Who really controls the media?

[Boyou]

mad macks..I get the Daily Reckoning..have for about 2 years now.

Dan Denning and his mentor Bill Bonner like to take the contrarian view in most matters and they display nice irreverence for conventional wisdom and accepted beliefs...I relate to the eccentricity they display as well as the wit

The publications seems to serve no master and sometimes doesn't even take itself too seriously.
If you are suspicious of mainstream media moguls like Packer then and Murdoch now..these are the guys to pay attention to in matters of Global finance and "Big Picture" issues

 

[Buckeroo]

I guess in a way we do. If we like it, we watch it or listen to it and our demographics of "tuning" in are recorded. Not many TV shows keep hanging around once ratings prove they are not attracting an audience. So in summary if we all decide to log out of ASF and never to return will this website keep going? Probabaly not.

Mmmm interesting Trainspotter - I have noticed how shallow the news is these days. I mean, it seems that trivial stores are far more important than major events that impact the country.

Maybe as a nation, we are more concerned with trivia - I sometimes find TV news is like reading the Woman's Weekly (no offense girls). Issues such as Kevin Rudds hair dryer, the lady with the baby in parliament etc etc, it all seems pretty lame - and it looks like I may be in the minority.

So yep, unfortunately, I can see that ratings may have an impact on the news content.

Cheers

 

[Krusty the Klown]

Mmmm interesting Trainspotter - I have noticed how shallow the news is these days. I mean, it seems that trivial stores are far more important than major events that impact the country.

Maybe as a nation, we are more concerned with trivia - I sometimes find TV news is like reading the Woman's Weekly (no offense girls). Issues such as Kevin Rudds hair dryer, the lady with the baby in parliament etc etc, it all seems pretty lame - and it looks like I may be in the minority.

So yep, unfortunately, I can see that ratings may have an impact on the news content.

Cheers

Definitely agree on the ratings point, just look at the difference between SBS nightly news, and every other nightly news. When do you ever see news content about Africa or South America on commercial television?

I remember in 2000, Venezuala had floods that killed 40,000 people and it got a 30 second spot, ONCE. If that had happened in the US, the 24 hour coverage would be still going!!!

 

[trainspotter]

News these days IS "Womans Weakly" and NO that is not a typo. The garbage we are spoon fed on early morning breakfast shows right through to the 6 o'clock chow down is pitiful. Who cares if Bruno makes an appearance at some red carpet blancmange frock fest? Will I not be able to sleep at night knowing that Tom Cruise is staying at the Crown Casino in Melbourne?

FAR OUT MAN !!! This is not news? Civil riots in the Solomon Islands is news. Earthquake in Turkey killing 23,000 people is news. Do I have to turn to the internet and search for the information myself with incessant search engine rummages?

Television is truly the opiate for the masses. It is dumbing us down to a point where we soon all be swallowing pills called Prozac to make us feel good about ourselves. No wait ... we are already there.

 

[Garpal Gumnut]

One bloke controls the media worldwide.

Rupert Murdoch.

He's a good bloke, I've never met him face to face, but was fortunate to have been in an auditorium where he gave a talk.

He is one smart bloke.

I'd prefer to have him control the media than a Fairfax or a Packer or some other dills who've tried to do it.

And as for the ABC.

What a crowd of wankers.

gg

 

[Taltan]

A couple of comments

Murdoch definately uses the media to purport his own view. For example I have not noticed any commentator in the News Ltd press being critical of the excess of executive pay. Rather the pay of top executives (such as Murdoch) are always defended.

The main problem with the media is that politicians don't control it directly but they influence it through giving of interviews. Twenty years ago the PM would have no choice but to talk to say Channel 9. Now with the internet there are so many outlets. Journalists are too scared to upset politicians and risk being out of the news loop next time. Just think of how many budget leaks the govt released before the budget

 

[Tink]

LOL @ trainspotter - well said

GG I prefer ABC news anyday

 

[trainspotter]

A couple of comments

Murdoch definately uses the media to purport his own view. For example I have not noticed any commentator in the News Ltd press being critical of the excess of executive pay. Rather the pay of top executives (such as Murdoch) are always defended.

The main problem with the media is that politicians don't control it directly but they influence it through giving of interviews. Twenty years ago the PM would have no choice but to talk to say Channel 9. Now with the internet there are so many outlets. Journalists are too scared to upset politicians and risk being out of the news loop next time. Just think of how many budget leaks the govt released before the budget

Too true Taltan. Look at "utegate" for example. See other thread for clarity on this little gem. Howard was the first to go to "live" radio interviews, this way his message would not be polluted by the PRINT media. He specifically targeted a certain trance in the market place and it made them feel good because they could phone in and rant or praise. No grubby little journalist hack wringing all the venom and slant out of a keyboard and misconstruing the message or in some cases not at all. This was breakthrough stuff back then and it got the press core with their backs up.

(Was going to go on some horrible political rodomontade about why Rudd is refusing to do an interview with Alan Jones but chose not to)

Murdoch controls HIS section of media that as a global company has certainly got some clout in the market place. Some of it is negative to certain politicians and some is downright fluff and bellybutton lint.

Shame on you GG for calling ABC a "crowd of wankers" We all know ABC is a she ! Aunty ABC used to cost me a day to own !! Afterall, it's your ABC.

 

[white_crane]

I want a government run newspaper. After all, the government wouldn't lie to us - they would let us know what's really going on.

 

[trainspotter]

I want a government run newspaper. After all, the government wouldn't lie to us - they would let us know what's really going on.

Read Hansard for the facts. May the force be with you (walk softly and carry big stick)

 

[Garpal Gumnut]

Too true Taltan. Look at "utegate" for example. See other thread for clarity on this little gem. Howard was the first to go to "live" radio interviews, this way his message would not be polluted by the PRINT media. He specifically targeted a certain trance in the market place and it made them feel good because they could phone in and rant or praise. No grubby little journalist hack wringing all the venom and slant out of a keyboard and misconstruing the message or in some cases not at all. This was breakthrough stuff back then and it got the press core with their backs up.

(Was going to go on some horrible political rodomontade about why Rudd is refusing to do an interview with Alan Jones but chose not to)

Murdoch controls HIS section of media that as a global company has certainly got some clout in the market place. Some of it is negative to certain politicians and some is downright fluff and bellybutton lint.

Shame on you GG for calling ABC a "crowd of wankers" We all know ABC is a she ! Aunty ABC used to cost me a day to own !! Afterall, it's your ABC.

I do not like to descend to the gutteral, but girls do too mate. Men and women are poles apart.

Murdoch controls all media either directly or by the reaction of second rate commentators like Comrade O'Brien, Fran and the lady from the Age with the Rudd cheat sheet who stammers to Fran at 0754 each morning.

gg

 

[trainspotter]

I do not like to descend to the gutteral, but girls do too mate. Men and women are poles apart.

Murdoch controls all media either directly or by the reaction of second rate commentators like Comrade O'Brien, Fran and the lady from the Age with the Rudd cheat sheet who stammers to Fran at 0754 each morning.

gg

Well I never? Which pole exactly are you referring to?

What about Media Watch (Monday 9.15pm) on the ABC? Bias, surely not ! To suggest Rupert is somehow in cahoots with Satan to give him world wide media domination (because this is what you would need for total domination) is truely an eye opener for me. It has been whispered that Rupert offered his first born son Lachlan as an offering but Beelzebub reckoned he had his hands full with James Packer now that he has sold his media empire and gone into gambling.

 

[Garpal Gumnut]

Well I never? Which pole exactly are you referring to?

What about Media Watch (Monday 9.15pm) on the ABC? Bias, surely not ! To suggest Rupert is somehow in cahoots with Satan to give him world wide media domination (because this is what you would need for total domination) is truely an eye opener for me. It has been whispered that Rupert offered his first born son Lachlan as an offering but Beelzebub reckoned he had his hands full with James Packer now that he has sold his media empire and gone into gambling.

Rupert runs the media worldwide, and runs it well.

I am in regular correspondence with Phillip Adams and he justifies the left bias in the ABC as a natural reaction to the right bias in the Murdoch press.

And he works for Murdoch.

Murdoch rules ok.

re Poles, use your imagination.

gg

 

[Smurf1976]

News these days IS "Womans Weakly" and NO that is not a typo. The garbage we are spoon fed on early morning breakfast shows right through to the 6 o'clock chow down is pitiful. Who cares if Bruno makes an appearance at some red carpet blancmange frock fest? Will I not be able to sleep at night knowing that Tom Cruise is staying at the Crown Casino in Melbourne?

Even worse than the so-called "news" these days is what's happened to current affairs reporting. All we're left with there is what amounts to one long advertorial promoting the interests of their advertisers and no actual current affairs being reported.

Heck, those under the age of about 25 probably don't even realise that current affairs has nothing to do with which shop has the cheapest groceries or who has the cheapest petrol. That's advertising, not current affairs.

 

[Garpal Gumnut]

My favourite mags are

Wheels
Two Wheels
Esquire
Quadrant
The Monthly ( they got rid of a good editor so they are on hold)
PC Authority.


gg

 

[Krusty the Klown]

Even worse than the so-called "news" these days is what's happened to current affairs reporting. All we're left with there is what amounts to one long advertorial promoting the interests of their advertisers and no actual current affairs being reported.

Heck, those under the age of about 25 probably don't even realise that current affairs has nothing to do with which shop has the cheapest groceries or who has the cheapest petrol. That's advertising, not current affairs.

I agree, every six months or so they wheel out a bank bashing story, or a dodgy pest control guy story, or the politicians perks story

The piece de resistance for me was the story on a retirement farm for donkeys on A Current Affair. No, Seriously.

They should change the name to A Current Cliche.

They are like a multiple car pile-up or train smash, you know its going to be bad, but you have to look anyway just to see how bad it is - or like Sea Patrol.

 

[Ageo]

Whats funny is everyone knows its all criminal yet we all put up with it?

We need a new political party which is called "Revolutionists"

 

[Julia]

Even worse than the so-called "news" these days is what's happened to current affairs reporting. All we're left with there is what amounts to one long advertorial promoting the interests of their advertisers and no actual current affairs being reported.

Heck, those under the age of about 25 probably don't even realise that current affairs has nothing to do with which shop has the cheapest groceries or who has the cheapest petrol. That's advertising, not current affairs.

I agree, every six months or so they wheel out a bank bashing story, or a dodgy pest control guy story, or the politicians perks story

The piece de resistance for me was the story on a retirement farm for donkeys on A Current Affair. No, Seriously.

They should change the name to A Current Cliche.

They are like a multiple car pile-up or train smash, you know its going to be bad, but you have to look anyway just to see how bad it is - or like Sea Patrol.

Why do you watch this rubbish? If no one watched it, they'd stop producing it.

 

[Garpal Gumnut]

My favourite show is Air Crash Investigation. Just how fragile life is, and how one bolt or tosser can decide your fate.

I used like Border Security where the Chinese grannies got nabbed with suitcases full of live ducks and chooks, but the latest series has been a bit tame.

gg

 

[Buckeroo]

Aaarrrgh!!! Turned on the TV this morning, business week on Ten, silly me wanted to get the low down on ferret faces new IR policy and I couldn't believe my ears!!

First question from this dildo journalist was, "how do you feel about the sailors keeping count of the woman they lay on board ship"!!! I immediately turned off the TV vowing never again!!

So the question is are these journalists insane? I reckon they must put them on drugs the first day at Uni & tell them they are from another planet!! Of course, if you put a bunch of red blooded guys & girls in a steel box for months on end, things are going to happen!!

And again how is this more important than a policy that will cost thousands their jobs!! BAH HUMBUG!

Cheers