gross.

[Fai Mao]

I thought they just produced gross products.

[SMARTY]

” What can a television manufacture? “

Propaganda...it's what they produce. That's bad enough. But, when it's encouraged, enabled and outright subsidized by the ‘state’-it’s criminally irresponsible, dishonest and lethal.

[Cboldt]

Depends on what one sweeps into "the industry." I'd go back to the advent of radio.

Madison Avenue, hardwre manufacturers (transmitters, antenna, receivers) some amount of construction (studios), then the daily production.

What has the internet contributed to the nation's gross national product? Same sort of calculus.

What has Boradway and off-braodway (down to the high school thespians) contributed to the nation's gross national product? Entertainment (which news is part of) is a big business.

[unread]

The New York Times.... How many poor, unfortunate trees have died in the manufacturing of that fish wrap... Liberals should be ashamed.

:)

[Paladin2]

Mass Advertising.

[Ted Grant]

If you count the entertainment business (American tv, movies, and music) they contribute a lot.

[longfellow]

I would say they are a gross national product.

[eyeamok]

what has this so-called ‘industry’ actually contributed?

Deviance, Moral Bankruptcy, Propaganda

[JimRed]

A negative number.

[edzo4]

Do not lump all the media together, you sound like an anti gun nut blaming every gun owner for the actions of a small subset, while some of the media is despicable, there is plenty of fantastic content created, music books movies etc. And millions of jobs and tax revenue from those companies as well.