The Day the Sky fell on Murdoch

Shame on politicians that courted Murdoch for decades, and in one week decided he should be stoned. — Paulo Coelho

Yesterday was the day the Sky fell in on Murdoch.

For at least a decade Murdoch has had a corrosive and toxic influence on British culture and politics. Yesterday was the day his creatures, the fawning politicians, lost their fear and turned on him.

Ten days ago it was a foregone conclusion that the Murdoch-controlled News Corporation, the world’s largest media conglomerate after Disney, would sieze control of BSkyB. It was all done and dusted, all that remained was for Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt MP to rubber-stamp the deal.

Yesterday, Wednesday 13 July 2011, was the day fawning politicians lost their fear of Murdoch. They were his creatures, but they turned on him. It was their Tahrir moment.

The House of Commons were unanimous, Murdoch should not be allowed to take control of BSkyB. Murdoch pre-empted the debate by pulling out of the deal, but it made no difference.

Politicians may think they took the lead. They did not. The lead was taken by the people, all the politicians did was follow. But that is how it should be in a democracy.

The revolt was organised on twitter with the hashtag #notw

News International controls 38% of the print media in the UK. If you think that is bad, in Australia Murdoch-controlled News Ltd owns and controls 68%!

Media control, cross-media control. No one person, no one company, should control a major sector of the media, they should not own and control print and televison.

The limit should be one daily, one Sunday. If you own print media, then you cannot own TV.

The cross-media ownership has looked at print and BSkyB, but we should not forget that Murdoch owns HarperCollins, Fox TV and a film studio.

In the press, a book is promoted that just happens to be printed by HarperCollins, a film is promoted that just happens to come out of a Murdoch film studio, a TV programme has a good review that just happens to be shown on BSkyB, the BBC is slated, it just happens to be a global competitor to BSkyB.

Reputable writers, for example Paulo Coelho, should be asking themselves do they wish to continue with HarperCollins.

In the UK, a Judicial Inqiry is to be launched into police bribery and the behaviour of the media. In Australia, an inquiry is to be launched into Murdoch-controlled News International. In the US, the FBI and Justice Department have been asked to launch investigations.

A tsnami, with its epicentre in London, is now travelling around the world.

– Murdoch, savaged in parliament, pulls British TV bid
– GOPer wants FBI probe of Rupert Murdoch
– Former Wall St Journal owners: ‘We wouldn’t have sold if we had known’
– How Twitter tracked the News of the World scandal
– News Corp shares go down the toilet
– Church of England investment in News Corp
– Good riddance News of the World
– News of the World sinks to new low
– Phone hacking: MPs summons Murdochs
– More calls by US senators for News Corporation inquiry
– Hacking fears ‘spilling over into US’

Good riddance News of the World

Murdoch answers critics

Ofcom ‘has duty to be satisfied on on-going basis that any person holding broadcasting licence remains fit & proper to hold such licence’ — John Prescott

The News of the World meltdown is progressing from “shit hits fan” toward “running Rolls Royce jet turbine lands in sewage works”. — Mitch Benn

Excellent news that News of the World is to close. A cause for celebration, but do not pop the champagne corks just yet.

Unbelievable, people power brings down the News of the World in less than a week. Murdoch must be hurting.

Well done everyone. Well done too the Guardian that landed the first blow and the Evening Standard, Independent and Telegraph for landing the follow up blows.

But do not celebrate too soon. We have won the first skirmish, we have a war to win.

Inside News International there are two secret projects: Project X, cut costs by 50%. Project Y, move to a seven-day-a-week newspaper.

A couple of days before James Murdoch with Rebekah Wade in tow, accompanied by security guards, told staff at the News of the World it was being closed, two web addresses were registered for The Sun on Sunday.

It is goodbye News of the World, hello Sun on Sunday.

We were told it was one rogue reporter, now we are told it was one rogue newspaper.

No, it is a rotten toxic organisation that has had a corrosive influence on British culture and politics.

We have gutless, spineless politicians who fight over who can brown-nose Murdoch.

Endorsement now or association with Murdoch would be the kiss of death.

Why is Rebekah Wade still there?

Today Andy Coulson, former NotW editor, was arrested for phone hacking and corruption. If he knew and authorised what was going on why not Rebekah Wade? And she has already admitted to a Select Committee of payment to police.

James Murdoch has said Rebekah Wade has high ethical standards. George Orwell would be proud.

Over £130,000 in bribes has been paid. And no one knew?

James Murdoch signed off massive sums in hush money to keep victims of NotW phone hacking quiet, but he claims he did not know what the money was for?

David Cameron showed appalling lack of judgement in employing Andy Coulson. Did Coulson employ NotW techniques when working from 10 Downing Street? Was Coulson not subjected to positive vetting?

John Prescott is one of many who warned Cameron re Coulson.

It is sickening hearing NotW hacks saying what a marvelous newspaper News of the World was. Have they no shame or integrity? Still they can now enjoy a life of luxury on the Dole as they are wont to tell us Benefit Cheats and Welfare Scroungers enjoy. If they had any integrity left they would put out a Not the News of the World exposing what has been going on at News International.

Plod of the Yard in his investigation of the phone hacking left no stone unturned. He could have tripped over a stone and fallen into a quarry and denied it was there.

Two companies refused to pull NotW advertising, Vodafone and Tesco. Like Murdoch, serious tax dodgers.

Murdoch is not a fit and proper person to own and control media in the UK. He should not be allowed to own and control BSkyB.

If Murdoch thinks he has silenced his critics and the matter is over he is wrong. The baying dogs have tasted blood. They will not now be satisfied until they have gone in for the kill.

Not one to miss a trick, British Gas has used a bad news day to bury their massive hike in gas prices.

– News of the World sinks to new low
– BSkyB takeover plan receives flurry of late submissions
– Phone hacking probe: Ex-News of the World editor Coulson arrested
– Rusbridger: ‘I warned David Cameron over Coulson link’
– Phone hacking: Police probe suspected deletion of emails by NI executive
– Sun on Sunday set for launch following NOTW closure
– End of the World: James Murdoch announces News of the World will close this Sunday