28 Dec
Ishtarmuz’s Rebuttal to: Journalism and Freedom by Rupert Murdoch
This is Ishtarmuz’s rebuttal to : Journalism and Freedom :Government assistance is a greater threat to the press than any new technology. By RUPERT MURDOCH
We are at a time when many news enterprises are shutting down… some tell you that journalism is in dire shape, and the triumph of digital is to blame.
My message is just the opposite. The future of journalism is more promising than ever—limited only by editors and producers unwilling to fight for their readers and viewers, or government using its heavy hand either to over regulate or subsidize us.
No, you are correct, the straw man of progress is not to blame. Those that think and use old models of thought are to blame. Vertical organizations built on authoritarian control from above limiting the choices of information usage based on a worldview of property that never held sway in the arena of ideas are to blame. If the old worldview is to survive, then we will all have to become slaves, not only in the marketplace of commerce, but to the marketplace of ideas as well. Horizontal networks are cooperative and share information and profit. This is anathema to old world greed.
Note the thought process here. It is all out war between private contenders. The interference of government imposing rules, such as ‘don’t let the pirates kill each other’, is wholly unfair to such winning combatants as Kevin Rupert Murdoch. The problem with this is that no man is an island and no one does it by himself or herself. We form an interdependent community that remains healthy only by a commitment to all.
From the beginning, newspapers have prospered for one reason: the trust that comes from representing their readers’ interests and giving them the news that’s important to them. That means covering the communities where they live, exposing government or business corruption, and standing up to the rich and powerful.
A bit of truth and honesty is always good in an opinion piece, though I think it might have been better as an opener.
Technology now allows us to do this on a much greater scale. That means we have the means to reach billions of people who until now have had no honest or independent sources of the information they need to rise in society, hold their governments accountable, and pursue their needs and dreams.
Yes, people need to rise up and hold the real government accountable, all those multinational business interests pulling the strings behind the scenes. Interesting how a half-truth is so much more convincing than an out and out lie.
… Some newspapers and news organizations will not adapt to the digital realities of our day—and they will fail. We should not blame technology for these failures. The future of journalism … [to] find new and better ways to meet the needs of their viewers, listeners, and readers.
So it is not the digital success, but the not taking advantage of it, that is at issue. What you are saying is that it needs to be harnessed. Harnessed means controlled, but you don’t want it controlled except by the pirates of the old model. When you suggest finding better ways to meet the needs of customers, what you mean is to bottom feed off the baser instincts of your customers.
…give people the news they want. I can’t tell you how many papers I have visited where they have a wall of journalism prizes—and a rapidly declining circulation. This tells me the editors are producing news for themselves—instead of news that is relevant to their customers…
Rome gave people what they wanted. That’s it; maybe we need to feed more liberals to the lions? Surely that is it. How could that be irrelevant? Keeping journalists with pesky Pulitzers working is not the business of a news organization.
His article then goes on for a bit stating how the old business model no longer working and explaining how he is maneuvering to make more money. Then, not satisfied with his empire based on winning court cases, he bemoans the FCC.
One example of outdated thinking is the FCC’s cross-ownership rule that prevents people from owning, say, a television station and a newspaper in the same market. Many of these rules were written when competition was limited because of the huge up-front costs. If you are a newspaper today, your competition is not necessarily the TV station in the same city. It can be a Web site on the other side of the world, or even an icon on someone’s cell phone.
And you have effectively been arguing this in court into a global monopoly for years. You have won the battle. Now what do you want? Full capitulation? Murdoch’s business model, like Monsanto’s, is model based on the Borg. Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.
After a few drum beats for the value of “free” market capitalism, he comes to this:
In my view, the growing drumbeat for government assistance for newspapers is as alarming as over regulation. One idea gaining in popularity is providing taxpayer funds for journalists. Or giving newspapers “nonprofit” status—in exchange, of course, for papers giving up their right to endorse political candidates. The most damning problem with government “help” is what we saw with the bailout of the U.S. auto industry: Help props up those who are producing things that customers do not want.
Yes, unbridled free market capitalism can sell you just about anything with the right marketing, even bogus gold coins, insurance, legal services, deadly chemicals, drugs and all manner of products we don’t need. The needs of the consumers are created in the same way the taste in the news is created by the selective attention of the broadcaster. It would be a shame (for you) for broadcasting to follow a nonprofit model and really make the news independent of politics.
The prospect of the U.S. government becoming directly involved in commercial journalism ought to be chilling for anyone who cares about freedom of speech. The Founding Fathers knew that the key to independence was to allow enterprises to prosper and serve as a counterweight to government power. It is precisely because newspapers make profits and do not depend on the government for their livelihood that they have the resources and wherewithal to hold the government accountable.
You mean like the news organizations being independent of big corporations like Monsanto? Anything that you say or represent when so placed must by definition fall within the purview of commercial speech.
Mr. Murdoch is chairman and CEO of News Corp. The [original WSJ] article was adapted from his Dec. 1 remarks before the Federal Trade Commission’s workshop on journalism and the Internet.
9 Dec
What do Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin & James Joyce have in common?
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As we there are where are we are we there from tomtittot Beck |
UNDE ET UBI. underwhere |
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to teetootomtotalitarian Glenn in a Nauziated projection. |
ADVEHO ME toohell |
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Teaparty tea too oo. Tea 2.0 |
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With his broad |
Whom will comes over FOX. Who to caps ever flocks. |
SIC. o o o |
and teary face, |
And howelse do we hook our hike to find that |
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to everyman a |
pint of porter place? Am shot, says the big- |
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disgrace. |
flag guard.1 And trades the truth for money. |
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Whence. Quick lunch by our left, wheel, |
IMARGINABLE |
Mealy mouthed |
to where. Long Livius Lane, mid Mezzofanti |
ITINERARY |
about |
Mall, diagonising Lavatery Square, up Tycho |
THROUGH |
peebles problems. |
Brache Crescent,2 shouldering Berkeley Alley, |
THE MOST |
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querfixing Gainsborough Carfax, under Guido |
PARTICULAR |
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d’Arezzo’s Gadeway, by New Livius Lane till |
UNIVERSAL. |
Don’t retch meat |
where we whiled while we whithered. Old |
HEARSTRUTH |
fat salt lard |
Vico Roundabout. But fahr, be fear, by greed! And |
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sinks down (and |
natural, simple, slavish, filial glory. The marriage of |
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Out sourced). |
Montan wetting his fame moll we know, like any |
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enthewsyass cuckling a Palin hoyden3 in her |
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rougey envy Sarah goes rogue |
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1 Rawmeash, quoshe with her girlic teangue. If old Herod with the Corm- |
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well’s eczema was to go for me like he does Snuffler whatever about his blue sweatered |
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canaries I’d do nine months for his teary beaver beard of lies. |
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2 Mater Mary Mercerycordial of the Dripping Nipples, milk’s a queer |
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Arrangement ideal for a vaporubbed stuffed shirt. |
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3 Real life behind the floodlights as shown by the best exponents of a royal |
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divorce of fair and balanced reality. |
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28 Oct
FOX Newscasters Have Been Reduced to Carnival Geeks. Fox is Not News
FOX Newscasters Have Been Reduced to Carnival Geeks. Fox is Not News
Free Speech is only free when it is not backed by front groups supported by makers of products you are shilling. So the suppression of FOX NEWS would not be an abridgment of the right to free speech . Mascarade news designed to sell products is commercial speech, which is not free at all. If it is proven that you have unfairly undercut competition by misrepresentation, then this may be prosecutable.
In a similar manner news is not news unless it is separate from commentary and stands on its own without the filter of editorial talking points. To give the appearance that your opinion is news would appear also to be a form of commercial speech. If you promote a millennial point of view garnered only from tainted sources and advertise gold, for example, then this is commercial speech. It has also been said that FOX news only uses incestuous sources.
News also is generally reported without high drama and emotional appeals where possible. Reporting of “grassroots” organizations that are funded by billionaires with ties to FOX and orchestrating these “grassroots” organization’s crowds is being and making the news, but it is not news. Reporting entrapment you have arranged on a group you have done nothing but misrepresent and use their own information against them, is not news. Reporting this “news” with appeals that would make carnies blush is so abhorrent that I would say that FOX newscasters have been reduced to carnival geeks, but the commentators are the real freaks. When FOX backs a movements and a party based on fear, then they can only stand for fear and ballast reporting. Maybe they used Glenn Beck’s spelling for their slogan? So when they distort, you decide as they report all the news that fit to fake.
Fox is not news, nor is it entertaining. What FOX is, is reality TV gone wild. The cheap faux reality presented at ‘fair and balanced‘ FOX sounds more Orwellian than Orwell these days. All the expert pundits are just hired guns that follow the party line like good whore mongers. None of this is surprising as their conservative backers move more toward a fascism, politely called corporatism. The favorite media tool of corporatism is projection, accusing their potential opposition of what they are actually doing themselves. It is done preemptively at FOX lest anyone notice that Rupert Murdoch has no clothes.
Maybe a little history and a bit of smoke might help. Consider the parallels between Keith Rupert Murdoch and William Randolph Heart. They are astounding. Take such items as the illegality of hemp and Global Warming. Hearst championed hemp’s ban for the same reason Murdoch had the two reporters fired that did the report on Monsanto. That reason is corporatism. So how is hemp related to global warming? Monsanto now, like Dupont back in Hearst’s time, and now, have a vested interests in the illegality of hemp and FOX comes up with reasons to discredit anyone that objects. Similarly, Murdoch has a vested interest in global warming denial. This corporate bias can also be seen by Murdoch’s flip flop on the climate change theme after a corporate deal with a Saudi prince, he selectively had allowed some parts of his “news” organization to champion climate change skepticism, then they did a total turnaround. Obviously Murdoch’s ideals are only based on what he considers best to make a profit. Clearly for his reality, read news, to always have a Right wing bent, his world view must be one of a Reptilian shape shifter. The stories in Murdoch’s media, like Hearst’s media, are as real as they say they are. Their pseudoscience is firmly backed by the science of profit from human frailty.
Yet this is just the start of the parallels of Murdoch with Hearst and their strange mix of politics with faux news. They both inherited a struggling newspaper from their father. They both were leftist before they went right. They both made their name with tabloid journalism. They both have been noted as ruthless competitors. They both are warmongers. One can go on, but in the end we can reduce it all to one word: rosebud.
Other than that, why would anyone even consider boycotting Rupert Murdoch?
18 Jun
Get Apocalyptic: Why Radical is the New
Get Apocalyptic: Why Radical is the New Normal by Robert Jensen — YES! Magazine http://ow.ly/m8dIE
18 Jun
Brazil sees largest protests in decades
Brazil sees largest protests in decades as unrest hits second week — RT News http://ow.ly/m89Qo
18 Jun
Ohio State Rep. Dan Ramos proposes a way
Ohio State Rep. Dan Ramos proposes a way to end Citizens United without going through Congress – The Young Turks with Cenk Uygur // Current TV http://ow.ly/m88IN
17 Jun
77% do not trust television news
See on Scoop.it – Sustainability is the the future
The annual Gallup survey revealing confidence in institutions made news earlier this week for a record low score of 10% for Congress. But another figure is noteworthy in the study: only 23% of those polled said they had a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in Television News.
See on www.sott.net
17 Jun
Pharmaceutical Pollution in Our Streams, Rivers and drinking (bottled) water
See on Scoop.it – Sustainability is the the future
CURRENTLY THERE IS NO SYSTEM THAT CAN FILTER THESE DRUGS AND TOXINS FROM OUR WATER
April 1, 2013 Phys Org
Pharmaceuticals commonly found in the environment are disrupting streams, with unknown impacts on aquatic life and water quality…. http://phys.org/news/2013-04-streams-stressed-pharmaceutical-pollution.html
June 15, 2013 Digital Journal
NEW METHOD FOR DETECTING WASTE MEDICINES IN RIVER WATER http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/352342
Yale Environment 360 – by Sonia Shah
AS PHARMACEUTICAL USE SOARS, DRUGS TAINT WATER AND WILDLIFE: http://e360.yale.edu/feature/as_pharmaceutical_use_soars_drugs_taint_water_and_wildlife/2263/
————————–BOTTLED WATER ————————-
WATCH:
*** VIDEO
“THE STORY OF BOTTLED WATER” « The Story of Stuff Project http://www.storyofstuff.org/movies-all/story-of-bottled-water/
BOTTLED WATER – PURE DRINK OR PURE HYPE. NRDC Investigation http://www.nrdc.org/water/drinking/bw/bwinx.asp
June 5, 2013 The Daily Sheeple
NESTLE’S WET DREAM: THEY MARK UP WATER 52 MILLION PERCENT
WHILE PATENTING BREAST MILK AND MEDICINAL PLANTS
http://www.thedailysheeple.com/nestles-wet-dream-they-mark-up-water-53-million-percent_062013
Environmental News Network:
BOTTLED WATER NOT THE ANSWER: DRINKING WATER CONTAMINATED BY PHARMACEUTICALS http://www.enn.com/health/article/32699
The Daily Green:
WHY BOTTLED WATER WON’T PROTECT YOU FROM ROGUE PHARMACEUTICALS http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/community-news/bottled-water-pharmaceuticals-47031112
Environmental Working Group
WHAT’S IN YOUR BOTTLED WATER – BESIDES WATER? http://www.ewg.org/research/ewg-bottled-water-scorecard-2011
June 3, 2013 CBC News
GROUPS WANT CAP ON NESTLE’S WATER PERMIT DURING DROUGHTS http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2013/05/30/pol-nestle-water-permit-appeal.html
THE LIFE OF A PLASTIC WATER BOTTLE: A JOURNEY BEGINS http://sco.lt/5BTtMv
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AlterNet
PHARMACEUTICALS IN OUR WATER SUPPLY ARE CAUSING BIZARRE MUTATIONS IN WILDLIFE http://www.alternet.org/story/59305/pharmaceuticals_in_our_water_supply_are_causing_bizarre_mutations_to_wildlife
BIG PHARMA DRUGS FOUND IN RIVERS, CHANGES FISH BEHAVIOR – WITH POTENTIAL EVOLUTIONARY AND ECOLOGICAL IMPACTS http://sco.lt/8YWfuz
The Groundwater Foundation
PHARMACEUTICALS AND PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS IN DRINKING WATER SUPPLIES http://www.groundwater.org/gi/ppcp_about.html
The Associated Press Investigation:
PHARMACEUTICALS FOUND IN DRINKING WATER, AFFECTING WILDLIFE AND HUMANS http://hosted.ap.org/specials/interactives/pharmawater_site/index.html
February 13, 2013
WATCH: PBS NEWSHOUR REPORT INVESTIGATION
*** Video
POISONOUS CHEMICAL TOXINS IN YOUR DRINKING WATER: THE CHEMICAL INDUSTRY, THE EPA AND CONFLICT OF INTERESTS http://www.pbs.org/newshour/multimedia/epa-corporate/
NBC News -
MEDS LURK IN DRINKING WATER : AP PROBE FOUND TRACES OF MEDS IN WATER SUPPLIES OF 41 MILLION AMERICANS http://www.nbcnews.com/id/23503485/#.UVpNmhk0ORQ
ENDING DRUG MONOPOLIES, MEGA PROFITS AND STRANGLEHOLD ON PATENTS – PEOPLE ARE DYING http://sco.lt/5BKosr
————–INDUSTRIAL, AGRICULTURAL, FACTORY FARMS————
28 March, 2013 – Earth In Transition
NEW DANGERS FROM FACTORY FARM BACTERIA AND ANTIBIOTICS http://www.earthintransition.org/2013/03/new-dangers-from-factory-farm-bacteria-
June 5, 2013 Washington Post
IOWA CITIES STRUGGLE AS FARM RUNOFF CAUSES NITRATE LEVELS TO SOAR IN DRINKING WATER http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/iowa-cities-struggle-as-farm-runoff-causes-nitrate-levels-to-soar-in-drinking-water/2013/06/05/7c1a0450-cdae-11e2-8573-3baeea6a2647_story.html
March 20, 2013 – Pew Health Initiatives
NEARLY 30 MILLION POUNDS OF ANTIBIOTICS WERE SOLD BY BIG PHARMA FOR USE IN FOOD ANIMALS http://www.pewhealth.org/reports-analysis/issue-briefs/washington-food-leaders-urge-sen-murray-to-shine-a-light-on-industrial-farms-antibiotic-use-85899461346
STOP FACTORY FARMS FROM POLLUTING OUR WATERWAYS WITH DRUGS http://www.scoop.it/t/agriculture-gmos-pesticides/p/3643934709/groups-file-motion-to-stop-factory-farms-from-using-waterways-as-dumping-grounds
March 22, 2013 Environment America
*** REPORT: WASTING OUR WATERWAYS 2012
INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES CONTINUE TO DUMP MILLIONS OF POUNDS OF TOXIC CHEMICALS INTO AMERICA’S RIVERS, STREAMS, LAKES AND OCEAN WATERS http://www.environmentamerica.org/reports/ame/wasting-our-waterways-2012
NEW RESEARCH: GMO FOOD FAR WORSE THAT WE THINK – THEIR TOXIC CHEMICAL COCKTAILS http://www.activistpost.com/2012/02/new-research-gmo-food-far-worse-than-we.html
CHEMICALS IN YOUR BODY: NEW UN STUDY REVEALS OUR CHEMICAL FOLLY – ENDROCINE AG CHEMICAL DISTRUPTERS A GLOBAL EMERGENCY http://sco.lt/82f9px
+++++++++++++++++WATCH++++++++++++++++
WATCH:
“A RIVER OF WASTE “
Beginning with a history of the American food system, River of Waste shows its evolution to large-scale corporate farms where pollution and use of growth hormones threaten both individual health and the future of our planet http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/river-waste/
March 15, 2013 – PBS NEWSHOUR VIDEO:
WATCH:
HOW TO GET CHROMIUM-6 OUT OF YOUR DRINKING WATER http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2013/03/getting-the-chromium-out-of-your-water.html
See on phys.org
17 Jun
Mamata visits Barasat rape victim’s home, faces protest – The Hindu
See on Scoop.it – There is no activism unless you act
The Hindu Mamata visits Barasat rape victim’s home, faces protest The Hindu West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday faced angry protests by villagers while visiting Kamduni at Barasat where a college student was raped and murdered last…
See on www.thehindu.com
17 Jun
Rights Activist Chen Says China Pressured NYU To Force Him Out – NPR (blog)
See on Scoop.it – There is no activism unless you act
AFP Rights Activist Chen Says China Pressured NYU To Force Him Out NPR (blog) Chen Guangcheng says New York University is ending his fellowship after it received “unrelenting pressure” from “Chinese communists.” Chen, a human rights activist,…
See on www.npr.org



