Media Magnates: Who Needs Them?
Does this man control your brain?
Friends, this morning while drinking my early morning cup of tea, stupidly I watched Fox News for a few minutes. The programme featured Glen Beck and I’m not sure whether he is supposed to be a news commentator or a comedian. Regardless, he failed at both. Badly.
Like many in the Fox News stable, talking heads and so-called experts, he carried out a relentless attack on Obama and all things liberal. And, of course, simultaneously, he extolled the virtues of free enterprise, unregulated markets, the wonders of entrepreneurship, small government, survival of the fittest, etc, all the things that brought us the global financial crisis.
Given that Fox News is America’s most popular news channel, I can only wonder at the effect on the perception of viewers of this farcical network that claims ‘it gives the facts, you decide.’ Nothing could be further from the truth. Viewers are continuously brainwashed with conservative propaganda. They are presented with ‘has-beens’ who all sing from the one page: capitalism and war is good and socialism of any kind is evil!
Later on, I thought about Rupert Murdoch. I felt uneasy. After all, he was an Australian, one who moved to America to expand his media empire.
He now claims to be an American, one who recently discovered a touch of Jewish ancestry (how jolly). He now uses his vast media empire (which, like cancer, has spread all over the world), to push a right-wing agenda, an agenda which suits his money-making obsession, that and his lust for power.
Once upon a time a news organization was supposed to present the news. It was supposed to be fair and balanced. It was supposed to tell the truth. It was never intended to be a propaganda machine which existed to serve the greed for money and power of its owner! And it was never intended to become a powerful player in the democratic system, one that can influence the election of pro-capitalist governments.
It is time that media empires were broken up. It is time that media outlets were regulated. It’s time that we citizens were presented with the truth about our nation and the world so that we can properly exercise our democratic rights. And it’s time the incestuous marriage between politicians and the media magnates ended in divorce!
How do we do this? It’s easy. Stop watching right-wing channels! Stop buying right-wing newspapers and magazines! Hit them where it hurts the most: in the wallet! And if your local member is too cosy with right-wing sections of the media, protest, throw eggs at them!
And get more involved with the internet (as the sneaky media magnates are doing), perhaps even set up your own protest blog!
Save the world! Make Media Magnates Extinct!
Does this man control your brain?
Um, no. bit difficult when the nearest “newsagent” is 15 km away. the local “water source” is 10 km away. you work it out.
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Thanks Australia! Now everybody can’t just blame the American Billionaires infected by the same greed mosquito.
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Admit to watching Faux news for a good laugh or cry. Might be a masochist. Think that one needs to know the “enemy” and listen to their headlies with a critical mind. Usually it’s what they do NOT mention is what interests me, e.g. the “worldwide protest” against the torture in Iran this weekend. Huh, what, say it again????????? Of course, no mention about the torture in Israeli prisons not to mention the handiwork of the CIA and their minions worldwide.
That grumpy zionazi Murdock lives in a fantasy world and tries to rule the world. My kids used to watch Saturday morning cartoons and there was always an evil, crazy professor usually with a German accent who tried to rule the world. He ALWAYS failed and so will Murdock. He should have listened to Saturday morning cartoons…nature abhors unlimited growth. It WILL not and CANNOT last as it will eat itself in the long run in my opinion! So yes, I am an optimist!
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Davo, I’m glad that the ‘water source’ keeps you safe from Murdoch’s machinations!
Grace, Australia was too small a stage for our Murdoch. He went to America to play with the ‘big boys’ and to take advantage of their pro-business, no-regulation philosophy. He has become an obscenity, a monster, a threat to the world, one of many.
Margit, I’d hoped that the world financial crisis would have brought about the demise of evil capitalists like Murdoch. But what has happened is that Governments have used taxpayer’s money to prop them up. Our chance for real change has gone and the ruthless rich, though fewer in number, still rule the world and still continue to exploit the masses unmercifully!
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David
How happy I’m at hearing the news that Rupert is hemaeroging money, it is that bad that he is considering charging people to look at his right wing fundamentalist non journalistic online papers. I hope he does do this as people will leave by the droves. It’s all good to read crap for free but when crap comes at a price, that’s a different thing. New Matilda highlighted the issue of the Murdoch press and the fake Ute gate email, how his press splashed the contents of this email on many pages and many editions, supporting Malcolm Turnbulls case against the PM and Swanney, the paper was virtually calling for Rudd and swan to resign cause they had the evidence, it was on page 1, 2,3,4,5,6 etc etc. But then the Keystone cops (Federal Police) released a media statement saying “The Email is a fake”. The Murdoch press turned on Malcolm and virtually called him everything from untrustworthy, arrogant and not very smart. But the Murdoch press seen the same email and had ample time to verify it’s authenticity before publishing it’s contents, but they didn’t, they wanted the PM’s head on a platter cause they had the smoking gun and Malcolm to verify it’s contents. The important thing is the Murdoch press fed the hysteria, then when proven wrong stabbed Malcolm in the back, whilst taking none of the heat for their part in the whole fake affair. Murdoch news sucks, it is not true investigative journalism, and it is right wing verging on American fascist propaganda as you point out.
Insiders was interesting on Sunday where George Megalogenis (the Australian – Murdoch crap paper) had a massive sook about how The Age and all Fair Fax media were publishing a lot of good stories about the PM, Lenore Taylor from the Age said it was fine and reminded George that Murdoch press done the same for Howard, it was a good exchange as we don’t see two leading commentators from different media enterprises have a go at each other on telly, Lenore won hands down by the way.
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David G Reply:
July 27th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
Kemosobi, thanks for your thoughtful comment. I saw the Insiders (it’s regular viewing) and enjoyed the sparring. I don’t believe that Murdoch journalists should be allowed to contribute to any forum given that they are controlled by Rupert.
Cheers.
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Re Glen Beck the scheming liar, to think that multitudes of Americans actually worship the ground he walks on, wait in long lines for hours to get him to sign the latest book he wrote, is a nauseating realization. I know that Murdoch worships money and power, but other than reading, in several sources, that his mother was Jewish, I know nothing else about his religious background, or what makes him tick. He is a very, very dangerous individual.
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He is one of many dangerous individuals, Therese. They need to be tracked down and exterminated, much like rabid dogs.
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Excellent point David,
What gets me is the media and relevant Aussie government drag his mum out now and again and bestow such greatness upon her as if she’s always done it tough. But also as a show, of what capitalist’s mum should be like, humble, old and very filthy rich.
She opened her private garden to the public once in all the time she has lived their, her massive garden….to the public…….isn’t she a generous old bag. I her she does philanthropy, it must be for her newly found Jewish family and their villages (settlement) they are always building.
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It is frightening how many brains he does control. So many people spend more time looking at porn on the internet rather than using it to find alternative news sources.
Nothing can change until people start to really think independently and for themselves.
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Didn’t Murdoch have a rival, Robert Maxwell, who mysteriously drowned? Thereby stopping competition and opening the kingdom to Murdoch alone?
So much for capitalism and its level playing field. Behind every great fortune is a great crime.
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Itsmeagain, those who support the capitalist system (the rich) need to keep their icons shining brightly. It keeps the masses from asking too many questions.
Jeannie, such control is enabled by our farcical education system. If people really used their brains they couldn’t be controlled by media moguls.
Wagelaborer, sadly there are a few others like Murdoch. They are parasites, conscienceless opportunists. Look at Murdoch’s face. It mirrors what he is.
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Mr. Murdoch reminds me of a Chinese Shar-Pei dog. My views… I knew he was a son-of-a-bitch, although I must say it’s a bit unfair to the dog!
Hope things are progressing well for you David…
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LT, thanks for dropping by. Things are progressing O.K. and the prognosis thus far is fairly good but it’s early days!
Comparing Murdoch to a dog does cast a slur against dogs. Perhaps a rattlesnake might be a better match.
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