They have two major things. 1. Money 2. The fact that they are the only source of information that a good percentage of the world uses. Money can be used to

They have two major things. 1. Money 2. The fact that they are the only source of information that a good percentage of the world uses. Money can be used to buy power, and they already have a not-insignificant level of control over the flow of information (which is power itself).