[Update] The News Corp scandal - Page 40

**Maggy** · 13-07-2011, 16:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ignitionnet

Billions of pounds of cash each year extorted from anyone who owns a TV licence under threat of prosecution along with being around for considerably longer in the television space and being 'Auntie Beeb' allows for certain benefits over other companies and news organisations indeed.

Purely a question of opinion of course.

---------- Post added at 16:21 ---------- Previous post was at 16:17 ----------

Indeed. Murdoch has always been a great polariser, few things cause a good Cable Forum gloat session like his misfortune.

Sky make more money than the newspapers do, I have little doubt he's playing a cynical long game.

Ofcom need to consider what they are doing carefully, they aren't supposed to be a political organisation. I say 'aren't supposed' because their politicism is well known.

The gloating isn't confined to cable forum members alone.There are lots of people out in the real world who are ready to kick him now he is down.

Hom3r · 13-07-2011, 17:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flyboy

Murdochs Snr and Jnr have now declined to attend and as they are not British citizens, they cannot be compelled to appear. It seems that Brooks's days may be numbered.

"Yes Rebekah dear, we're right behind you."

Well deport them then and the next time they try and enter the UK refuse them entry and send them back home.

denphone · 13-07-2011, 17:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hom3r

Well the next time they try and enter the UK refuse them entry and send them back home.

Yes back to the Australian outback where they have to live side by side with with the poisonous snakes but they should enjoy that company.

multiskilled · 13-07-2011, 18:51

I think you will find they are US citizens now.

denphone · 13-07-2011, 18:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by multiskilled

I think you will find they are US citizens now.

Yes but how long will America put up with them.

Osem · 13-07-2011, 19:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by multiskilled

I think you will find they are US citizens now.

Have been for years I believe. If they're found to have been up to anything untoward in the US they could find themselves in a whole heap of trouble and what's been going on here will seem like a picnic.

I see Gordon's on the attack:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-14144968

Quote:

Gordon Brown has launched a ferocious attack on News International in the Commons, accusing it of "law breaking on an industrial scale".

Whilst I have some sympathy on a personal level, he was in the very top echelons of a party which, Alastair Campbell admitted on TV news earlier today, had gone to great effort to court News Intl. initially to gain power and later retain it. It's all very well these people (past and present) banging on about how wrong it all is now it's out in the open but they evidently weren't asking too many harsh questions when they believed they were the political beneficiaries of dodgy media and other tactics.

http://iaindale.com/posts/mondeo-man...e-world-reader

**Damien** · 13-07-2011, 20:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Osem

Whilst I have some sympathy on a personal level, he was in the very top echelons of a party which, Alastair Campbell admitted on TV news earlier today, had gone to great effort to court News Intl. initially to gain power and later retain it. It's all very well these people (past and present) banging on about how wrong it all is now it's out in the open but they evidently weren't asking too many harsh questions when they believed they were the political beneficiaries of dodgy media and other tactics.

http://iaindale.com/posts/mondeo-man...e-world-reader

To be fair he wasn't the one in bed with the tabloids. That's not to say he didn't try, he clearly wanted to have them onside, but they never took to him and pretty much from the day he became Prime Minister it's fair to say that News International were gunning for him.

Ironically in hindsight one of their favorite lines of attack was to use 'our boys' otherwise known as the Armed Forces. The worst of these was when the mother of a solider sadly killing in action was sent a personal letter from Brown in which he allegedly (was hard to tell) misspelt the family name, it had other misspellings and was poor written. Instead of pointing out it was a honorable thing to do - Blair never did it - they attacked him over the course of several days over the 'disrespect' he had shown by writing such a letter in poor handwriting. Most other members of the press declined to join in as the handwriting was a result of his eye being damaged, he had to use a big felt pen to see clearly and famously always wrote pretty badly. It was just a mean-sprited thing for The Sun to do and clearly provoked by their desire to get the Conservatives in as soon as possible (just as they did the same to the Tories to promote Labour previously). I say it's ironic because after the last week I don't think The Sun or anyone at News International is in a position in invoke the Armed Forces in a campaign or to lecture on their treatment. If the hacking of the family members on those soliders that died is proved to be true.

But yes, Labour are as bad as the Tories. Only the Liberal Democrats have a consistant record on opposing Murdoch.

Osem · 13-07-2011, 21:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Damien

To be fair he wasn't the one in bed with the tabloids. That's not to say he didn't try, he clearly wanted to have them onside, but they never took to him and pretty much from the day he became Prime Minister it's fair to say that News International were gunning for him.

Ironically in hindsight one of their favorite lines of attack was to use 'our boys' otherwise known as the Armed Forces. The worst of these was when the mother of a solider sadly killing in action was sent a personal letter from Brown in which he allegedly (was hard to tell) misspelt the family name, it had other misspellings and was poor written. Instead of pointing out it was a honorable thing to do - Blair never did it - they attacked him over the course of several days over the 'disrespect' he had shown by writing such a letter in poor handwriting. Most other members of the press declined to join in as the handwriting was a result of his eye being damaged, he had to use a big felt pen to see clearly and famously always wrote pretty badly. It was just a mean-sprited thing for The Sun to do and clearly provoked by their desire to get the Conservatives in as soon as possible (just as they did the same to the Tories to promote Labour previously). I say it's ironic because after the last week I don't think The Sun or anyone at News International is in a position in invoke the Armed Forces in a campaign or to lecture on their treatment. If the hacking of the family members on those soliders that died is proved to be true.

But yes, Labour are as bad as the Tories. Only the Liberal Democrats have a consistant record on opposing Murdoch.

Brown certainly wasn't as slick and media friendly as Blair and didn't call all the shots but the point is that he went along with what was going on for a very long term and now clearly regrets he did so. The venom in his recent words, I believe, betrays more about the personal hurt he feels towards NI (for reasons like those you mention) than anything else. He had his chance to take on Murdoch and ran scared.

If I was being cynical I might suggest that the Lib Dems' antipathy towards Murdoch could just have something to do with the fact that Murdoch never had any interest in them due to their relative insignficance to UK politics. Had they been on the verge of power I wonder if they'd have been quite so 'honourable'.....

**Damien** · 13-07-2011, 21:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Osem

Brown certainly wasn't as slick and media friendly as Blair and didn't call all the shots but the point is that he went along with what was going on for a very long term and now clearly regrets he did so. The venom in his recent words, I believe, betrays more about the personal hurt he feels towards NI (for reasons like those you mention) than anything else. He had his chance to take on Murdoch and ran scared.

If I was being cynical I might suggest that the Lib Dems' antipathy towards Murdoch could just have something to do with the fact that Murdoch never had any interest in them due to their relative insignficance to UK politics. Had they been on the verge of power I wonder if they'd have been quite so 'honourable'.....

Well Yes, In both cases I think News International had rejected them before they decided that they didn't want them anyway

. It's scary the degree to which NI was influencing our governments. We always knew it but could never do much about it until now.

The last week has been great quite frankly, day by day sees his power on the wane. The Inquiry is great news and should help prevent that situation from occurring again. The relationship between the press and politicians will be looked at, meetings recorded, and hopefully a new governing body to regulate the press. Still need to keep pushing them though, the MP committee next week will be interesting. I am hoping News Corp decide to cut the cancer that is News International adrift and remove Murdoch once and for all.

We should also limit a media organisation to one person IMO. You can only own one newspaper or tv news outlet. Might get tricky to extend that online...

devilincarnate · 13-07-2011, 23:34

This is good and not sure if relevant?

Quote:

A report in the Wall Street Journal today claimed that Murdoch has been considering the sale of News International, the embattled UK publisher of The Times, Sunday Times, The Sun and, until recently, the News of the World. News Corp opted to shut down the Sunday tabloid amidst allegations of widespread phone hacking.

The Wall Street Journal, which is owned by News Corp, cited "people familiar with matters" as saying that a total sale was among "a variety of strategic options on the table" as News Corp looks to a future beyond the phone hacking scandal.

However, the newspaper indicated that there didn't appear to be any buyers for the beleaguered News International, while Murdoch was also unlikely to sanction a deal. A sale would also not stop any criminal proceedings against the News International newspapers resulting from the current police inquiry.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/broadcas...d-failure.html

Flyboy · 14-07-2011, 13:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by devilincarnate

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-14134599

I can't see that getting anywhere. Murdoch still has enough on these people to "persuade" them that everyone at News International are all nice, cuddly and love their mums.

---------- Post added at 13:07 ---------- Previous post was at 13:05 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by denphone

Yes but how long will America put up with them.

You'll the likes of Glenn Beck holding more tea-parties for him.

denphone · 14-07-2011, 18:10

Well the three who will probably say l know nothing are to appear before MPs next tuesday in which l suspect they will deny and deny or say l cannot answer that.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-14148658

joglynne · 14-07-2011, 18:40

Piers Morgan now being linked in.

http://www.thedrum.co.uk/news/2011/0...-affair-story/

**Maggy** · 14-07-2011, 19:09

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/14/wo...html?ref=world

denphone · 14-07-2011, 19:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maggy J

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/14/wo...html?ref=world

Yes its a interesting read and it seems they are split over what tactics to employ but in my mind li does'nt matter what tactics they employ as they are deep in the quagmire.