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Murdoch bids for total control of BSkyB
Joy Johnson
DATELINE: 20/6/10
Media barons and media moguls are descriptions of bygone days, neither of which adequately fit Rupert Murdoch and son James. For the Murdochs are all-powerful global giants, and they have struck at precisely the right time. An economic liberalising coalition government will not step in to put a halt to News Corporation's plans for total control of BSkyB.
As Professor James Curran recently wrote on the Open Democracy website:
"One consequence of the current quiescence is that media conglomerates have been able to persuade governments around the world to ease monopoly controls. In the 1980s, lobbyists argued that these were redundant since the advent of new communication technology would lead to the break-up of media empires."Now the argument is more frequently heard that media 'consolidation' is necessary for success in the competitive global marketplace. This shift symbolises the way in which successful media giants have so far weathered the storm of increased competition, and won increased acceptance in the era of market liberalism."
This bid of BSkyB comes only two weeks after Virgin TV channels were bought. We now have huge swathes of communications – newspapers, television, broadband - under the control of the Murdoch empire. Those early battles against cross party ownership and the unfair advantage that would ensue appear almost quaint.
So who is left to hold News Corporation to account? The prime minister has already promised an Ofcom where its remit will be restricted to its narrow technical and enforcement roles; it will no longer play a role in making policy.
So will it be the culture, media and sport select committee whose chair, John Whittingdale, said after James Murdoch's infamous Edinburgh speech attacking the BBC and Ofcom that much of what he said was "natural Conservative territory"?
Maybe each of the Labour leadership candidates could be asked:
"Will you put a halt to this concentration of power?"
It is often said that ownership doesn't matter, but having this media information control does matter. And as we know Rupert Murdoch wants to introduce Fox-style news here. Thus far he has been thwarted by our impartiality rules, but how long might it be before a Glen Beck is denigrating the airwaves?
This article first appeared on the Left Foot Forward web site at: http://www.leftfootforward.org/2010/06/murdoch-bids-for-total-control-of-bskyb/
Last modified: Sunday, June 20, 2010
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The UK launch of a 'European Citizens' Initiative' calling for EU rules against concentration of media power will take place on Thursday March 21 from 11:00am – 12:30pm in Committee Room 4A at the House of Lords, London. Guest speakers will include actor and activist Hugh Grant (pictured), media consultant Claire Enders, Professor Steven Barnett, Barry McCall (President of the NUJ) and Marc Gruber (Director of the European Federation of Journalists).
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Previous stories
Media Ownership
Murdoch's News Corporation in BSkyB takeover offer
Office of Fair Trading clears Alexander Lebedev as Independent buyer
One in five staff cull keeps Trinity Mirror in profit
NUJ demands guarantees at Manchester Evening News
BSkyB to sell most of ITV stake
Media for All conference: Silvio's Back
Passion and humour in fight to save Observer
Economic stimulus plan needed for local journalism
New threat to media ownership rules
Conservative media plans will damage journalism
Government acts on future of regional media
NUJ in government talks to save local media
Journalists urged to find 'back to basics' business model
Local media ownership review looks at survival of newspapers
Local media ownership rules 'likely to be relaxed'
BSkyB loses appeal ruling
Appeals tribunal rules BSkyB must sell ITV stake
Tribunal to rule on BSkyB's ITV stake
TUC condemns erosion of civil liberties and press freedom
Media Ownership in the Age of Convergence
Lords take stand against media barons
BBC Trust concludes its review of bbc.co.uk
Murdoch company tried on sabotage allegations
Sky and Virgin go to law
Lords Probe Media Ownership and News - Part 2
BSkyB and ITV
BSkyB and ITV
Campaign welcomes government ruling on ITV shares
Murdoch: Sky News should be like Fox
Murdoch and ITV
