Webdiary - Founded and Inspired by Margo Kingston

Another snippet from that Haaretz article Justin linked.

"There is no surprise that the police behaved in this manner when the relationship between the governing elite and the top management of newspapers owned by Murdoch are in such close symbiosis that ministers and parliamentarians more often than not reveal the Prime Minister's policies through the press. "

Duh. How do they do it in Israel? Everyone has to ring their mothers and ask?

 There is something to be said for freedom of the press.  Maybe (as is too often claimed in the press) democracy needs it.

But we have come a long way from Areopagitica.

Isn't it time to start distinguishing free editorship and publication from the freedom and autonomy of the media conglomerates who have become the owners of the state?

 Isn't freedom of the government more important than freedom of the trans-national conglomerate? 

It looks to me as though government intervention is needed to guarantee and monitor freedom of the press from its owner, or else place controls on diversity of ownership.  That the lack of it is the cause of the problem.

How is it that Murdoch was allowed to own other newspapers besides News Of The World, and even radio and television stations, in more than one country?  How come that paper is just a pawn that he can throw in the gutter?  Is that press freedom?  How come the owner of Fox is able to publish a newspaper in Australia and call it the Australian?

That is nothing to do with freedom of the press.  It is a source of power, and it has plainly been socially harmful that Murdoch possessed that power. 

So here we see what is at the heart of this nasty hypocritical little frenzy.  Murdoch is an octopus whose tentacles threaten to corrupt the very foundations of society. Where have I heard that before? 

The power of the News International empire - which in Britain controls not just the tabloid with the biggest circulation, The Sun, but also "institutional" papers The Times and Sunday Times, as well as the BSkyB satellite television channels - was so extensive that, when the police caught a glimpse of the phone hacking affair more than five years ago, a decision was made that there were more important issues to investigate.

Mate: you, me and the Israeli press are gunna enjoy his pogrom.

From Justin's linked ABC opinion piece.

'But to really set things right, we'll need more than Brooks' head on a pike. The abuse of media power that lies at the heart of the phone hacking scandal can be seen in News Corp media in other parts of the world, including Murdoch's Australian tabloids and the national broadsheet, The Australian. Indeed, part of the horror generated by the News of the World scandal is its exposure of how unchecked media power can corrupt the foundational institutions – and so the very workings – of democracy. Confessions in recent days suggest that Scotland Yard may have aided James Murdoch's desire to "box" - or contain - the damage by deciding not to further investigate the scandal, perhaps because of fear of exposing corrupt cops or wearing the excoriating heat of unfavourable News Corp editorials. British politicians are now confessing they have been similarly cowed, "None of the leading politicians wanted to touch [the scandal] because of the power of Murdoch and the fear that they had," said one MP.' [my emphasis]

So here we see what is at the heart of this nasty hypocritical little frenzy.  Murdoch is an octopus whose tentacles threaten to corrupt the very foundations of society. Where have I heard that before? 

What is known to have happened at the NOTW is quite literally criminal and from memory at least one man has already gone to jail for it. Others have been arrested and more arrests are likely and if I were a betting man my money would not be on many of them seeing much daylight for quite a while. In the meantime there is the small matter of the trials. Remember those?

Whatshername from the ABC doen't seem too fussed about that particular "foundational institution" by the way. Just as she isn't real concerned about getting all the facts before convicting everybody. Of what by the way? Certain individuals have been charged with certain crimes and there are a bunch of investtigations going on back in the home country.  How sweet of them to care.

There are a lot of people who hate Murdoch. Everybody knows that. Business competitors. Left/liberal ideologues who hate America. Academics.  Islamist lunatics who think he is a Jew. A few governments probably. And to be sure I would not want to get in his way if there wasn't a need. But read that piece again. Whatsherface wants blood. Now.  Never mind the trials.

The left/liberal media and their allies among left wing politicians are on an electronic pogrom over this. If you think that is too harsh a term just read what they are saying. Murdoch is guilty of being ... being ... dammit ... Murdoch! Hang him! Drag him to Picadilly and draw and quarter him! (or something).  Put their heads on pikes! Root him and his octopus out because they threaten society.

Boy. You guys really hate Murdoch.

These people have the scent of blood of the mob. Any moment now they'll be trying on pointy hats and lighting torches and marching down to the other end of town.

I've been to the UK many times but I've never seen a copy of  the NOTW. I've heard of it of course. Orwell referred to it in his 1946 essay "The Decline of the English Murder". Still a great read after all these years. Christopher Hitchens refers to it,  as I knew he would, in a really interesting piece in The Australian that I can't link I guess because it's behind Murdoch's pay barrier. I read the article because I read The Australian every day having bought a subscription. I suppose that's another reason they hate him. Hitchens provides another literary reference to the paper that I didn't know. A good read but you'll have to buy a copy of the paper. Quick. Before Whatsherface bans it.

I'm a bit hazy on the detail because it was a long time ago but I am reminded of a "hacked phonecall" incident invoving Prince Charles and a woman not then, but by horrible fate now is, his wife  and which was leaked to/by one of these rags. I'm sure you recall.  I also recall how little interest was shown in who it was who "hacked" Charles' phone and why and how a recording of such an obviously private phonecall came to be in the public domain even if it did confirm one's worst suspicions about the English upper classes. Let alone the legality and ethics of the thing. I don't think we know to this day who did it and why.  I could not understand why there was so little curiosity.

I attribute all of this to what Orwell  diagnosed as the defining vice of the English. Hypocrisy. A bit tough on the English given how many others share the vice but there you go. Orwell was one Englishman who was no hypocrite.

These papers thrive because they provide what the people want and are prepared to pay.  Everyone knows news gathering can be sleazy.  Everyone knows these papers and magazines pay big money for information, recordings and photos that they know will be of interest to their paying customers. I did not know they paid private investigators but I am not at all surprised.

No one has any illusions about journalists in general let alone reporters from this press. I thought the NOTW reporter was a staple of British comedy. If it wasn't it should have been. Too late now.

In the course of this business some British press people committed what look like some especially nasty crimes. Exactly who and what I for one am happy to leave to the British criminal legal system to sort out. It works well by all reports.

But they should not start getting all English vice over this one. From what I can gather a large number of people, high and low, have had their phones "hacked". But the first one was Prince Charles and nobody gave a stuff about that.

In the meantime I'm prepared to extend the presumption of innocence to those who have been charged, let alone to those who haven't been accused or even investigated and against  whom there isn't a skerrick of evidence of criminality. I do this out of respect for the British legal system.

The press has always demanded freedom and societies like ours have been happy to grant a large measure of it recognising it as indeed a "foundational institution" that Whatsamagig says is at stake here. In an odd sort of way she is quite right. But it's not Murdoch who is the threat. She's much closer to that.

And where does that leave Australia?

This is an oppropriate piece by the ABC just today, could not have said it better meself, come to think of it I did:

Fish rot from the head down. So do unethical businesses and corrupt societies. This is as true when the fish is an unethical business as one of the arm of liberal democratic government – executive, judicial or legislative. It is also true of the fourth estate or free press, the often forgotten power-centre that is the key to a functioning democracy...

 

British leaders in law enforcement and parliament have been forced into action by the News of the World scandal. Australian leaders should not wait until our own citizens find themselves victims of similar media abuses of power before they launch similar action.

 

I have nothing at all to say about the corporate business practices of News Corporation since unlike you I have had no direct or indirect experience of them.

Geoff, there is a big fat grizzly bear standing right in front of you just waiting to be shot - it appears you deny its existence, or you're frozen stiff.

From my observations when dealing with Murdoch words mean nothing; to quote the dirty digger: "Give readers something they want to read".

Personally I have no problem with such, for Murdoch's publications are wide and varied, in my opinion some are worth reading and some simply are not up to it. The problem that does arise, however,  is when Murdoch uses the synergy of his media vehicles to push his cause, for personal gain, something that has been well documented.

But with Murdoch the man one should be careful, he will say whatever his audience wants to hear, for whatever his selfish reasons are at the time; for god's sake he's a hard nosed global profit maker not a politician, his ideology could be distilled to: winner takes all.

Does he really care about Israel? I bet not.

Does it suit his financial (family) interests to support the neo-conservative cause? Most probably.

Would he change his views on Israel in exchange for cash/profits? Check out his track record.

One should never judge another by what they say, it is what they do. And that's the point.

Murdoch's business model has corrupted politicians, police and his employees, and he's been doing it for yonks.

Anyway I've said it before and I'll say it again: it's not going to be refugees, Midddle Eastern attire, Islamic terrorists, Kosher food, or a local newspaper that is going to rip the heart and soul out of our fragile democracy; it will be the greedy bastards who corrupt politicians, police and their employees.

And they are doing it now all over the world.

Bertie happens to a prime greedy bastard and he's very good at it, especially good at bullying, corruption and all that goes with it, he is not a fit and proper person to run a media empire, let alone a whore house - take him out I say.

Geoff, is it OK in your opinion for Bertie to be hacking into murder victim's, dead soldier's and politician's phones etc. etc. etc?

Should he be bribing the coppers?

Do you think that such systemic illegal (and immoral) practices should be rewarded by giving him another (sweetheart) media deal (BSB).

And finally would you like me hacking into your phone/computer, your parents and relations (whether dead or alive) phones/computers, bank records etc. etc. and publishing the machinations of you and your family's private life in the national media, or even the local rag just for your neighbours to read, or maybe I might just want to keep the info for my "security" and "leverage"? I bet you would.

And if I did hack into your stuff how would you feel if I won a sweetheart deal from the local Tweed Shire Councillors that would further enrich me? 

You may not want to shoot the bear, I can't (ever known a wombat to get a shooting licence?) and those who can are far too gutless.

And if you think Murdoch isn't doing similar in the US then think again, it's a business model:

 A former NYC police officer has apparently come forward saying he was contacted by NOTW reporters who said that they'd pay him to retrieve the phone records of the dead, particularly British victims.

 Why Geoff I had no idea that you, like dear Alan , have a passion for hunting bears. From memory Alan at least could hit his target (for the usual reward) but you old mate do need a bit of  shooting practice.

Now where in my earlier post was iWinnie ranting about what Bertie's  publications have written?

You'll never shoot a bear if you don't know what one looks like.

iWinnie repeats himself:

About time, Murdoch has been perverting democracy and the law for too long.

When I lived in the UK I never bought The News of the World, I read The Times, no tits, but far better value, and far better journalism, even after Bertie bought The Times I continued to read it.

My arguemnet is not with content (unlike yourself) especially taking into account that we live in a freedom loving "democracy", rather, my argument is about the corporate business practices engaged by Bertie - something I have had first hand experience with.

It would appear that The Tweed Shire Echo publishes material that you don't agree with, why do you continue to read it when you have a choice, but then again C Parsons was an avid reader of The Green Left Weekly wasn't he?

Comparing The Tweed Shire Echo (both as a publication and legal entity) with Bertie's empire has the stench of moral equivalence, a little bit Chomsky, is it not?

And here's why, just in case the bloody obvious escapes you:

The TSE, to the best of my knowledge, doesn't systematically hack into people's phones, including murder victims, dead soldiers and their families - this is bloody illegal, as well as morally reprehensible.

The TSE to the best of my knowledge doesn't bribe the Australian equivalent  of the Metropolitan Police and Scotland Yard, and god knows who else.

It would appear Geoff, that you are unhappy with a healthy democracy, especially when the freely written or spoken word does not sooth your prejudices, or that which you feel is rational. Better a corrupt and globally powerful slime-ball to champion ones prejucides.

The TSE writes something you don't agree with and they are accused of being this and that, but does the TSE incorporate systemic corruption as part of their business model?

Once again this has absolutely nothing to do with content and everything to do with a healthy and open democracy.

Like it or not, the TSE, as insignificant as it really is, is part of that healthy and open democracy, and play the game within the rules - Berties abuses the rules, corrupts the law, and has absolutely no respect for human dignity; he is a slime-ball, that any self respecting politician would/should deem not a fit and proper person to run anything; he should be run out of the country - after they draw and quarter him.

About time, Murdoch has been perverting democracy and the law for too long.

Now that's where you should be aiming, for that is the point.

Happy hunting.

"At least the plebs now know what they are dealing with - a sociopathic slimeball.

"A fish rots from the head down.

"I must admit that seeing Bertie shamed, along with his sick and twisted sewer of followers, warms the cockles of one's heart "

And this from my favourite gutless green pro-Hamas newspaper, the Tweed Shire Echo (now that I've stopped reading the SMH).

 We don’t think much of Rupert Murdoch. His news­papers blatantly spin the news to his commercial and political interests, and in the US Fox News has poisoned public discourse with ranting, fact-free broadcasts. Dennis Potter named his fatal tumour ‘Rupert’ and Backburner agrees with the late playwright that Murdoch is a cancer on the body politic. Now one of his papers has made it perfectly clear what subhuman lair this ghoul inhabits. It has emerged in the UK that the News of the World hacked the phone of 13-year-old murder victim Milly Dowler.The hackers deleted some voice messages in order to access older ones, thus creating the cruel illusion that Milly was alive and still using her phone. Words cannot describe the anguish of her parents.

 ...

This from the same newspaper that just a few weeks ago celebrated the departure of a nasty little knot of Australian leftists to join the Hamas organised Gaza flotilla campaigning for the destruction of the Jewish state, while in the same sentence pre-emptively denying that they are antisemites. Don't they always?

I could introduce them to the family of another murdered 13 year old girl whose parent's anguish is beyond words even years later. I doubt they would be interested however. You see they are Jewish and her murderers were Hamas terrorists whose supporters danced in the streets at the news.

Murdoch must be doing something right to have earned the hate of such people. Thank God for his newspapers and stations. It would be wall to wall Fairfax/ABC without them. 

 About time, Murdoch has been perverting democracy and the law for too long.

At least the plebs now know what they are dealing with - a sociopathic slimeball.

A fish rots from the head down.

I must admit that seeing Bertie shamed, along with his sick and twisted sewer of followers, warms the cockles of one's heart

If the David Cameron had any balls he'd march Bertie into Prickadilly then draw and quarter him.

But that won't happen, it's a dream, because Bertie has had Them by the balls for yonks (and Them know it).

But alas there is going to be an inquiry;  who is going to conduct this judicial inquiry, and where will it lead?

A corrupt corporation, a corrupt and police force/Scotland Yard, and corrupt  pollies of course (all sounds a little bit fascist, hey).

Best they work out the script before such inquiry gets started - now where is Sir Humphrey?

This could be fun but Bertie will survive (damn), balls intact and more cash then he could spend in a thousand life times.

It will be interesting who the fall guys are going to be and who is going to blab.

Politicians have (in general) always been gutless pricks.

However...

If they draw and quarter Bertie yours truly will take back every nasty thing I have ever said about politicians (except that gutless poodle - A Downer) - and leaf blowers.

Anyway Nudes of the World is finished and now 200 people are looking for work - well done lads.

Murder the bastard (and all those who took cash in the cover up) and make them fascists feel the heat.

Here is a couple of pollies who are starting to grow some, far too late but good to see nevertheless:

Here  and here

As long as people are happy with crap in place of news, the Citizen Kane types will flourish.

We can enjoy Murdoch's "prang", but remember that Murdoch himself succeeded an earlier generation of newspaper barons just as ruthless at their various peaks. While there's power and money to spun from the information industry, there will be sharp lads and ladies happy to cut their mother's throats for a crack at the motherload.

 Coming from another trajectory, it could be that Murdoch could afford to lose one of his British stable of newspapers, given that print itself is under seige from electronic media. NOW's readership could just gravitate to Murdochs next-muckiest tabloid, because they know he knows what they want, the grubs.

How many Murdoch editorials today are along the line's of the one in today's Advertiser?.

[extract]

Understandably, the company has decided the News of the World has irrevocably damaged its relationship with its readers and it will print for the last time tomorrow.

In many ways, journalism is now on trial. Rightly so. Journalists must not shy from this scrutiny. What we must do is ensure our commitment to integrity and good journalism is reinforced.

News Ltd, the Australian arm of News Corporation, yesterday stressed the events in London in no way reflected on the operations in this country.

 I'm not holding my breath on that one till the story about a Sunday Sun are confirmed or denied.