Final answer:
It is true that few companies called multiple-system operators increasingly own cable systems in the U.S. This trend is part of a broader media consolidation, which has significant implications for the diversity of content and public discourse. Large conglomerates now dominate the media landscape, raising concerns about information diversity and democracy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question addresses the dynamics of media ownership in the United States, specifically focusing on cable systems and their ownership. It is true that cable systems are increasingly owned by fewer companies, known as multiple-system operators (MSOs). This trend towards consolidation is part of a broader pattern of media consolidation in which a small number of large corporations own a significant share of various media outlets, including newspapers, magazines, television, radio stations, and cable systems.
Media consolidation has far-reaching implications on the diversity of content and the range of perspectives available to the public. For example, the merger of Comcast with NBC Universal was a significant move that brought together the nation's largest cable and home Internet provider with one of the major content producers. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 contributed to this trend by relaxing ownership rules, allowing networks to own more stations and buy large numbers of cable stations. As a result, conglomerates like Comcast, Disney Corporation, Time Warner, CBS, and Viacom dominate the media landscape.