News Corp debate + Articles

Rough Transcript of Radio 4 debate on Rupert Murdoch

Should Rupert Murdoch News Corp take over the 61% of Sky that it doesn't already own? Does it matter that he would have more control over the news in this country?

Brendan O'Neil:

• Murdoch - very influential
• Conspiracy theory? He has politics in the palm of his hand
• The idea that someone behind the scenes if controlling political affairs and the public
• Anti-Murdoch mania - slightly unhinged chattering classed conspiracy theory
  

Prof. Steven Barnet:

• Political figures worried about the amount of power being concentrated on a single organisation being controlled by single person
• In a democracy - you have multiple leavers of influence and multiple layers of public opinion
  

Brendan O'Neil:

• Worried about Ofcom rather than Murdoch - it clamps down on programs, it censors material
• Murdoch bashing makes people blind
  
• The Guardian is obsessed with "getting one over on Murdoch" - causing police to investigate other journalists, possibly imprison News of the World journalists
  
• Supposedly liberal media demanding the state to punish journalists
  

Prof. Steven Barnet:

• What is appropriate in a democracy for a single organisation/single person to control
• News Corp. controls 37% of national newspaper circulation, if they took over BskyB could ultimately control the only news/radio operation

Should anybody have that much control over the news?

Brendan O'Neil:

• In favour of open media and freedom of speech
• Is worried about somebody having so much control over media
  

Even The Sun recognised its own power in determining the election?

Prof. Steven Barnet:

• Lance Price: Only 3 people that mattered in Tony Blair's cabinet -Gordon Brown, John Prescott and Rupert Murdoch - unelected, non-politician - though every decision had pass by Murdoch
  

Since then, the approach of Prime Ministers to Rupert Murdoch

Prof. Steven Barnet:

• 2nd person into 10 Downing St. after David Cameron was elected by the back door? - Rupert Murdoch
• They're convinced that Murdoch is important. Prime Ministers and Cabinet ministers pay more homage than they need to because they're convinced he can win or loose election
• The influence is real and the volume of ownership is real

Brendan O'Neil:

• All the reports of who has dinner with James Murdoch when Rupert Murdoch went to 10 Downing St.? - get a grip.

Both Prof. Steven Barnet and Brendan O'Neil seem to think Murdoch has political influence and that he shouldn't be given so much political power since he is not an elected member of parliament. Brendan O'Neil thinks one person should have so much control over the media. Prof. Steven Barnet believes the influence is real.


2 articles published on 27/1/2011 -

The Guardian

The Independent

Both relate to the phone hacking scandal, where News of the World reporters tapped the phones of politicians and celebrities then printed the conversations.