As a Crikey subscriber, you hardly need convincing about the threats that media monopolies pose to democracy.
You already know that, as James Murdoch says, News Corp’s output is rife with hidden agendas and disinformation designed to confuse public debate.
You know that News Corp is no longer interested in reporting facts. It operates like a mafia syndicate with a well-funded protection racket for politicians who back its commercial interests and espouse hard-right ideology on issues like climate change.
You also know that many of Murdoch’s critics, while roaring in private, have been bullied into public silence. They live in fear of joining the mounting number in business, politics and media who have been subjected to an onslaught of lies, innuendo and personal smear.
Murdoch’s 70% control of daily newspaper circulation represents an effective monopoly, granting overwhelming power to influence how political debates are covered elsewhere on television, radio and online. This represents a threat to our very democracy.
The culture of fear in Australian politics means that no committee of politicians is capable of conducting an independent inquiry into abuses of media power — they are simply too vulnerable to Murdoch’s influence.
Hence, the need for a royal commission.
My exhortation to you, as someone who values independent media, is simply to read the petition. If you agree with it, sign it. And share it around with your friends and family.
In the 10 days since we launched this petition, more than 350,000 Australians have backed a royal commission to ensure a strong, free and diverse Australian media. Our campaign is backed by GetUp, the ACTU and many more.
Some people, even on the progressive side of politics, have questioned my motives for launching this petition. They say this is all sour grapes for my time in government because of Murdoch’s disinformation campaign attacking our stimulus strategy to avoid recession during the global financial crisis or for dressing me and Anthony Albanese up in Nazi uniforms on their front page, while giving Tony Abbott a dream run to the Lodge.
My skin is thick, having spent more than 30 years in the public eye. The truth is that Murdoch’s bias has increased in the past decade, and has reached an industrial scale. He has campaigned viciously against the progressive side of politics at 18 out of the past 18 state and federal elections.
Some also question my focus on Murdoch. Of course, News Corp’s sheer scale means it needs to face the most scrutiny — in my home state of Queensland, which decides most federal elections, its power is practically unchallenged.
But the petition also raises concerns about Nine’s takeover of Fairfax Media, the sabotaging of the independent AAP Newswire, legal threats against investigative journalists, and attacks on the ABC’s independence and funding. Emerging online monopolies like Facebook, Twitter and Google should also face the royal commission.
Some claim Murdoch is benign, or his influence is waning amid new online outlets. However, that’s exactly what they said in America where Fox News has become the beating heart of the Trump phenomenon, polluting Americans’ minds daily with disinformation and conspiracy theories, most spectacularly on climate.
Finally, they accuse me of hypocrisy, noting I met with Murdoch in 2007. You bet I did. I make no apologies for that. If you were a Labor opposition leader, you would also try to reduce the levels of News Corp bias to something approaching balance (although it still tried everything it could to destroy my leadership during 2007, one confected scandal after another).
The bottom line is: we now have an opportunity for the Australian people to be heard through an official petition to the parliament. There are no hidden agendas; just an attempt to excise this growing cancer from our democracy.
Kevin Rudd is a former prime minister of Australia.
Took a few times to get access but I signed the petition the other day. Apart from Murdoch, the underhanded and not -admitted, slow defunding of the ABC needs to be highlighted (I know it is in the petition).
The underfunding has been a conservative long term project with a long way to go yet.
Accountability isn’t their thing but Murdoch certainly is.
I’ve never particularly like Rudd, so I find it quite irritating when he’s absolutely right about something. Even more galling when I then proceed to do something he has asked me to do. It annoys me no end that he is still a better human being than all three subsequent LNP Prime Ministers put together. I wish you every success, you bastard.
“It annoys me no end that he is still a better human being than all three subsequent LNP Prime Ministers put together.”
Damning with faint praise there, Mack.
Such a hell of a low bar to be judged by.
Hear Hear – used to like him until his ego got out of control over Gillard – but his personal failings are virtually negligible compared to those of Abbott, Turnbull, Morrison and all their evil LNP colleagues.
No I will never forgive him for his spoilt brat sore loser attitude and for the ongoing sniping and leaking that spoiled Julia’s run and played right into the Onion’s hands. However that isn’t to say I don’t think this is a good idea.
Extending what dilettantebeth has written, anyone who had worked with Rudd in QLD could have told anyone as to how it would turn out. As PM, initially, Rudd went through more staff than pairs of sox.
As I have pointed out, Rudd and Abbott could pass for political twins on each side of the fence.
Churchill was conducting a tour of the House of Commons for pupils of his former school, Harrow, in the late 50s. Pointing to the the Opposition benches, a kid asked “is that where the enemy sit sir”? No, replied Churchill. “In politics one’s enemies are behind one”.
Rudd flamed out in full public view…nothing to do with Murdoch.
The SES class in Canberra treated Rudd with contempt due to his Emperor-style of management…he had exactly the same demeanour when he ran the Old Premier’s affairs, and was hated for it. I worked in both jurisdictions as a lobbyist for the building sector so saw it up close.
As for the Rudd/Abbott comparison, the only real difference was that Abbott had a female COS and enjoyed close relationships with all of his personal staff, male & female.
I didn’t mention Murdoch in the context of Rudd. As for the comparison : consider a sense of inability. If Rudd “flamed out” then so did Abbott; the knighthoods being the last straw.
Signed and congratulations Kevin for firing this up. I can’t see the current government setting up a Royal Commission but something needs to move and this may be the catalyst.
My ban on all Murdoch media has been on place since 1980 without any appreciable effect.
“My ban on all Murdoch media has been on place since 1980 without any appreciable effect.” Ditto. What we see from Murdoch now is only a more concentrated form of the same poison he’s been spewing for decades. Anybody who saw what he did to The Times in the UK in 1981 knew he ran his papers for political propaganda and intimidation of opponents with zero regard for truth. The accumulated damage Murdoch has done to the countries infested by his toxic media is incalculable. He must be very proud.
My ban likewise!
Your motivations are immaterial, because you are correct. News Cancer is a threat to our democracy. In fact, I would go so far as to say that it is the greatest threat to liberal democracies around the world: far greater than, say, Russia or China.
Petition signed a couple of days ago. To others who are considering signing, persist. The system sometimes takes several attempts to make it work.
Doneski!
I’m with you Kevin.