Murdoch and politicians: a special relationship that has only ever worked one way

[CHIMO]

Say what you like, this does finally give meaning to David Cameron's "we're all in this together" catchphrase. Whether the members of Britain's necrotic establishment are wading in it, or are up to their necks in it, will be a matter for you to call. But what an irony that Murdoch tabloids, infrequently righteous in their crusades, have finally been shown what major corruption looks like. It's not a couple of swingers daring to live an unconventional lifestyle in a Wilmslow terrace – it was in the mirror all along.

Yet the solemn announcement that the News of the World is dead (long live the Sun on Sunday!) does not indicate the Murdoch-controlled culture that has debased this septic isle for decades has been dismantled. This week, people have beheld MPs saying what they actually think about Britain's most obscenely powerful unelected foreign tax exile, and marvelled as if they had seen unicorns. That gives you some idea of the scale of the clean-up, and unless all manner of establishment drones get brave and stay brave, revulsion over the corruption of public life by Murdoch and his soldiers will go the same way as that pertaining to bankers or MPs' expenses.

People are right to be revolted. It is revolting. Indeed, there are so many threads that we should don rubber gloves and follow merely one of them for a flavour of the whole. So, do open your textbooks at "war".

Rupert Murdoch was the only figure powerful enough to be able to state explicitly, without consequence, that he was backing war on Iraq to bring down the price of oil. So his "free press" all cheer-led for said war, and began commodifying their version of it, even confecting their own military award ceremonies as though the medal system were inadequate.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jul/08/relationship-only-ever-worked-one-way

Mounties stop Murdoch's Sun TV News from shining
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/nov/08/mounties-murdoch-sun-tv-news

Harper's meeting with Murdoch -- the real story

Why would big-time global media tycoon Rupert Murdoch meet with Prime Minister Stephen Harper to discuss how miniscule Canadian media tycoon Pierre-Karl Péladeau could set up a Quebecor Media television knock-off of Murdoch's Fox News channel?

The answer is that he wouldn't -- and didn't. Even Kory Teneycke, who was Harper's chief spokesperson at the time and was at the lunch meeting in New York on March 30, 2009, claims the Quebecor venture was not discussed.

That hasn't stopped Teneycke, the huckster for the project, from piggybacking on the Fox News brand. Four months after the meeting with Murdoch, he left the Prime Minister's Office and almost immediately obtained a contract with Quebecor to develop a conservative television channel. Teneycke, who has worked for the Reform party, Mike Harris's Ontario Tories and the Saskatchewan Party, may have coined the phrase "Fox News North" to attract attention and put it on the political agenda.

And he certainly did. Mainstream media and the blogosphere are humming with strident commentary, both for and against. Google "Fox News North" and you'll come up with over 750,000 hits.

http://rabble.ca/news/2010/09/harper%E2%80%99s-meeting-murdoch-real-story

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1. Phone-hacking scandal: is this the tipping point for Murdoch's empire?

Shortly before nine o'clock on a Saturday evening last month an elderly man wearing a woollen jumper and slacks escorted a flame-haired woman to the back of a dining room in a Cotswolds pub. The sun was emerging after a day of rain and the jolly mood in the Oxfordshire gastropub was shared by the couple. Laughing, they settled side by side behind a stripped pine table and examined their menus.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jul/09/phone-hacking-scandal-rupert-murdoch

[CHIMO]

2. Brooks, Coulson and the police still have many questions to answer

Finally, there is "the deal". I've always believed in a balanced media economy, with two 800lb gorillas – the BBC and the private broadcasters – competing for audiences and for quality. By contrast, Cameron has slashed the BBC and seems prepared to hand another slice of the British media to Murdoch. Was that the real deal, in exchange for Murdoch's backing? If so, he should be ashamed.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jul/09/phone-hacking-pressandpublishing

[CHIMO]

3. Murdoch's dirty tricks against Palestinians

Hacking the mobile phones of British families who had lost loved ones to sexually depraved violent criminals, al-Qaeda inspired "terrorists" and Taliban insurgents proved the tipping point that led to the closure of Britain's most popular Sunday newspaper The News of the World, first published in London in 1843 and printed for the very last time on Sunday July 9, 2011.

To adopt a current media idiom, hacking these telephones at times of deep family grief became toxic for Rupert Murdoch's News International media empire because public support for precisely these victims sits at the heart of all Murdoch's political strategies. As a result, Murdoch has been forced to mount a damage limitation exercise on an unprecedented scale in an effort to protect his global media empire from the fallout.

Hugh Grant, a famous British actor turned investigative journalist, himself a victim of News International phone hacking was the first to acknowledge the extent to which the invasion of celebrities and politicians' privacy paled into insignificance compared to the unpardonable intrusion into the lives of the newly bereaved. Grant is absolutely right, but it is the fact that Sunday's News of the World - like its daily sister The Sun - sets itself up as the champion of these victims that hoisted it by its own petard.

In fact, the "Sarah's Law" campaign that named and shamed convicted paedophiles following the murder of eight-year-old Sarah Payne was spearheaded personally by Murdoch's now beleaguered lieutenant Rebekah Brooks. When confronted with criticism that the campaign encouraged vigilantism and threatened the rule of law she responded that she did not "regret the campaign for one minute". The same well attuned ear for the popular mood led The News of the World and The Sun to launch and promote the popular charity Help the Heroes that supports British troops.

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/07/201171183550718371.html

Inside Story

Now the storm has crossed the Atlantic, touching on Murdoch's maze of US interests with fresh allegations emerging in relation to reporting on 9/11. A former police officer claims that News of the World journalists offered payment for details about those killed in the World Trade Center attack nearly a decade ago.

http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/insidestory/2011/07/201171285834131913.html

[CHIMO]

4. Murdoch media dynasty descends from deal to disaster

A family meal on a Sunday night is a traditional event. Yet when Rupert Murdoch gathered his clan together earlier this week it was to discuss a crisis and the only thing on the menu was how to save the bid for BSkyB, the fast-growing satellite business and jewel in the crown of the Murdoch empire.

Just a few days later, that effort has proved futile.

By the time David Cameron stood up at midday on Wednesday to say that the Murdochs should "stop talking about mergers when there is such a mess to sort out", the family had already decided to ditch its offer for the 61% of BSkyB it did not already own.

Yet instead of stemming criticism of the company and its management of the phone hacking scandal, the failure of the bid has instead raised serious questions about the ageing media mogul and his desire to hand control of one of the world's biggest media companies to his youngest son, James.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jul/13/murdoch-media-dynasty-deal-disaster

"The Murdoch Empire Could Be Undone": British Phone-Hacking Scandal May Prompt U.S. Criminal Probe
The British phone-hacking scandal engulfing Rupert Murdoch’s media empire has crossed the Atlantic and could impact his maze of interests in the United States. The watchdog group, ProtectOurElections.org, has called on the FBI and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to launch criminal and civil investigations into possible prosecution under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act in the wake of the scandal that began in the United Kingdom. The act makes it illegal for a U.S. corporation to bribe, or attempt to bribe, foreign officials. More than half of Murdoch’s profits come from his U.S.-based Fox TV operation, which encompasses at least 27 local Fox networks and is available to more than 100 million U.S. households. Shortly after our broadcast, Murdoch’s News Corporation bowed to government and public pressure and withdrew its bid to take full control of broadcaster BSkyB, dashing its hopes of a rapid expansion in television. We speak with Ilyse Hogue, senior adviser at Media Matters for America, and Kevin Zeese, a spokesperson and lawyer for ProtectOurElections.org.

http://www.democracynow.org/2011/7/13/the_murdoch_empire_could_be_undone

[CHIMO]

5. "The Murdoch Empire Could Be Undone": British Phone-Hacking Scandal May Prompt U.S. Criminal Probe

The British phone-hacking scandal engulfing Rupert Murdoch’s media empire has crossed the Atlantic and could impact his maze of interests in the United States. The watchdog group, ProtectOurElections.org, has called on the FBI and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to launch criminal and civil investigations into possible prosecution under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act in the wake of the scandal that began in the United Kingdom. The act makes it illegal for a U.S. corporation to bribe, or attempt to bribe, foreign officials. More than half of Murdoch’s profits come from his U.S.-based Fox TV operation, which encompasses at least 27 local Fox networks and is available to more than 100 million U.S. households. Shortly after our broadcast, Murdoch’s News Corporation bowed to government and public pressure and withdrew its bid to take full control of broadcaster BSkyB, dashing its hopes of a rapid expansion in television. We speak with Ilyse Hogue, senior adviser at Media Matters for America, and Kevin Zeese, a spokesperson and lawyer for ProtectOurElections.org.
http://www.democracynow.org/2011/7/13/the_murdoch_empire_could_be_undone

FBI to investigate News Corporation over 9/11 hacking allegations
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jul/14/fbi-news-corp-hacking-claims

And for pots and kettles.
‘A malicious myth-maker’: Conrad Black takes Rupert Murdoch to task in print
Fallen media baron Conrad Black is taking a swipe at News Corporation chair Rupert Murdoch, describing his former rival as untrustworthy, malicious, and someone who has “difficulty keeping friendships.”

In a column published in the Financial Times Thursday, Black excoriates the Sun and News of the World owner for presenting himself as a “pillar of contemporary, enlightened populism in Britain and sensible conservatism in the U.S.,” while pushing forward business enterprises that pander to base instincts and sensationalism.

“Although his personality is generally quite agreeable, Mr. Murdoch has no loyalty to anyone or anything except his company,” writes Black, former owner of Telegraph Newspapers, a competitor of News International. “He has difficulty keeping friendships; rarely keeps his word for long; is an exploiter of the discomfort of others; and has betrayed every political leader who ever helped him in any country, except Ronald Reagan and perhaps Tony Blair.”

He continues: “All (Murdoch’s) instincts are down-market; he is not only a tabloid sensationalist; he is a malicious myth-maker, an assassin of the dignity of others and of respected institutions, all in the guise of anti-elitism … His notions of public entertainment and civic values are enshrined in the cartoon television series The Simpsons: all public officials are crooks and the public is an ignorant lumpenproletariat.”

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/1024792--a-malicious-myth-maker-conrad-black-takes-rupert-murdoch-to-task-in-print

[CHIMO]

6. Media Talk podcast: The end of the Murdoch media empire?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/audio/2011/jul/14/media-talk-podcast-murdoch-empire

Rebekah Brooks's cardinal sin
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jul/15/rebekah-brooks-cardinal-sin

Les Hinton resigns from News Corp

Rupert Murdoch's righthand man Les Hinton has resigned in the latest shock development of a saga still threatening to engulf the newspaper and TV mogul's empire.

Hinton, who has worked for the media baron for more than 50 years, told staff at the Wall Street Journal he had no option but to resign.

"It is a deeply, deeply sad day for me.

"When I left News International in December 2007, I believed that the rotten element at the News of the World had been eliminated.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jul/15/les-hinton-rupert-murdoch

Departure of Rebekah Brooks leaves James Murdoch 'exposed'
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jul/15/rebekah-brooks-resignation-james-murdoch-exposed

[CHIMO]

7. Phone hacking crisis shows News Corp is no ordinary news company

Watching the phone hacking crisis crack wide open over the last few weeks has left me puzzled about its ultimate causes: what is it about News Corp that has produced these events?

I don't think we understand very much about this. We can say things like, "Ultimate responsibility goes to the man at the top," meaning Rupert Murdoch, chairman and CEO. And that sounds right, but it still doesn't explain how any of it happened. "The key people are criminals, liars, or willfully blind..." We could say that, but then we would have to explain how so many of them ended up at one company.

Puzzles like these have led many people to the conclusion that there's a culture inside News Corp, that is in some way responsible, and I basically agree with that. Mark Lewis, lawyer for the family of Milly Dowler, said after Rebekah Brooks resigned: "This is not just about one individual but about the culture of an organization." Carl Bernstein agrees with that. He wrote this in Newsweek a few days ago:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/jul/19/rupert-murdoch-phone-hacking

Hmm... Perhaps follow the money or follow the power should be considered.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jul/19/news-corp-police-payments-macdonald

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jul/19/john-yates-resignations-news-international

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/commentisfree+media/phone-hacking
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jul/19/phone-hacking-resignations-meaningless

[CHIMO]

8. Murdoch empire sinking beneath the sands

"Look on my works, ye mighty; and despair!" So said the base of the statue of Ozymandias of Egypt - Ramasses the Great, Pharaoh of the 19th Dynasty of Ancient Egypt - discovered deep under the desert sands in Shelley's epic poem Ozymandias.

The poet's point being of course that though undoubtedly great, in his day, ultimately Ozymandias and his empire went the way of all flesh, and all empires. So it seems is going the empire of Rupert Murdoch, once the greatest media conglomerate the world has ever known.

Absolute carnage is currently being caused in British public life by the fall-out from the illegal phone hacking carried out by Murdoch's servants. In a story transfixing the country, there are often developments several times daily including arrests of powerful people and resignations from some of the best known public figures in the land.

Like all good scandals follow the money is the maxim. And the question made famous by Watergate - "What did he know and when did he know it?" is the one on everybody's lips. The "he" in question is, increasingly, the prime minister himself.

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/07/20117181848649939.html

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/07/201171993551683626.html

[CHIMO]

9. News Corp and phone hacking: Wilful blindness at the very top

All the coaching, PR and legal advice that was poured into grooming the Murdochs for this week's dramatic House of Commons appearance had one aim: to impress on the world that News Corp was now on top of the situation and was moving forward with honesty and transparency. It was, in principle, the right strategy – but the risk was obvious: that their evidence would be shown in some respect to be untrue. Barely a day had passed before the nightmare scenario came to pass – a direct contradiction of a crucial part of James Murdoch's evidence by two very significant players in the tortuous story of News International's attempt to move beyond reckoning to some form of atonement.

The conflict surrounds the decision of James Murdoch in 2008 to sign a huge cheque (around £1m in damages and costs) for Gordon Taylor, the chief executive of the Professional Footballers' Association. This settlement was first revealed by the Guardian in July 2009. On Wednesday, MPs wanted to know why he had felt it important to offer such an astronomical amount of money. Was it to buy silence, and thereby conceal evidence of criminality within his company?

James Murdoch had evidently been prepared for this question, since he embarked on a long, complex and detailed account of how the sum was arrived at. Essentially, it boiled down to claiming that his legal advice was that it would be cheaper to settle with Mr Taylor than to fight. But he was challenged directly as to whether he had seen the underlying material in the Taylor case – in particular the explosive transcript of voicemail messages typed up by a reporter and destined "for Neville" – a reference to the NoW's chief reporter, Neville Thurlbeck. Mr Murdoch answered equally directly: "No, I was not aware of that at the time."

That answer must have come as a relief to News Corp shareholders, because the alternative – that Mr Murdoch had seen the "for Neville" documents – brought very serious questions into play. The transcripts proved conclusively that the "rogue reporter" defence was wrong. So why didn't Mr Murdoch inform parliament and the regulator (both of whom had been misled) of the new situation, and why didn't he start a meaningful internal investigation to get at the truth? To do nothing would, to coin a phrase, look like "wilful blindness".

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jul/21/news-corp-phone-hacking-editorial

Phone-hacking scandal: live coverage
I've just spoken to Mark Lewis, the lawyer for Milly Dowler's family, who has tonight told the police that he believes he was put under surveillance by News International because of his work representing phone hacking victims.

He reported his concerns to the police after Newsnight informed him today that they had heard from a reliable source that the lawyer's phone had been hacked around December last year, and he had also been followed by a private detective.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jul/21/phone-hacking-scandal-live-coverage

Phone hacking: Tom Crone and Colin Myler raise the stakes
Tom Crone and Colin Myler were well aware that the statement they were about to make could prove fatal to James Murdoch.

When the Guardian pointed out in the wake of his parliamentary testimony that Murdoch's son had sought to blame them for concealment, one friend of the two men said: "To contradict James will be as good as coming out and calling him a liar."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jul/21/tom-crone-colin-myler-analysis

James Murdoch: groomed for the top but now looking down the barrel
It's like the last scene from Reservoir Dogs when they all shoot each other.

But what did the Murdochs expect? After dumping on so many senior News International executives and laying off hundreds of journalists when they impetuously shut down the News of the World in a bid to contain the scandal, the only surprise was that the shots weren't fired sooner.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jul/22/james-murdoch-top-looking-down