On BBC2’s Newsnight this week, Alistair Campbell, Tony Blair’s former spokesman, debated The Sun’s Trevor Kavanagh, a former political editor now columnist for the paper, over whether the right-wing papers would present both sides of the Brexit argument fairly or would spin stories to benefit one side.
Kavanagh gives as good as he gets, saying the paper has a long-term view on the issue, informed by the concerns of his readers. Then, at 8.25 minutes in, he’s asked who’ll decide the paper’s editorial stance on the issue.
“Rupert Murdoch,” he answers. Well, at least he’s honest
We could ask the same question about The Australian‘s position on media ownership laws, Peta Credlin’s influence in Canberra, and who should lead the Liberal Party. Who will decide what campaign, group or person The Daily Telegraph should go after next? Who decides the campaigns Australia’s largest media company will pursue in relation to war and peace, foreign affairs, domestic agendas, the rise and fall of governments?
Rupert’s influence spans the globe — and his minions in Australia are as eager as any to do his bidding.
I don’t really think that Mr Murdoch is evil, but I think that what he does amounts to that effect.
Partially because he is just wrong so often in determining what is best for society, and invariably it is because he approaches all problems with the vested interests of the big business man, to wit, that all business is good and all governments are incompetent and or evil.
Iraq War anybody, $20 barrels of oil, climate change! Is there anything this guy has done that is for the common good?
I don’t wish anyone dead, but the world may be a better place with him gone.
Public enlightenment – of what is going on – stopped being a Limited News priority decades ago.
[As Rupert once said when asked why he was so opposed to the EU ‘That’s easy. When I go into Downing Street they do what I say; when I go to Brussels they take no notice.’]
Any wonder he’s using his PR empire to try to talk actual voting punters (in a country of which he isn’t even a citizen) into voting their/his way out of the EU and into a situation over which he wields more influence and power?
….. “Remember Andy?”
And yet every one of mudorc’s scurrying myrmidons loudly, constantly deny the simple reality of his word being Lore – the law be buggered.
It would be merely risible were if not for the damage he does to the common weal – of every country in which he dominates the meeja.
Even the Deng dalliance was merely a means to an end – access for his satellite TV.
It appears the exception is Donald Trump a wild card that is not in Ruperts hand or sphere of influence.
Rupert’s influence is evident in the rise of Trump, a runaway train that stole Rupert’s FoxNews audience and most of the Republican Party.
An audience built on his Newspapers promoting political gladiatorial outrage, profitable chaff for his papers, but all designed to derail Democracy and replace it with his ideas of Libertarian Capitalism. Rupert pulls the strings in the US and the UK.
He employs only those who serve his purpose, with eyes wide shut, so the blame should fall on their shoulders too.
Australia is just his friendly foreign family holiday hideout, he owns it!
Rupert is a far bigger threat to Democracy than Trump.