# Ethics, phone tapping and the Murdoch press



## basilio (7 July 2011)

There has been a huge storm in UK developing over the past days/weeks and and years over the phone tapping practices of News of the World journalists.

News of the World is a tacky, low rent UK tabloid that specialises in gossip and sleaze. Over the years to keep up with it's readers appetites the journalists have tapped into the phones and mailboxes of  celebrities, sports starts, murder victims, the royalty in fact thousands of people. They have  derailed police investigations into murders and confused and destroyed victims of crime.  There is now a full Parliamentary inquiry into this scandal.

News of the World is owned by Rupert Murdoch.  One of the fallouts of this issue is News limited push to gain further media  control through it's expansion of British Sky B and the push to be Australia's overseas media  controller.  (The government has  currently stopped  the tender process for this )

So what should be done about  rogue media organizations that  routinely hack thousands of peoples phones and lives to flog sex, scandal and tears stories ? 

http://www.theage.com.au/world/shameless-20110706-1h2db.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jul/06/phone-hacking-david-cameron-forced-to-act

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentis...rs-lost-self-control-phone-hacking?intcmp=239


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## Wysiwyg (7 July 2011)

Whack them ticks several million as punishment for invading privacy.


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## basilio (7 July 2011)

Just noticed one of the responses to this scandel.  Apparently there is now a lot of pressure on advertisers in News of the  world to  pull off their ads to avoid being associated with the rubbish.  Having an effect it seems.

Particularly interesting to see how News of the World broke into a murder victims phone to delete messages which then suggested to her parents that she might still be alive. *And then the News of the world  journos ran interviews with the parents on their false hopes.. !*:



> *Why I set about hitting the News of the World where it hurts – its advertising*
> 
> The Twitter campaign has struck a chord with the phenomenal number of people sickened by reports of the NoW's behaviour
> 
> ...




http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jul/06/news-of-the-world-twitter-campaign


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## Purple XS2 (7 July 2011)

Broadly speaking, there are 2 categories of politician:

1. those who despise News Limited/News-of-the-World/Fox-News, have as little to do with News Ltd as possible and who are in turn loathed and targeted by News.

2. the News Ltd friendly sort, always available to contribute entertainment, who have sought out News's approval and who can usually be counted on to defend or deny any outrage coming from the News Ltd group.

Now ask yourself: which group despises News Ltd more?

What we are seeing in the UK at present is the stirrings of the collective of castrated monkeys who have just briefly sensed a premonition of what life could be like if the organ-grinder was dead, and their leashes severed. A glimpse of freedom. A whiff of self-respect. 

i'll be interested to see how long these poor simians can maintain their hopes. Much depends on the UK public: if a serious backlash were to diminish revenues (and advertising) the monkeys could just possibly find the courage to go on an unstoppable rampage.

Not pretty. But most entertaining.


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## banco (7 July 2011)

Have to admit I always thought 80% of the celebrity stuff in the UK tabloids was made up out of whole cloth or based on rumours but it appears they are/were willing to go to quite extraordinary lengths to dig up the dirt.


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## Solly (7 July 2011)

Ethics & Journalism....
Maybe I shouldn't say any more.

But a learning from this event.

RULE 1: Always change your default PIN on all devices, accesses & *VOICEMAIL. *


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## Knobby22 (7 July 2011)

The English were going to let Rupert take over BksyB so he could control the media like he does in the USA and Australia. Good to see they are having second thoughts.


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## basilio (8 July 2011)

Typically creative move from Rupert Murdoch in the face of the News of the World debacle.

He has announced closure of the paper. End of story.  Clean slate. More  BS.
(Of course he just might reopen another paper with a different name to provide the same xxxx).

So all the all the staff are taken out and shot and the hope is that the thousands of people   affected by this rottenness will have no one to sue . And of course that Rupert can somehow  have "clean " hands in wanting to expand BSkyB.

If  the Editors and management responsible for these systematic abuses are  allowed to get away with no sanctions there is no justice. _(  Off soap box now..)_



> *Hacking out truth a painful operation*
> July 8, 2011
> 
> Phone hacking ... "the entire body is badly infected".
> ...


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## Garpal Gumnut (8 July 2011)

basilio said:


> There has been a huge storm in UK developing over the past days/weeks and and years over the phone tapping practices of News of the World journalists.
> 
> News of the World is a tacky, low rent UK tabloid that specialises in gossip and sleaze. Over the years to keep up with it's readers appetites the journalists have tapped into the phones and mailboxes of  celebrities, sports starts, murder victims, the royalty in fact thousands of people. They have  derailed police investigations into murders and confused and destroyed victims of crime.  There is now a full Parliamentary inquiry into this scandal.
> 
> ...




Their editors and owners should be jailed, is the simple answer.

Fines and commercial penalties do not concentrate the mind as much as sitting across a cell from a same sex monster who finds one attractive, with a screw gone off to find a quiet place to read The Sun.

Excellent post basilio, and this story ain't over yet. Talk is that Cameron their PM is involved as well.

gg


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## Knobby22 (8 July 2011)

Garpal Gumnut said:


> Excellent post basilio, and this story ain't over yet. Talk is that Cameron their PM is involved as well.
> 
> gg




Cameron and the editor have who now is CEO of News Britin have holdiay housew very close to each other and mix socially. All the Murdoch papers and media supported him in the last election. He is handling News BSkyB on a platter so Murdoch will have effective control of the countries opinions and will be able to control the government to some extent.

...and we want this foreign company to run the Australia network???? When I worked in Indonesia it was a pleasure to be able to switch on the Australia network as a couterpoint to Fox and Cnn.


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## basilio (8 July 2011)

_Fines and commercial penalties do not concentrate the mind as much as sitting across a cell from a same sex monster who finds one attractive, with a screw gone off to find a quiet place to read The Sun.  Quote  GG_

Nice line GG. Will keep it in mind when thinking about consequences for the next commercial mobster.

There would certainly  be some satisfaction in seeing a decent jail term for the principals in this case.  It would also be  good to see a hefty series of  fines/payments to the 7000 odd people whose phones had been hacked. At say an average of 60,000 pounds each (net)  that could be 480m.  

I think that would be a sufficiently eyewatering punishment to make it clear to the rest of the media that  hacking peoples phones was *not* a good idea.


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## Calliope (8 July 2011)

basilio said:


> _Fines and commercial penalties do not concentrate the mind as much as sitting across a cell from a same sex monster who finds one attractive, with a screw gone off to find a quiet place to read The Sun.  Quote  GG_
> 
> Nice line GG. Will keep it in mind when thinking about consequences for the next commercial mobster.
> 
> ...




At least the _Guardian_, the Fairfax press and yourself are enjoying the schadenfreude.


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## basilio (8 July 2011)

Calliope said:


> At least the _Guardian_, the Fairfax press and yourself are enjoying the schadenfreude.




Sometimes, Calliope, it's just good to actually see the mean, the nasty and the plain evil get their just deserts. It's so rare these days. Not sure if it will actually happen here in the end but we can only hope.

Of course *you *wern't offering support for the ungodly...... were you ?


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## Calliope (8 July 2011)

basilio said:


> Of course *you *wern't offering support for the ungodly...... were you ?




No I wern't.(sic) I avoid the Guardian like the plague.


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## bellenuit (12 July 2011)

Brilliant!

*'Brooks, catastrophe': Last laugh for NoTW staff as final crossword takes aim at Rebekah*

http://www.smh.com.au/world/brooks-...word-takes-aim-at-rebekah-20110711-1h9p4.html


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## basilio (12 July 2011)

It's interesting to see how widespread and matter of fact the phone  tapping, information gathering process of News International  had become.  The Guardian is breaking the news on multiple breaches.

1) Gordon Brown was tapped, his medical records accessed as well as bank details  and so on. The papers managed to break the "news"of his children's deaths and illnesses scarcely before he know it himself.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/jul/11/gordon-brown-sun-destroy?intcmp=239
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jul/11/phone-hacking-news-international-gordon-brown

2) News of the World bribed  police officer for  phone numbers and personal details of the royal familiy. This enabled them to hack the phones at will.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jul/11/phone-hacking-royal-contact-book?intcmp=239

3) It seems certain that News of the World Executives lied at a 2007 inquiry into the phone hacking of Prince William and Prince Harry. At the time they tried to say it was a one off rogue reporter.  This obviously wasn't the case.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jul/10/news-of-the-world-executives?intcmp=239

Pulling it all together George Monbiot offers a view on why the papers have been united in  their deceptions.



> *This media is corrupt – we need a Hippocratic oath for journalists*
> 
> *Our job is to hold power to account. Instead, most of the profession simply ventriloquises the concerns of the elite
> *
> ...




http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jul/11/media-corrupt-hippocratic-oath-journalists


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## BradK (12 July 2011)

I am not going into detail, but I have a friend who was screwed beyond measure by a journalist and resulted in an attempted suicide. I _know_ how these pr!cks work. 

I am sitting back in glee ... absolute elation, hoping that the whole industry has a dose of epsom salts run through it. 

I would give EVERYTHING I own for Murdoch and his empire to crumble and watch that carnt hang himself. 

This is like Christmas to me and I am reading everything I can get my hands on. 

GG - I agree. Jail with the worst of the worst for every single journalist in the NEWS Ltd stable. 

Brad


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## BradK (12 July 2011)

PS. This is just the tip. Why do you think that ranga Brooks said, 'You will see in 12 months time and understand' ... just the tip. 

Hopefully Murdoch and Madoff can spend the rest of their lives in jail together, comforting each other. 

Brad


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## Julia (12 July 2011)

BradK said:


> Jail with the worst of the worst for every single journalist in the NEWS Ltd stable.
> 
> Brad



That's pretty ridiculous.   A lot of the people who have lost their jobs with the closing of the NOTW have only been there a short time and had absolutely nothing to do with all the scandal.

Likewise, why should you cast such an unproven slur on even all our local News Ltd journalists?

By all means be as critical as you like where wrongdoing has actually occurred but don't be so unreasonable as to assume everyone employed by the organisation behaves similarly.


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## basilio (12 July 2011)

Julia said:


> That's pretty ridiculous.   A lot of the people who have lost their jobs with the closing of the NOTW have only been there a short time and had absolutely nothing to do with all the scandal.
> 
> Likewise, why should you cast such an unproven slur on even all our local News Ltd journalists?
> 
> By all means be as critical as you like where wrongdoing has actually occurred but don't be so unreasonable as to assume everyone employed by the organization behaves similarly.




It was over the top and I'm sure Brad didn't mean every employee at News Ltd should end up in the slammer.

But it is interesting how suddenly "everyone" has turned on the Murdoch Press for their relentless abuse of power and willingness to  break into peoples phones, lives,  bank accounts, hospital records and so on.  I think for a very long time people thought that that was just what journalists did and that bleating about such invasions was faintly ridiculous. Like saying wrestling was fake.

     ......................................................................................................

_For an uplifting change of scene check out the Il Volo thread.  
You will be well rewarded. _


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## BradK (13 July 2011)

Julia said:


> That's pretty ridiculous.   A lot of the people who have lost their jobs with the closing of the NOTW have only been there a short time and had absolutely nothing to do with all the scandal.
> 
> Likewise, why should you cast such an unproven slur on even all our local News Ltd journalists?
> 
> By all means be as critical as you like where wrongdoing has actually occurred but don't be so unreasonable as to assume everyone employed by the organisation behaves similarly.




Yeah, fair call - I recognise that my remarks were ridiculous. Just suffering from a great deal of schadenfreude at the moment 

But, seriously, I really do hope that Murdoch loses a SIGNIFICANT part of his power. At the very least, he is RUN OUT OF BRITAIN never to return. 

I know I haven't actually logged onto the News site since this scandal broke and will not. 

Actually Julia, I will offer you a friendly wager that if this whole practice was so widespread (ie. Scotland Yard are saying 12,000 victims this morning, and other newspaper stables - ie. the Mail) then it suddenly just didn't STOP in 2006. If it was so widespread, the jailing of ONE person would not have stopped it. What is going to come out will be that this is just the tip. 

In her final speech to NOTW staff, Brooks indicated that within 12 months all will come out. I think that was a bit of a nudge-wink that the **** is absolutely about to hit the fan. 

One comparison coming out of Britain - this is the Berlin Wall. They never thought the power of News Corp would be broken, but suddenly ... I really, really, really hopes this spreads to the rest of their company and it gets gutted. Such is the audacity of the Murdoch family. 

Even significant News Corp sharefolders are suing Murdoch now because, they say, he treats the company  like the 'family candy jar' - using it for his own political and personal ends. 

Interestingly, the application of the 'fit and proper' rule which hopefully disqualifies him from the BSkyB bid will give other countries pause for thought. Hopefully it will result in some sort of legal ruling. :

Cheers
Brad


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## basilio (13 July 2011)

Good to see Hugh Grant keeping up the pressure on the British Government to have a full and proper inquiry into the phone hacking debacle.

Do it once, do it right..



> *Hugh Grant: expand phone-hacking inquiry to cover 'grotesque' press power*
> 
> *Comments echo call made by lawyer for family of Milly Dowler for politicians not to 'let themselves off the hook'
> *
> ...




http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jul/12/hugh-grant-phone-hacking-inquiry


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## Lantern (13 July 2011)

I too will be glad to see the end of NI.

Bradk you'll love this.


Max Mosley bankrolls phone hacking cases against the News of the World
Max Mosley, who won a privacy case against the News of the World after it exposed his sadomasochistic sex life, has been bankrolling a number of phone hacking cases against the newspaper in the civil courts.



Max Mosley has continued his campaign against the News of the World by providing financial backing to claimants whose mobile telephones may have been hacked by Glenn Mulcaire Photo: GETTY IMAGES
By Robert Mendick11:42PM BST 09 Jul 2011
Mr Mosley, former president of the FIA, the Formula 1 motorsport body, effectively went to war with the tabloid newspaper after an undercover reporter filmed him engaging in bizarre sexual practices. He sued the newspaper for breach of privacy, winning £60,000 damages in 2008. It now appears he has also won a final battle, having watched the newspaper closed over the phone hacking saga.
Sources have confirmed that behind the scenes, Mr Mosley, 71, who is a multi-millionaire, has continued his campaign against the News of the World by providing financial backing to claimants whose mobile telephones may have been hacked by Glenn Mulcaire, the private investigator working on behalf of the newspaper.
A source told The Sunday Telegraph yesterday: “It’s true to say that Max has been funding a number of cases. Wealthy celebrities have not needed his assistance but there are a number of cases where the claimants do not have much money and could face losing a lot if News International were somehow to win some of those.
“He has been guaranteeing the court actions go ahead by putting money into an account so if somebody does lose a case against the News of the World, he will pay all the court costs. He has also paid court fees for things like lodging court papers which can be extremely costly.”
It means that claimants have been able to push cases all the way and obtain full disclosure from the news[at]paper group without risking massive legal costs. It is understood that Mr Mosley contacted lawyers working on cases, offering his financial support.

He was accused of engaging in a Nazi-style orgy by the News of the World in 2008. The claim so incensed Mr Mosley, the son of the British fascist leader Oswald Mosley, that he pursued the case through the courts.
Mr Justice Eady found that the sex party did not have any Nazi overtones. The scale of the damages was a record for a privacy case, and in many ways set a benchmark for the phone hacking claims that have subsequently followed.
A spokesman for Mr Mosley refused to comment.

Max Mosley bankrolls phone hacking cases against the News of the World - Telegraph


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## Knobby22 (14 July 2011)

BSkyB not going ahead. Conservative Prime Minister now joining attacks on the company.

Rumours that US law enforcers checking activities of Newscorp particularly with the 9/11tragedy. The saga continues.

I hope all the media heed this as a warning that lack of ethics and breaking of the law will result in jail terms and massive losses within the company.

Thankfully Australia appears to be much cleaner.


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## Glen48 (14 July 2011)

While customers want smut, scandal this will go on. Jurno's are fighting the net for scoops and the large reward paid for a story makes it worth while risking it all for some snooper.  
Limit the power of Media ownership and some thing might be done.

This could spell the end of  Murdoch and a good one to go short on.


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## moXJO (14 July 2011)

So does Julian Assange go from hero to zero for basically doing the same thing?


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## Julia (14 July 2011)

moXJO said:


> So does Julian Assange go from hero to zero for basically doing the same thing?



Mr Assange asserts he did not pay for the information he received.
Apparently he considers this to be the essential moral difference.

As a more general point, is it being suggested that no journalist may ever pay for information of any kind?


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## basilio (14 July 2011)

Julia said:


> Mr Assange asserts he did not pay for the information he received.
> Apparently he considers this to be the essential moral difference.
> 
> As a more general point, is it being suggested that no journalist may ever pay for information of any kind?




I think there were a few more differences between Julian Assange and what happened with News of the World and the Murdoch Press.

For a start  Wikileaks simply acted as a place for people concerned about a particular corruption or issue to safely and anonymously leave their information. If after carefully checking the information (and making sure they wern't being feed lies..) Wikileaks believed it was in the public interest it was put on the website.

*They never bought or paid for anything.
*

NOTW on the other hand was dominated by a desire to sell newspapers by finding sex and scandal or  exploiting the rawest pain of crime victims, terrorist victims or any other suffering. It was also determined to find (or simply make up ..!) any sort of junk on politicians it wished to intimidate. The message was clear. We can get you and we will. Your only hope is to be very, very nice to us..

To achieve these goals they used criminals to bug, bribe or bully their way into peoples private lives. 

This was all known but because of the intimidation factor of the Murdoch Press very few people had the courage to make the case clearly and continue making the case.  Meanwhile the Murdoch Press lied and lied, continued to bug and bribe and then tried to buy the silence of some of the more notable victims of it's practices.

This  upheaval didn't come from a single flash of light. The Guardian newspaper has been relentless in pursuing the truth over a number of years as it became clearer that  the NOTW the criminal activities was not isolated or finished. *No other papers had the guts to follow this trail.* I believe it has been one of the exceptional pieces of public good that has been achieved for a long time and they should be commended for their work.

So what has the result been? A recent Guardian editorial says it well.



> *News International scandal: The sky falls in*
> 
> *At the start of the month, no senior politician dared defy Rupert Murdoch. Now, all of them have
> *
> ...





http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jul/13/news-international-scandal-sky-falls-in

*Three Cheers for the Fabians.  Someone has to keep the bastards honest. :*)


_________________________________________________________________________

Thee is a good story which outlines just how long The Guardian has been following these events.

http://www.smh.com.au/business/medi...-brought-down-a-newspaper-20110714-1hf5f.html


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## Knobby22 (18 July 2011)

Rebekah Brooks arrested - not a surprise. But the police chief resigning??
How deep does the corruption go?

There is starting to be talk of the government falling.


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## Julia (20 July 2011)

The ABC, especially Radio National, can hardly contain their delight at the Murdoch scandal.

Bruce Guthrie, ex-employee of News Ltd, has been wheeled out several times for interviews, again this morning along with Rupert Murdoch's American biographer.
The presenter and these two had the fun of their lives tearing apart the testimony of both Murdochs from last night.

Any enquiry into the media should be just as vigorous in terms of the bias of the ABC as that of the Murdoch owned entities.


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## sptrawler (20 July 2011)

Your spot on Julia, a lot of these so called reporters would be better off turning their skills to writing fiction novels. At least we don't have to put up with Kerry O'Brien anymore, he turned me off current affairs programmes for life, I still can't bring myself to watch them.


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## Knobby22 (20 July 2011)

True story:  Jeremy Clarkson went to a pre Christmas function at Rebekah Brooks holiday house and Andy Coulson and David Cameron were there.

Reporters asked what happened and Clarkson answered: "A policeman knocked at the door and Rebekah gave him a sack of money, then Rupert Murdoch joined us on a live video feed from his private volcano, stroking a white cat" (jokingly)

Rebekah and Andy are now both under arrest (as I am sure everyone knows).

By the way the News of the World Whistleblower found dead from unknown causes aged 46 and second in charge policeman resigned after the top resigned cop pretty much said he was lying to him and working for Murdoch.


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## Calliope (20 July 2011)

Julia said:


> The ABC, especially Radio National, can hardly contain their delight at the Murdoch scandal.
> 
> Bruce Guthrie, ex-employee of News Ltd, has been wheeled out several times for interviews, again this morning along with Rupert Murdoch's American biographer.
> The presenter and these two had the fun of their lives tearing apart the testimony of both Murdochs from last night.
> ...




The left are on a feeding frenzy. Their biggest worry is that the furore might blow over. They are counting on it spreading to America.


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## Knobby22 (20 July 2011)

Knobby22 said:


> True story:  Jeremy Clarkson went to a pre Christmas function at Rebekah Brooks holiday house and Andy Coulson and David Cameron were there.
> 
> Reporters asked what happened and Clarkson answered: "A policeman knocked at the door and Rebekah gave him a sack of money" jokingly "then Rupert Murdoch joined us on a live video feed from his private volcano, stroking a white cat"
> 
> .




Well I thought he was funny!


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## IFocus (20 July 2011)

I am reading the Australian now every day so I can stay fully inform of all the developments.


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## Happy (20 July 2011)

Looks to me that it will be easier for authorities to extract information on sources of information.

Reporters will not be able simply say that they do not want to disclose their sources as it is proven that sources can be illegal.


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## Julia (20 July 2011)

Calliope said:


> The left are on a feeding frenzy. Their biggest worry is that the furore might blow over. They are counting on it spreading to America.



And they will have all their fingers crossed that, with great good luck, the Greens here in Australia, given their massive power over the government, will see it implicate News Ltd here, despite being totally unable to quote a single instance of suggested impropriety.



Happy said:


> Looks to me that it will be easier for authorities to extract information on sources of information.
> 
> Reporters will not be able simply say that they do not want to disclose their sources as it is proven that sources can be illegal.



If that ever happens, it will be a pretty sad day.   Often information is given to journalists on condition the identity of the source is kept private.  The reasons for such a request on the part of the source are obvious.


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## pixel (23 July 2011)

> If you don't read the newspaper, you are uninformed.
> If you do read the  newspaper, you are misinformed.



Mark Twain


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## Calliope (25 July 2011)

Julia, you should stop talking crap. It can't be that hard



> Jula Gillard on Wednesday:
> 
> AUSTRALIANS here look at News Limited and they've probably got some hard questions that they want answered.
> 
> ...




http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...hard-question-pm/story-fn72xczz-1226100905301


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## orr (25 July 2011)

Considering the gravitas of the of the exposure of the top level of the 'Met' being open to bribes, the forced en-planting of Coulson by 'News corp' the hushing up the extent of files held by The 'Met' for five years,( 11,000 pgs, 4000 names of those hacked)  & we ask to who's Advantage here? The extent of control of this one arm of the Forth Estate. Lets not forget 175* LOCK STEP* editors on the misguided misbegotten rampage to Iraq, Please make your argument on fair and balanced there .
And to some this up with some facile bleetings about this being some lefty feel good love in. 
Just because campaigning bias of the Murdoch controlled media under pins your World view it doesn't make it right. But cling to it if it's all your capable of and it's all you've got.
If you have time? see below pay particular attention to the FOX hosted Murdoch interview of 2009 .

http://www.thedailyshow.com/full-episodes/tue-july-19-2011-pervez-musharraf

The following nights has another well researched relevant piece


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## Garpal Gumnut (25 July 2011)

I read the Australian every edition and find it the fairest of all the dailies in Australia.

I have read the Age and the SMH when in Melbourne or Sydney Platinum lounges, but prefer the Australian when home.

The Fairfax media are so left wing, and hairy legged feminist left, with it. It beggars belief that they still manage to sell an edition.

With all the heat on Murdoch at present, if there is any tapping done anywhere in Australia, by any journalist, we will know about it.

Remember the Australian supported Rudd against Howard, I didn't agree with it, but still read the comment and the reasons why. 

The Australian has high ethical principles, and is not afraid to push the debate. Fairfax are slavish followers of fashion and lack mongrel.

gg


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## orr (25 July 2011)

Your probably right, to much _priori _, my indoctrinations were purposely thawted.  I work more along the lines of Adam Smiths 'Moral Sentiments', Popper, Marx, Jung. but if he works for you.
 Anything you'd like to add on the corruption? It's level, It's implications and its coverage a certain stable of 'organs'


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## Knobby22 (30 January 2012)

Latest nasty stuff.

4 staff arrested for bribing police who work for the London Sun arm of this unethical company. At least Newscorp are co-operating this time and seem to have learnt their lesson.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-01-...staff-police-officer/3798542?section=business

UK detectives have searched the offices of Rupert Murdoch's The Sun and arrested four journalists and a policeman in a widening probe into the bribing of police for information.

The development finally drags Britain's biggest-selling newspaper into the turmoil at Mr Murdoch's empire, after its stablemate the News of the World was shut down in disgrace in July amid a scandal over phone hacking.

Mr Murdoch's US-based News Corporation confirmed that the four journalists arrested either worked or used to work at The Sun.

Police said they made the arrests after information was provided to police by News Corporation - in what commentators said was a clear effort by the company to detoxify the brand.

The BBC and the Guardian newspaper named the arrested Sun journalists as former deputy editor Fergus Shanahan, former managing editor Graham Dudman, current crime editor Mike Sullivan and current head of news Chris Pharo.


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## Knobby22 (29 March 2012)

Anyone watch the Graeme Norton show this week?

*Jo Brand and Hugh Grant* were very funny but couldn't help themselves slamming Newscorp. Hugh is very happy that so many of the Newscorp staff have gone to jail but he insinuated that he wouldn't mind seeing them get worse.

Jo Brand has a case to hate Newscorp, because she said something bad about them when they were powerful 15 years ago. They picked on her horribly again and again calling her a lesbian among other things. When she got married, The Sun printed the following headline on the front page "*Fat, Ugly Lesbian gets married*"

By the way, the FBI have said they are now looking into Newscorp and today the Fairfax's AFR have stated that *English and Australian Federal Police *are working together over activities in Australia. 

http://afr.com/p/business/marketing_media/federal_police_join_news_probe_s0h2FfmrnzYD7dIbq8s04L

The pathetic hate vitriol against Fairfax in the Newscorp press can be expected to continue.


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## Knobby22 (27 April 2012)

Looks like Murdoch did a deal with Cameron to nobble the BBC (their competitor) before this whole thing blew up. Nearly got away with it.

They would love to do the same in this country with the ABC I am sure.

The corruption in Britain leads to police, public servants, politicians, Editor, a CEO,  a total of 50 arrests at present.

Rupert says "I never asked a PM for any favours". Everyone knows you don't ask directly, you work through intermediaries, especially if dealing with corruption."

http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/murdoch-a-threat-to-cameron-20120426-1xnxl.html


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## Miss Hale (27 April 2012)

Knobby22 said:


> Rupert says "I never asked a PM for any favours". Everyone knows you don't ask directly, you work through intermediaries, especially if dealing with corruption."
> 
> http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/murdoch-a-threat-to-cameron-20120426-1xnxl.html




So why ask the question?  I've been impressed with Rupert Murdoch's performance at this 'inquisition' and think he aquitted himself very well.  I noted that in The Age yesterday they said he became testy, when I saw the footage on the TV later I thought he was nothing of the sort!


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## basilio (27 April 2012)

Miss Hale said:


> So why ask the question?  I've been impressed with Rupert Murdoch's performance at this 'inquisition' and think he aquitted himself very well.  I noted that in The Age yesterday they said he became testy, when I saw the footage on the TV later I thought he was nothing of the sort!




He lied through his teeth Miss Hale. Either that or he demonstrated monumental incompetence as head of News Corp.

There are many, many people who can directly prove Rupert Murdochs deceit. Worth checking The Guardian to see a range of these stories.

Just to back track a bit. The first expose ans convictions for phone tapping happened in 2006. Despite the criminality of these actions (and the risk to  News Corp)  Rupert Murdoch allowed phone tapping to continue and flourish. He believed he was too powerful to be brought to account and/or he could make the charges disappear. 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/phone-hacking?INTCMP=SRCH&INTCMP=SRCH

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Probably worth checking the initial comments in this forum to appreciate what News Corp had been up to.


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## Calliope (27 April 2012)

basilio said:


> There are many, many people who can directly prove Rupert Murdochs deceit. Worth checking The Guardian to see a range of these stories.




Your favourite rag - "The Manchester Pravda."

And Knobby gets his biases from the "Pravda on The Yarra," The Age, and the SMH.  Naturally the Fairfax Press will print anything detrimental to News Ltd in their vendetta against The Australian


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## Knobby22 (27 April 2012)

Calliope said:


> Your favourite rag - "The Manchester Pravda."
> 
> And Knobby gets his biases from the "Pravda on The Yarra," The Age, and the SMH.  Naturally the Fairfax Press will print anything detrimental to News Ltd in their vendetta against The Australian




That's a good example.
Avoid the facts and issues and argue the man, pathetic.
You should get a job with him.


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## Miss Hale (27 April 2012)

basilio said:


> He lied through his teeth Miss Hale. Either that or he demonstrated monumental incompetence as head of News Corp.
> 
> There are many, many people who can directly prove Rupert Murdochs deceit. Worth checking The Guardian to see a range of these stories.
> 
> ...





So If he's lied then what is the point of the inquiry?   Especially if there are people that can prove his deceit - case over already surely.  The whole things reeks of witchhunt to me.

The Guardian is well known to be biased and they have been wrong on some of the facts of this case so not a reliable source of information. 

Yes, I had already read the initial comments on the thread.


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## basilio (27 April 2012)

As I understand it people called before the inquiry would be under oath. In the case of Rupert Murdoch and his staff they have to publicly explain the evidence of *thousands *of phone  hacking acts, intimidation, blackmail and fabrication of stories.

All done to sell papers and keep News Ltd on top of the heap.

The facts about the phone tapping were detailed over 6 years ago when Hugh Grant and many other high profile people had the allegations proven in court. News Ltd started paying out huge sums of compensation.

Yet despite these outcomes they continued hacking peoples phones and Rupert Murdoch chose to ignore the issue believing he could just tough it out.

The Leveson public inquiry was forced onto the Cameron government when The Guardian  showed that the phone of a teenage murder victim had been hacked by News of the World in its determination to create a story. The public outrage was finally sufficient to force the inquiry.

Regardless of Calliopes pavlovian reflex dribble the facts of the phone hacking and other crimes have been well established. What the inquiry is trying to do is establish how the senior management of News Limited can explain their inaction over the years. Somewhere along the line they may get the the point of asking whether the management are fit and proper people to be in charge of news organisations.


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## Garpal Gumnut (27 April 2012)

My belief is that all this kerfuffle will pass over.

Rupert is truly Keith Murdoch's son.

It is the British Political Class vs The Murdochs

The Murdoch clan will learn from this, and continue to deliver high grade news to the masses.

gg


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## Calliope (27 April 2012)

basilio said:


> Somewhere along the line they may get the the point of asking whether the management are fit and proper people to be in charge of news organisations.




That's what it's all about. Any excuse to muzzle that section of the press which is not leftist like you.

And Knobby when you say "Avoid the facts and issues and argue the man" do you mean "the facts" according to the Fairfax Press? Pathetic.


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## Knobby22 (28 April 2012)

Calliope said:


> That's what it's all about. Any excuse to muzzle that section of the press which is not leftist like you.
> 
> And Knobby when you say "Avoid the facts and issues and argue the man" do you mean "the facts" according to the Fairfax Press? Pathetic.




Your the one attacking the free press, not me.

You obviously didn't read the article, just relying on predjudice.it was in the Fairfax Press but it was written by an English Newspaper that wasn't the Guardian.

Did you know Cameron, the Prime Minister met with Murdoch on his yacht and there are at least 3 lines of criminal inquiry heading to Cameron. Did you know one of his ministers had to resign once Murdoch influence was shown to affect his behaviour on public policy. What about the deal to cut the BBC from funding?

You are saying it is the left, it is NOT!
What about Rudd, why did he meet Murdoch and then set him up to get the Australian channel? A foreigner owning the Australian channel???

Murdoch is a blight on demoracy. 

Maybe instead of wanting the ABC, the independant media and SBS to be ignored, you could try getting your information from other sources that are not owned by Murdoch!!


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## Knobby22 (28 April 2012)

Miss Hale said:


> So If he's lied then what is the point of the inquiry?   Especially if there are people that can prove his deceit - case over already surely.  The whole things reeks of witchhunt to me.
> 
> The Guardian is well known to be biased and they have been wrong on some of the facts of this case so not a reliable source of information.
> 
> Yes, I had already read the initial comments on the thread.




You must be joking.
With all the lies in the Murdoch press occurring and the revelations discovered by the Guardian, you attack the credibilty of the Guardian? Don't you know if they got a fact wrong, Rupert would take them to litigation in 10 seconds flat. If I am wrong back up your statement otherwise I will conclude you get your sources from the Murdoch press also.

As previously advised, the FBI are now looking into Murdoch also. I think there will be a lot more coming out yet.


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## Calliope (28 April 2012)

Knobby22 said:


> Your the one attacking the free press, not me.




You are obviously in agreement with Gillard, Conroy and Brown in their hate campaign against _The Australian_ for fighting a losing battle in trying to keep these bastards honest.



> You are saying it is the left, it is NOT!
> What about Rudd, why did he meet Murdoch and then set him up to get the Australian channel? A foreigner owning the Australian channel??




That's because Rudd would do anything to get a favourable press. What channel are you talking about? The one Conroy fraudulently gave to the ABC?


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## Macquack (28 April 2012)

Knobby22 said:


> Murdoch is a blight on democracy.




Agree 100% with Knobby.

The problem is, politicians come and go, but a media tyrant like Murdoch keeps plundering on, perpetually influencing governments for his own benefit.


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## Calliope (28 April 2012)

Macquack said:


> Agree 100% with Knobby.
> 
> The problem is, politicians come and go, but a media tyrant like Murdoch keeps plundering on, perpetually influencing governments for his own benefit.




Of course you do Macquack. He's a class enemy - a capitalist pig.


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## orr (30 April 2012)

Calliope said:


> He's a class enemy - a capitalist pig.




He's in charge of an organisation that has had How many of its staff and operatives arrested to date, and to what level of that organisation. 
And on what charges ;Illegal communications Breaches
                              Bribery of police up the level of commissioner
                              Blackmail

and you charge the Guardian with telling people. Who from the Guardian's been arrested?
And no their not going to front some Stalinist show trial, Their going before, with all its faults, one of the most refined systems of Justice on the planet. Thats whats's worrying them.


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## basilio (1 May 2012)

Surprise,  surprise, surprise... Rupert Murdoch not a fit person to head an international company. Who would have thought that ?




> *News Corp tycoon Rupert Murdoch 'not fit' to run company, MPs say*
> 
> May 1 2012
> 
> ...



http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/u...ws-corp-says-committee-of-mps-86908-23843900/

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201012/cmselect/cmcumeds/903/903i.pdf
Full report


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## Knobby22 (1 May 2012)

Though its true, Basilio, they have no power to enforce it, so I am sure Murdoch thinks it really is like being hit with a feather.


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## basilio (1 May 2012)

What I'm really interested in seeing is how the Murdoch papers report the findings of the Parliamentary Committee.  Is it big news that one of the most  worlds most influential  international business leaders is found to be an unfit person to head their business based on their behaviour ?

Great opportunity for fearless editorial leadership here..


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## sails (1 May 2012)

basilio said:


> Surprise,  surprise, surprise... Rupert Murdoch not a fit person to head an international company. Who would have thought that ?
> 
> 
> 
> ...





I don't think there is any mention of Australia? We have not had any such problems to the best of my knowledge.

This should not be used as an excuse to remove freedom of speech, imo.


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## StumpyPhantom (1 May 2012)

sails said:


> I don't think there is any mention of Australia? We have not had any such problems to the best of my knowledge.
> 
> This should not be used as an excuse to remove freedom of speech, imo.




Too late!  Leveson inquiry in England prompts Gillard to say Murdoch's got some 'tough questions to answer', Jackboots Conroy starts up an inquiry headed by a former judge sympathetic to their cause, AND HERE WE ARE - our very own politicised media watchdog.

In the meantime, Gillard 'makes the right decision' by permanently awarding the ABC the Australia Network contract, against each and every tender evaluation process undertaken by the bureaucrats.

When will this all end?  Can the Labor apologists reading thhis justify all of this simply because of their "True Believers" war cry?


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## Calliope (2 May 2012)

basilio said:


> What I'm really interested in seeing is how the Murdoch papers report the findings of the Parliamentary Committee.  Is it big news that one of the most  worlds most influential  international business leaders is found to be an unfit person to head their business based on their behaviour ?
> 
> Great opportunity for fearless editorial leadership here..




it is a partisan report, the type of report that could have been written by you and Knobby, our resident Oz haters and GW alarmists. Report ignored by local News Ltd papers as being ho hum.
The fearless SMH, of course joins in, *but*;



> The report's conclusions about Rupert Murdoch were not unanimous, with MPs splitting along party lines. Conservative MP Louise Mensch told a news conference that such a finding was beyond the committee's scope and an improper attempt to influence Ofcom.



Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/world/murdoch...-to-hacking-20120501-1xxao.html#ixzz1tfC1zgAy


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## Calliope (2 May 2012)

sails said:


> I don't think there is any mention of Australia? We have not had any such problems to the best of my knowledge.
> 
> This should not be used as an excuse to remove freedom of speech, imo.




This is right sails. The head News Ltd hater and chief censor, Stephen Conroy's office had this to say.



> A spokesman for Communications Minister Stephen Conroy said the report had nothing to do with News Corp’s Australian-owned assets.
> 
> "This report relates to specific allegations confined to the United Kingdom. There is no evidence of any behaviour of this type in Australia," he said.




Basilio and Knobby will feel let down by their hero. 

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/bus...rdoch-as-not-fit/story-fn9eci82-1226344354942


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## orr (3 May 2012)

Calliope said:


> it is a partisan report,





It is incredulous bordering on the perverse that considering the scale of the crimes of those involved, with inditement pending, you  can so blithely overt your gaze. Of course the doddering old man and his neophyte son were but putty in the hands these rouge rapscallions, and have no case to answer.
You're an interesting window how ideological blinkers that allowed the near neighbours of Dachau, a few minutes drive from Munich, to see 'nothing strange going on here'.


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## Calliope (3 May 2012)

orr said:


> It is incredulous bordering on the perverse that considering the scale of the crimes of those involved, with inditement pending, you  can so blithely overt your gaze. Of course the doddering old man and his neophyte son were but putty in the hands these rouge rapscallions, and have no case to answer.
> You're an interesting window how ideological blinkers that allowed the near neighbours of Dachau, a few minutes drive from Munich, to see 'nothing strange going on here'.




Brilliant!  "Blithely overt your gaze" - Poetic!  You have won me over with your delightful prose, particularly the Dachau touch. Bravo.

Alternately you may be just a pontificating ass.


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## Macquack (3 May 2012)

As much as Calliope can not stomach looking at the elegant red head, I must say that I can not stand looking at that old prune Rupert Murdoch's face.


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## Calliope (3 May 2012)

Macquack said:


> As much as Calliope can not stomach looking at the elegant red head, I must say that I can not stand looking at that old prune Rupert Murdoch's face.




Elegant? I'd say reptillian.


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## orr (7 May 2012)

Calliope said:


> pontificating ass.




Insufferable pontificating ass, even if I have to anoint my self with such a lofty laurel. But I think the 'P' word you were searching for was poignant. And so to channel Tarantino's, Winston Wolf to Vincent; 'now please...pretty please...pretty please with sugar on top address the News Corp's criminality'.. Or choose to remain irrelevant. It's your choice, irrelevant or exactly the way Vincent ended up.


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## orr (24 July 2012)

Just love to kick this one along a bit;

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-07-24/brooks-coulson-hacking-charges/4151614?WT.svl=news0

Any body out there with an account with 'Ladbrokes' for the odds on gaol time or fines, Or more delicious a plea deal to implicate those higher up.


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## orr (27 April 2016)

Today the 93 dead of the Hillsborough disaster (1989) are proven to have been unlawfully killed by police. Anybody familiar with Murdoch 'Sun's' perverted, maligning deformation  of these dead innocent  souls and the protection of the police criminals involved, would be fully aware of the scum that is the heart of News LTD/Corp...


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## orr (7 September 2016)

Ms Gretchen  Carlson settles for $20 million after years of the sexual harrasment perpetrated By the long time   
Head of the US Fox 'Spews' imbroglio, lets just call him Odious Ailes...
Like a fish rot from the head so it is for News corpse...


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## Tisme (7 September 2016)

orr said:


> Ms Gretchen  Carlson settles for $20 million after years of the sexual harrasment perpetrated By the long time
> Head of the US Fox 'Spews' imbroglio, lets just call him Odious Ailes...
> Like a fish rot from the head so it is for News corpse...




Winning battle with Murdoch is not winning a war.


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## orr (11 March 2017)

Daniel Morgan's 'un-solved' murder of 30 years ago, still a skeleton in the Murdoch Press's closet... As calls for a Second Leveson inquiry deepen.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news...ate-eyes-haunts-britains-powerful-30-years-on


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## Knobby22 (17 August 2019)

There was 5 nasty articles attacking Adern on Sky news. All have been deleted today. Wonder why?

Skynews are stating Epstein death is not suspicious. Hmmm. Obviously a feed from News Corp.

Also the men who brought down the knife wielding guy in Sydney are not examples of toxic masculinity. Good dog whistling Credlin.


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## moXJO (18 August 2019)

Knobby22 said:


> There was 5 nasty articles attacking Adern on Sky news. All have been deleted today. Wonder why?
> 
> Skynews are stating Epstein death is not suspicious. Hmmm. Obviously a feed from News Corp.
> 
> Also the men who brought down the knife wielding guy in Sydney are not examples of toxic masculinity. Good dog whistling Credlin.



Sky news thinks they know their market,  but they honestly look like idiots. Its cringe worthy stuff.

And in a similar vein,  the abc pandering to China pro government was the worst thing I think I have seen.


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## Knobby22 (18 August 2019)

moXJO said:


> Sky news thinks they know their market,  but they honestly look like idiots. Its cringe worthy stuff.
> 
> And in a similar vein,  the abc pandering to China pro government was the worst thing I think I have seen.



 The ABC is under pressure, the Chines see it as a state controlled news source and get very upset with bad coverage.


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## moXJO (18 August 2019)

Knobby22 said:


> The ABC is under pressure, the Chines see it as a state controlled news source and get very upset with bad coverage.



The q&a on democracy was shocking. Just dumb stuff. Obviously the leftists uni revenue was threatened.

I flicked through outsiders on sky today. Talk about dumb... Some of the comments made were mind blowingly stupid. Surely even bogans would turn over. 

I'm a little worried about the left and chinese influence. Pro democracy students were threatened by groups linked to the greens. A chinese "rent a crowd" were quickly organised. We then get this straight out chinese propaganda on q&a. 
Seems feelers are being put out there to test the limits. It needs to be shut down very fast.


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## Knobby22 (18 August 2019)

The Chinese students have to turn up and there are communist party members taking notes.


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## orr (9 February 2021)

Given James Murdochs recent public statements with regard to the clear and present danger to a functioning democarcy that NewsCorp represents from his postion deep inside this degenorate organization and the power it wields over our Federal Parliament; All comment would be welcome...
Particularly in leiu of the upcoming presentations to Federal Parliament on Murdoch/NewsCorps...

Over to James; google 'James Murdoch Finacial Times' it will let you have a look....





__





						Subscribe to read | Financial Times
					

News, analysis and comment from the Financial Times, the worldʼs leading global business publication




					www.ft.com
				




Might this thread be _'Cancelled'_ ????


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## basilio (12 March 2021)

This story falls under the related headings of "Is the Pope is a Catholic ?"  "Do bears crap in the woods".

Just useful to hear it spelt out.

News Corp Australia papers labelled 'sexist' and 'toxic' by former staff photographer at media inquiry​Photographers told to provide images of attractive women and avoid ‘pigs in lipstick’

A veteran News Corp Australia photographer has given devastating evidence to a parliamentary inquiry about the way the Murdoch newspapers treated female employees and directed photographers to only take pictures of conventionally attractive young women.

Anna Rogers, who was made redundant last year, told the media diversity inquiry she worked in a sexist and toxic culture at Cumberland Newspapers, the Australian, the Courier-Mail and the Cairns Post between 1991 and 2020, where men were consistently promoted over women.

Women were denied pay rises and flexible work hours and she believed all staff were forced to sign employment contracts which gave the company the right to “listen in” to their phone calls, she told senators.

Rogers said she had been consistently told not to take pictures of “pigs in lipstick” while the appearance of male subjects was never raised.

In 1994, when Paul Kelly was editor-in-chief of the Australian, she was told to take photographs of attractive women to increase female readership.








						News Corp Australia papers labelled 'sexist' and 'toxic' by former staff photographer at media inquiry
					

Photographers told to provide images of attractive women and avoid ‘pigs in lipstick’




					www.theguardian.com


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