It seems odd — if not perverse — that a few media giants from the land of free enterprise are cozying up to tyrants who are celebrating 50 years of oppression including 50 years of opposition to a free press. The Chinese communists are in the midst celebrating the golden anniversary of the takeover of Chairman Mao. During that time, about 60 million Chinese died, Tibet was invaded and occupied, dissidents were executed and, generally, a good time was had by party members. During these years and still today a free press was unknown in China. Chinese leaders, who seem to be extremely touchy about this subject, even objected to other nations free press and movies when pundits and producers pointed out Chinas lack of freedom. So last month, during a gathering in Shanghai, Time Warner Chairman Gerald Levin introduced Chinese President Jiang Zemin as my good friend. The idea of Mr. Levin and President Zemin schmoozing over cocktails just warms the cockles of your heart, doesnt it?Mr. Levin ignored that Chinese authorities blocked the newsstand sales of a special Chinese edition of Time magazine because it included essays by the Tibetan leader, the Dalai Lama, and several Chinese exiles. Well, thats understandable. One mustnt let niceties such as integrity, decency, honor and good behavior stand in the way of a friendship with a dictator who doesnt mind killing dissidents. Or, as Sumner Redstone CEO of the huge media conglomerate ViacomCBS noted news organizations should avoid being unnecessarily offensive to foreign governments. As they expand their global reach, media companies must be aware of the politics and attitudes of the governments where we operate, he said. Mr. Redstone did not go one media step further and say why media companies should be aware of governmental attitudes, but he didnt really have to spell it out. Not being aware of what the government wants will cost your company money. In other words, the bottom line will be trimmed if media people get involved in such complex issues as freedom of the press, the right to organize, the right to redress grievances and the right to complain about your government. Its better to shut up and count your money. Back when Pat Buchanan was politically sane, he warned conservatives that Big Business was not their friend or a friend of the United States. Huge multinational firms care only about the bottom line. Such things as human values mean nothing to them, Buchanan said. Hopefully, the former Crossfire panelist was too pessimistic. But clearly a few people in multinational firms including Mr. Redstone and Mr. Levin, care only about profits. Both liberals and conservatives should be outraged about this and should remind both media executives that one should not be looking at a bankbook when tanks are rolling over dissidents.