Recent blog entries have attempted to consider the role of Rupert Murdoch and his position in the digital world and the current Andy Coulson phone-hacking saga is pushing Murdoch and his institutional ideology into the global news arena. The political implication of this accusation is enormous. Andy Coulson is currently David Cameron's Director of Communications. Dark irony anyone? If we have placed private information on MySpace, a social network site owned by Murdoch, is our private information 'private'? If the allegations that the News of the World hired private detectives to 'access' the personal telephone conversations of celebrities and senior politicians, such as East Hull's John Prescott, are proved true, what are the implications for our digital privacy? If private information and the law is not afforded any respect by a media mogul such as Murdoch, the implications are disturbing.
The link below links to articles written by Henry Porter and Will Hutton in the Comment section of the Sept 12th edition of the Observer newspaper:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/sep/12/rupert-murdoch-british-media
Click on link to access Peter Preston's article in the Media section of the same edition of the Observer:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/sep/12/rupert-murdoch-threat-exaggerated
Click on link below to access Independent on Sunday article published 12th Sept 2010:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/read-all-about-it-the-secret-dossier-of-lawbreaking-that-spells-trouble-for-rupert-murdochand-david-cameron-2077170.html
James Hanning Special Report from the same edition of the Independent.Click on link below:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/phonehacking-where-does-it-all-go-from-here-2077185.html
Murdoch is such a central figure in global media. Is he the malevolent figure that some believe him to be or is he a more benign media mogul? Good or evil? A harmless caricature of villainy or a genuinely dangerous media megalomaniac?
The allegations against Andy Coulson and the News of the World are incredibly serious and some critics are suggesting that the 'alleged' phone-hacking that was 'allegedly' sanctioned by Coulson, who was the editor of Murdoch's newspaper at the time, provides an insight into the institutional ideology of Murdoch and his contempt for individual freedom, democracy, personal privacy and the law.
This is a serious media issue and all students and teachers should be aware of the debates that surround the Murdoch/ Coulson/ Phone tapping/ News of the World saga.
Click on link to access Murdoch interview on his own Fox News. Note reaction to 'phone-tapping' question. Quality journalism? Not exactly Paxmanesque interview technique from the Fox anchor. Fox News has been criticised for relentlessly attacking Obama's policies. Note Murdoch's response to the how to make 'digital dollars' question and the reference to his approach to the sale of content in the Murdoch-owned Wall Street Journal:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHlGQPYJGu0
A David Puttnam article published in The Observer on Sunday 19th September 2010 suggests that Murdoch is a threat to democracy in the UK. Click on link below to access article:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/sep/19/rupert-murdoch-bskyb-news-corp
This Murdoch related article also appeared in The Observer on the 19th Sept. Click on link below:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/sep/19/observer-leader-bskyb-murdoch
Click on link below to access a very interesting documentary that explores Murdoch's approach to his Fox News Channel. Ex-Fox employees discuss how Murdoch influences the Fox news agenda. This documentary is extremely critical of Murdoch. The link below will take you to the first 10 minute segment of the film:
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