I have been reading a lot of good internets about the Murdoch media model. I’ll share some links then summarize briefly:
- A former reporter at the Post (who began before Rupert’s reign of terror began) describes her days at the paper. Summary: “Murdoch erased all the distinctions between the editorial and opinion pages.”
- Swash Zone on comparisons yellow journalism then (Hearst) and now (Murdoch).
- Jay Rosen on how Murdoch media is not journalism. Summary: “News Corp is not a news company at all, but a global media empire that employs its newspapers – and in the US, Fox News – as a lobbying arm.”
- Felix Salmon on various developments, including the seven pieces the WSJ has run on the editorial page defending its parent company.
- Michael Tomasky on the possibility of prosecuting New Corp. under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Summary: “I think we know enough about Obama at this point to conclude that this is something he’d never do, unless new information inflamed U.S. public opinion (if, say, we learned that the News of the World hacked Americans’ phones), and maybe not even then. But U.S. law is clear, and if any of Murdoch’s British properties did bribe UK police, they broke American law, too.”
One theme in many of these pieces is that Murdoch “news sources” are overtly propagandistic in a way that actual news sources are not.
I’ve said before that this is where I think establishment journalism is headed in general, as it ceases to be a money-making enterprise, towards acting as the propaganda arm of a larger parent company.
russell
Truer words never.
dedc79
I’ve said before that this is where I think establishment journalism is headed in general, as it ceases to be a money-making enterprise, towards acting as the propaganda arm of a larger parent company.
This has been underway for a long time already. As just one example, of the ten minutes of local news i’ve watched over the last ten years on cbs, nbc, fox, abc affiliates, nine of those minutes were the news anchors promoting tv shows the networks were airing.
Many news outfits seem to devote much of their time to product promotion (whatever Apple is selling) and if their parent company has done something bad/wrong, you’ll never hear it from them.
Chris
The Swash Zone article is worth reading if only for the charts towards the bottom that show the percentage of viewers for each news channel who’re misinformed about things like the Iraq War, foreign policy, etc.
I’d read a study like this before: it concluded that people who didn’t follow the news at all were actually better informed than people who followed it closely and got it from Fox.
Ol' Dirty DougJ
I wouldn’t do it if I were him either. I think it would be a mistake unless something new comes out.
alwhite
While I support BHO I have to agree with Russell.
So this thread should now ignore the other stories as well as any other points Tomasky may have made and become a 284 comment obot/firebagger shit-fest.
Can we get some more recipe posts or damn dog pictures instead please?
Jake
I would only say, it is wrong to say “cease making money.” I worked in journalism and publishing for many years. The problem is not that we did not make money. We did not make as much money as the parent could make, say, issuing credit cards or selling widgets. Our profit margins were just too small for owners who made more money elsewhere in other sorts of businesses.
Dave
Wait, what?
beltane
This is what the DFHs have been saying for years, and the process is now almost complete. We are rapidly entering an age of corporate totalitarianism, and like all totalitarian societies, ours requires the extensive use of propagandists to manipulate public opinion. This is why I am frustrated that so many on the Left still tear their hair out, waiting for the Villagers to “do their job”. They are doing their job. They are paid big money to deceive and distort, and I have to say they’re doing a splendid job of it.
mikefromArlington
They should lose their journalism credentials and be kicked out of the WH Press room, then watch Ed Henry cry.
beltane
Ed Henry should also lose his journalism credentials, as should a large number of his esteemed colleagues.
El Tiburon
Tomasky is shrill and is a fire bagger and deserves Cole’s ire. He deserves the tea party. The Audacity of Truth indeed.
El Tiburon
Ditto Chris at #3. The entire article is worthy.
Ol' Dirty DougJ
I think Tomasky is right that Obama won’t do it, unless more comes out, though. I mean, I think Obama would be crazy to do it unless more comes out, personally.
handsmile
On the issue of “corporate totalitarianism” that Beltane astutely introduces above (#9), I cannot recommend more highly this work by Princeton philosophy professor Sheldon Wolin: “Democracy, Incorporated: Managed Democracy and the Specter of Inverted Totalitarianism” (Princeton University Press, 2008).
Wolin examines and theorizes the contemporary union between American corporate and governmental power that has created an “inverted” totalizing system, a fundamental objective of which is to distract and demoralize the population from political participation. He compares its principles and methods to totalitarian regimes of the past such as Soviet Russia, Nazi Germany, and fascist Italy. Wolin, in fact, extends some of the analysis of Robert Paxton’s seminal works on fascism.
To be sure, this is a work of political philosophy so it does not lend itself readily to casual reading. It does not pack the emotional wallop say of Chris Hedges’ jeremiads that cover the same subject more anecdotally. Nevertheless, this is an essential, illuminating work on the impending DNR-status of American democracy. I urge all interested in the subject to seek it out.
El Tiburon
Tomasky’s point, I think, is regardless of what comes out, Obama ain’t doing shit. Unless bradley Manning or Van Jones are somehow implicated. At least that is my point. In what universe does anyone think Obama or the DOJ would do anything meaningful on this? Consider Fox and News Corp as safe as all the Billionaire Banksters snorting blow with our dollar bills.
Jennifer
Well, of course Obama isn’t chomping at the bit to do it. He’s got a re-election campaign to run and he doesn’t really need Fox cranking the vitriol up past 11 where it’s usually set.
Which is why it’s important to flood the DoJ with demands that the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act be upheld.
While I understand Obama’s concern on the issue, the flip side is that if Fox and Murdoch’s other properties find themselves in enough hot water here, they’ll be devoting their energies to trying to spin their way out of that instead of attacking the president.
With any luck, the Guardian is on the case and will uncover Murdoch’s dirty deeds on this side of the pond as well, because we know damn well our own “news” media won’t be on the case; they’re too busy arguing that NoTW had no choice but to break the law because the UK made it illegal to hack phones.
gelfling545
@Ol’ Dirty DougJ: HAve to agree with this. It would be portrayed everywhere as Obama trying to “silence the opposition.” There needs to be pretty firm actionable evidence for his administration to step into this.
sweetgreensnowpea
the web that has been woven is such that no one will take down anyone who knows where the bodies are buried.
(ergo joe leiberman’s long reign).
mellowjohn
when voldeMurdoch bought the chicago sun-times in the early 80s, star columnist mike royko used an out clause in his contract to jump to the hated rival tribune. he said at the time that murdoch papers were something no self-respecting fish would want to be wrapped in.
Sly
Personally? Probably not. I can’t remember the last President to order a criminal investigation of anything or anyone. President’s impanel commissions and study groups and whatnot. Grand juries hand out indictments, after being impaneled by a Federal judge who hears a valid and factually compelling criminal complaint, which must be acted upon by the U.S. Attorneys’ Office. Past interference with this process has gotten more than one elected official into very hot water.
El Tiburon
Gelfing545 – just like they moved on the ‘pretty firm actionable evidence’ on say, torture or bankster fraud?
Like that you mean?
Or do you mean the overwhelming evidence against Bradley Manning (eye roll)?
What fucking planet do some of you live on?
Obama does not move against the Rich and Powerful. 2012 and all, bots to keep it real.
burnspbesq
@Russell:
@DougJ:
Seriously? You seriously believe that the President of the United States will personally intervene to override decisions that will be made by the Special Agent in Charge of the New York field office of the FBI and the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, in order to protect his worst enemy in the media?
That’s a bit hard to understand.
What possible benefit would Obama gain from that action?
I hope your tinfoil hats are still under warranty, because they are receiving some very strange signals this morning.
Maude
I thought I read that DOJ is looking into the FCPA.
It was within the past few days.
Holder is going to meet with 9/11 families about the hacking issues.
There’s the if you go to kill the king, make sure you don’t miss. The Obama admin is looking into it and making a splashy display would be a huge mistake.
Jewish Steel
@Ol’ Dirty DougJ:
Rolling into election season, Obama attempts to root out entrenched corruption in Big Media. I would imagine they would welcome his attention and help getting their houses in order.
What could go wrong?
pablo
An article in the Times (NY) “If It Were Hearst Instead of Murdoch …”, got me thinking…what would be the end result of that…hmmm…
someguy
Jeff Shapiro gets in right in the LA Times. The First Amendment doesn’t protect criminal activity, and the Murdoch enterprises are a vast RICO indictment just waiting to happen. I’ll repeat what I’ve said before – the FBI and Marshalls should be swarming all the Fox enterprises in the U.S., and shutting them down in a detailed search for evidence of these crimes.
burnspbesq
@someguy:
” I’ll repeat what I’ve said before – the FBI and Marshalls should be swarming all the Fox enterprises in the U.S., and shutting them down in a detailed search for evidence of these crimes.”
Patience. Grand jury subpoenas don’t happen overnight. I personally don’t care whether it takes two years to bring this case, because I want it to be totally airtight when it is brought.
And it’s worth noting that the Murdoch family doesn’t share DougJ’s view that prosecution is unlikely. There is only one reason why anyone hires Brendan Sullivan.
Lol
Am I the only one who remembers Holder confirming they were investigating News Corp?
Sure, argue it’ll go nowhere but it seems like most of the “Obama will do nothing” crowd isn’t even aware of that.
Mac G
Wonder what Richard Nixon would do if dealt this hand? Nixon wouldnt allow an enemy pretend to be a news outlet. He would have destroyed it long ago.
JR in WV
I grew up in a newspaper family – my Grandfather bought a little weekly back in the early 1900s, which eventually became a good little professional community newspaper, which was prepared to work hard for the community and raise hell when necessary.
My Mom and Dad got death threats against us kids for a couple of years, and Dad appealed a $1 libel verdict to the Supremes (at a cost of tens of thousands) just to make the point that he couldn’t be bluffed by stacked juries. That’s all gone now.
The new ownership sells ads, and does stories about the great things the various small governmental bodies are going to do for the community. If a local industry is causing birth defects, well, where’s your proof? Right? Right?
Just like the big news organizations, good news all the time, except for trouble makers, like gays, or women being treated like serfs, or Walmart staff locked in late to cut down on pilferage so that if you get run over by a fork lift it takes hours to get a front door key from a manager who’s been in bed since Leno was over. Those folks get real hard news coverage, as if they were Hun spies in 1917.
But dorkie Teaparty moronies get treated with respect, because, well, because. They might buy something if we don’t pi$$ them off too bad!. Right? Right!!??
You can learn more true facts [redundant but accurate when so many untrue facts are circulating] just surfing the blogosphere, compared to video news. We still have a real newspaper in the state capital, so far. But they’re cut way back on staff, 3 guys doing the jobs 6 or 7 people did a couple of years ago, so that profit margin stays up there in the high teens.
I hope they don’t bankrupt me before I die. I worked hard and saved all the pennies we could, and now we’re retired and well enough off to travel and have a nice car and a little camp vacation home… but all that can blow away in a financial catastrophe like confederate money in 1865.
My grandma painted southern battle flags and put confederate banknotes below the flags, and people loved the “historic” preservation she did. [Yuck, personally…] Now the bills are worth more than their face value as collectibles. I hope my investments and pensions don’t depend on collectible value in 15 years! I’ll wish I had good cat food to eat, instead of Sam’s!
burnspbesq
@MacG:
Under Nixon, News Corp. would be looking at investigations by DOJ, the SEC, the FTC, and any other agency that even arguably had jurisdiction. Those investigations would be long and zealously conducted, and any doubts would be resolved in favor of going forward.
It would have been an abuse of power, but Nixon knew the difference between a friend and an enemy, and he had no compunctions about bringing a gun to a knife-fight. Besides, he would have said in an unguarded moment, why accumulate power if you’re not going to abuse it.
Chris
@ handsmile @ 14,
Interestingly, according to Paxton’s work, one of the defining characteristics of fascism is the balance between the fascist mass movement itself and the traditional elites that support it (aristocracy, military, clergy, the rich, etc). That makes it unique and different both from conservative dictatorships like Pinochet’s Chile (in which the traditional elites exercise power without needing to call on a mass movement for help) and from communist dictatorships like Stalin’s Russia (in which the mass party has all the power, having exterminated all other elites).
Bill Murray
I second handsmile’s call top read Wolin. It’s an outstanding book, that really captures what’s happening
Brachiator
Fixt. Much “alternative” journalism and much of the blogosphere long ago abandoned any pretense of looking for the truth in order to become bleating ideological cheerleading. And people clap like fools when newspapers (old media) fold, wanting to punish somebody for getting it wrong and disappointing them instead of demanding that media organizations improve. And facts? Who needs them when you can vandalize Wikipedia, or if that’s not good enough, start an alternative site which provides a safe place for true believers to land.
Yeah, there are a brave few fighting the good fight, but the odds are against them.
burnspbesq
@Brachiator:
And the phenomenon you describe shouldn’t surprise anyone.
The print and electronic media make money by delivering eyeballs to advertisers. If doing great journalism is a highly efficient way of delivering eyeballs to advertisers, then we will have more great journalism than we know what to do with. If it doesn’t, then the private sector won’t deliver it. It really is that simple, yet we hear so many people simultaneously decrying the absence of good journalism and whining about having to pay for it.