Absolutely. A quite typical way for dictatorships to consolidate power. But the question is how much this applies, especially in most western states; there is

Absolutely. A quite typical way for dictatorships to consolidate power. But the question is how much this applies, especially in most western states; there is a huge spectrum between having some government-determined regulation (or funding) for media and a single individual politician being in full control of all media content. I'd argue that Turkey/Hungary or past-Italy under Berlusconi were all much farther along that spectrum than most western nations right now, US included.