It’s obvious by now that not only does Rupert Murdoch have no affirmative interest in journalism, he’s actually opposed to it, right?
Almost two years ago, shortly after Murdoch bought it, I published a diary pointing out how Murdoch’s ownership had corrupted the news side of the Journal, bringing a newspaper formerly acclaimed for the quality of its reporting down to the status of a house organ.
Yesterday Joe Nocera has a column in the Times making the same point.
One of the reasons we in the blogosphere do what we do is dissatisfaction with the mainstream sources of information. Even for someone who, like me, has never been a reader of the Wall Street Journal, the debasement of any publication of genuine quality is very bad news.
The co-optation of old-school news media by large corporate interests with specific propaganda needs, has seriously hurt this country. Murdoch’s example is particularly extreme, but defense contractors in charge of major news media that then fail to report the truth in the run-up to war is just as evil.
Let’s hope that the dam has been breached sufficiently to allow for a significant change in the way news is handled in the US. At the very least, I’d like to see the media-consolidation-friendly portions of the 1996 Telecommunications Act overturned, and a return of the Fairness Doctrine.
With this pro-business conservative congress, nothing will change. We need 51 Bernies to turn the tide!
Where’s Charles Foster Kane when you need him?
Let’s hope the FBI’s overpaid, overcompensated, somehow still living with retirement security, tax dollar draining public servants can finger Murdoch here in the good ole’ USA.
Disclaimer: I am kidding about the overpaid, overcompensated,somehow still living with retirement security, tax dollar draining part. Go FBI employees!! However, I would like my .0000567 cents worth on this investigation.