What's Going On With Murdoch's Media?

 

As distasteful as it is to use valuable pixels on the name Rupert Murdoch, we might have some evidence that the worm is beginning to turn in the relationship (always transactional) between him and the Malignant Fascist.  Following revelations in Murdoch's "jewel," the Wall Street Journal,  of the Malignant Fascist's salacious birthday card to child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, the Malignant Fascist went to his legal intimidation playbook that has succeeded in bringing many a law firm, academic institution, private company, and broadcast empire to heel.  But, so far, not the "jewel" of Murdoch's media empire.

Here's part of an article yesterday by former Republican strategist Stuart Stevens:

... Murdoch has never pretended to like Donald Trump, clearly seeing himself as a real billionaire whose five wives were all a cut above the tabloid trash of the three Mrs. Trumps. Could Donald Trump ever land an ex-wife of Mick Jagger or one of the Trump wives being romantically linked to Tony Blair, as was Wendi Deng (the third Mrs. Murdoch)?

But like Franz von Pappen, the Prussian aristocrat who ushered Hitler into power, Murdoch saw Donald Trump as useful — a buffoonish character whose greatest threat was cringing embarrassment, like the drunken uncle who tells dirty jokes at Thanksgiving. How could one of Jeffrey Epstein’s running buddies ever threaten the Murdoch Empire?

It all worked until it didn’t. Lying about the 2020 election cost Fox $787.5 million to settle a lawsuit from Dominion Voting System, which, as it turned out, was not actually part of an international Space Lasar conspiracy. Smartmatic Voting Machine company is demanding $2.7 billion in an ongoing defamation suit. In a culture where shame seems to have atrophied like a homo sapien tail, no longer useful to humans, the revelation that the biggest stars at Fox were themselves embarrassed by the corporate pressure to deny what every grade school child knew as true was a sweet moment of schadenfreude.

Now the monster that Murdoch’s Fox helped create has turned on Murdoch’s reputation-laundering prize, The Wall Street Journal. To their credit, there remain at the Journal serious journalists working for a major publication, an increasingly rare sighting in the American wild. Given that Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein were the most public of best friends for over a decade, it is another searing indictment of the phony values of Bible thumping MAGA that a creep-to-creep congratulatory birthday letter would be explosive...

Baby steps, but... Now, take a look at this report on the Malignant Fascist's taxpayer-funded golf trip to Scotland this weekend, and particularly the question being asked repeatedly by a reporter with a certain media company: 

 

This is not to say the Murdoch media empire has turned on the Malignant Fascist quite yet.  They may very well be looking at their own polls that tell them that nothing less than releasing the Epstein files is what their viewers are demanding.  A few may be actual journalists with integrity and courage.  But while the majority of Fox "News" folks are still busy trying to distract their viewers from the Epstein files with Obama this and Clinton that, it just feels like they'd rather pull a "Magic Christian" Mike Johnson and run as fast and far away as they can from the scandal that, on some gut level, they must know the Malignant Fascist is at the very heart. 

The Plague Of Rupert Murdoch

 

Cliff Schecter reflects on the Rupert Murdoch era and his successor Lachlan Murdoch, and the Fox "News" rats nest.  "It's not going to get any better, it's going to get worse":

Giving "Thanks" To Rupert Murdoch (UPDATED)

 

In discussing the mass murders in Buffalo by a racist white nationalist, Lawrence O'Donnell puts the blame where it belongs, on the evil thing in charge of the largest and most powerful megaphone of hate in America:

 

UPDATE:  Fox "News" decides to take cover --

Fox News programming went virtually silent on the racist conspiracy theory that reportedly inspired a mass shooting over the weekend, largely refusing to mention the so-called “great replacement” theory by name in its coverage of the massacre. Fox’s decision to avoid the topic stood in stark contrast to its cable news competitors, which discussed the shooter’s racist motivations at considerable length. It also represented an about-face for Fox, which has previously been more than happy to spread racist “replacement” paranoia.

On Saturday afternoon, an 18-year-old man entered a supermarket in a majority-Black neighborhood of Buffalo, New York, and shot 13 people, killing 10. The alleged shooter broadcast his attack on the livestreaming service Twitch and published a 180-page manifesto detailing his beliefs and motivations, including the racist “great replacement” conspiracy theory.

The conspiracy theory, originally popularized in right-wing online communities before joining the conservative mainstream, claims that a cabal of liberals and Jews are trying to “replace” white Americans in the population and remove them from positions of power. The theory has been routinely promoted by Fox News personalities, including prime-time stars Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham.

On Fox, coverage in the immediate aftermath of attack took on a stalled quality, while other cable news networks dedicated wall-to-wall coverage to the act of terrorism. Between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m., the most watched “news” network in the country aired reruns and pretaped programming, limiting coverage of the shooting to a handful of short news bulletins. When live coverage resumed at 10 p.m., it was clear that Fox’s on-air talent had received their marching orders that the network’s coverage would do its best to omit references to the conspiracy theory.

Gotta say, they protect their own -- Carlson, Ingraham and, of course, the murderer.

 

Fox "News": Vaccines For Me, Not For Thee

Fox "News" (a.k.a Bullshit Mountain) has been in the forefront of vaccine disinformation and fear- mongering, especially after President Biden took office and began the historic push to vaccinate Americans against COVID.  It's prime time anchors -- notably Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham -- have railed against getting vaccinated, even though they won't say whether they've been vaccinated or not (spoiler alert: they have).  Rupert Murdoch was one of the first to get a shot in his withered arm.

The disregard for the lives and well- being of their devoted audience, while making sure they're protected, is part of the Fox culture, though, as made clear by a corporate policy that none of the shitmongers is willing to discuss:

Hypocrisy, spreading lies, and fear-mongering are all well-known staples over at Fox. But Monday’s news about how Fox Corporation has already implemented a vaccine passport-type program for its own employees that is similar to what hosts like Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham have loudly railed against is a window into how little they actually care about the well-being of the people who watch their shows.

Businesses that require employees to provide proof of vaccination, commonly referred to as a “vaccine passport,” have been slammed frequently on the network. Tucker Carlson has called the idea of issuing vaccination passports the medical equivalent of “Jim Crow” segregationist laws. Another host compared the requirements to communist East Germany, and Laura Ingraham has falsely claimed that such programs are akin to tracking mechanisms.

But so far not one host has told their audience about “FOX Clear Pass,” which works for Fox employees the same way most “vaccine passports” systems do in other businesses.

An internal Fox email, which was first reported by Ryan Grim and was also obtained by Rolling Stone, spells out how Fox employees were instructed how to enter their vaccination information into the company’s passport program called “FOX Clear Pass” in order to avoid Fox’s mandated requirements to social distance and wear masks while at work.

"Vaccines for me, not for thee" is what this collection of sociopaths masquerading as a news organization is saying.  Stirring up their viewers for political points, in this case in a self- defeating effort to foil the Biden Administration's efforts to save the lives of their own audience, is what they've always been about.  It's all part of the malignant former guy's attempts to tie doubts about the vaccine, to doubts about the Biden Administration, to doubts about the 2020 election. 

But this isn't about hypocrisy and lying to score points over immigration, or the economy, etc. This is hypocrisy and lying that has deadly consequences. And every day and every night, it takes hold deeper and deeper.

Quote of the Day

"Twenty-two percent of Americans say their primary news source is Fox News. It's divided our country in a way that we haven't been divided probably since the Civil War, and its empowered large corporations to get certain kinds of politicians and ideologues who are in the United State Congress elected -- the Tea Party ideologues who control the Republican Party." -- Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to HuffPost Live. Fox "News" is not a "sister organization" to mainstream media (contrary to ABC's Jake "Tippy" Tapper's naive/ cynical pronouncement). It's an arm of the Rethuglican Party, or more specifically, the billionaires that fund the right-wing propaganda machine in this country. The scabrous head of Fox, Rupert "Aargh" Murdoch needs to have his amoral operations in the U.S. looked into just as has been done in Great Britain, where they found him to be "not fit" to run a major corporation. Not fit, indeed.

Rupert Murdoch - "Citizen Shame"

Jon Stewart on Fox "News"/News Corp.'s Rupert "Aargh!" Murdoch, with a nice bank off the sculpted, empty noggin of Donald "Rump" Trump:

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Citizen Shame
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Blimey! Is That A Smoking Gun?!

We're a little late on this, what with all the Hair news, etc., but it seems Rupert "Arrgh!" Murdoch and son Little Arrgh (not to mention Andy Coulson, former flack for British Conservative PM David Cameron) may have been involved in a cover up of illegal phone hacking. (Who could have seen that coming! Pass the smelling salts!) A letter written 4 years ago by former "News of the World" reporter Clive Goodman claims that phone hacking was "widely discussed" at editorial meetings at NOTW while Coulson was editor. It's expected the Murdochs will be called back to Parliament, where Arrgh! will have to amend his earlier comment that "This is the 'umblest day of my life, guvner!"

Aargh! My Reputation!!

The Onion explains how the phone hacking scandal may have damaged right-wing media pirate Rupert "Aargh!" Murdoch's pristine reputation.

What's left for a man that had nothing to begin with?

The Inquiry

We've been watching the Murdoch hacking scandal hearings today, and some impressions emerge:

1. James "Matey" Murdoch is clearly on the hot seat. His father, pirate ship captain Rupert "Aargh!" Murdoch, looks feeble and reticent, and James often breaks into the elder's answers to modify or correct them.

2. James is a deceptive, arrogant and glib knock-off of the old man. He interrupts his interrogators and filibusters often. He often claims that he doesn't have direct knowledge of a key issue.

3. Rebekah "Babbling" Brooks is doing her best to protect the pirate ship's captain, her mentor. Aargh's wife Wendy is reportedly envious of Babbling, who looks like a hippie chick with her red-haired mountain range; MEOWWW!

All in all, predictable -- except for the near-pieing of Aargh toward the end.

More Than (Gum)Shoes Dropping in Murdoch Scandal

Since we last checked in, the Murdoch phone hacking and police bribery scandal has taken two more casualties: Sir John Stephenson, commissioner of the Metropolitan Police (Scotland Yard) and his assistant commissioner, John Yates, both of whom were considered very cozy with the Murdoch crew.

Oh, yes, and original News of the World whistleblower Sean Hoare was found dead today (the death is said to be "unexplained, but not thought to be suspicious"-- we're confident Scotland Yard is on the case...Arrgh!). Or, as the NY Times reports Murdoch saying, "Bury your mistakes."

Murdoch Protege Arrested

Rebekah "Babbling" Brooks, former chief of bilge rat Rupert "Arrgh!" Murdoch's News International and Murdoch protege, was arrested this morning in London, charged with suspicion of corruption and phone hacking. She is the tenth (10th!) person arrested in connection with the (pardon the Aussie pun) bloomin' scandal. (Note to James Murdoch: the Bobbies are comin' fer you next, Jimmy!)

UPDATE: There's buzz that the NY Times will be publishing a story Monday on 9/11 victim phone hacking by Murdoch henchmen. Stay tuned.

(Photo: Brooks and...done?)

Hinton, Brooks Walk Plank for Murdoch

Two of Rupert "Arrgh!" Murdoch's long-time crew members walked the plank for the shriveled bilge rat, who hopes no doubt that their departure from the Sinking Ship Murdoch will take pressure off his badly shaken media empire. Rebekah "Babbling" Brooks, News International chief, and Les "Much Less" Hinton, publisher of the Wall Street Urinal and Dow Jones CEO, resigned today, a one-two blow leaving only Murdoch's son James in the inner circle of those in charge when the phone hacking scandal was taking place. (Note to James: get your snorkel mask on - you're next!)

Arrgh! Batten down the hatches, matey!

FBI Investigating News Corp.

There are reports today that the FBI is investigating whether Rupert "Arrgh!" Murdoch's News Corporation hacked the phones of any victims of 9/11, much as they had done with victims of terror bombings in London. In addition, it's quite possible the Securities and Exchange Commission could open an investigation of those bribes paid to British police and how they were reported in News Corporation's filings. If and when any of these or other allegations of illegal activity are proven, the tipping point for Murdoch's trashy empire will have been reached, with as yet unforeseen consequences for the right-wing mogul and his band of cutthroats.

(Image: "Arrgh! My timbers are shivering!")

Cartoon of the Day

(click to enlarge)

The scandal enveloping right-wing media pirate Rupert "Arrgh!" Murdoch continues to spread. Now we learn that former Prime Minister Gordon Brown's cellphone was hacked and information about his newborn's cystic fibrosis condition revealed by Arrgh! Murdoch's despicable papers. We wonder when the U.S. version of these British scandals will erupt and implicate his media propaganda machine's tactics here.

Murdoch's Watergate?

This morning, Carl Bernstein wonders if the unfolding phone hacking scandal involving henchmen of the despicable right-wing mogul Rupert "Arrgh!" Murdoch is his Watergate. (Bernstein should be a good judge of the parallels, right?) As far as the rotting fish (the now-defunct "News of the World") stinking from the head ("Arrgh!"), Bernstein notes (our emphasis):

"As anyone in the business will tell you, the standards and culture of a journalistic institution are set from the top down, by its owner, publisher, and top editors. Reporters and editors do not routinely break the law, bribe policemen, wiretap, and generally conduct themselves like thugs unless it is a matter of recognized and understood policy."

We live in hope that someday soon the exposure and unraveling of Murdoch's ugly brand of "journalism" in the States will occur as it is in the UK.

(Image: Short Dong Slither (a.k.a. "Arrgh!"))

Murdoch's Hacking Scandal, Cont'd.

According to James Murdoch, Chief Executive Officer of NewsCorp, the United Kingdom's rag "News of the World" will cease publication on Sunday, July 10, following a growing firestorm of revelations about the paper's hacking of private cellphones. It looks like the beginning of the unraveling of media pirate Rupert "Arrgh" Murdoch's control of the British press.

It's a good start, but the U.S. needs to investigate whether the right-wing media mogul has invaded the privacy of U.S. citizens through hacking and other devious means. Fux, the Wall Street Urinal, the New York Pus and other right-wing propaganda outlets should be under the microscope, and nailed hard if they engaged in the same despicable actions.

Murdoch's Hacking Scandal

News Corp.'s unspeakably despicable mogul Rupert "Arrgh!" Murdoch possibly has both of his wrinkly tits in a ringer as a result of a burgeoning phone hacking scandal in Great Britain. The tabloid involved in the scandal, "News of the World," is part of Murdoch's News Corp. (as is Fox "News", the NY Post, and Wall Street Urinal in this country). The tabloid is the target of calls in Parliament for an inquiry into how cell phones of a murdered 13-year-old girl and victims of the 2005 terrorist bombing in London were hacked by a News of the World investigator. Rebekah Brooks, who was editor of News of the World at the time and is now head of Murdoch's News International, is the most senior Murdoch employee coming under fire at this time. Since the Murdoch empire is a family business closely controlled by Murdoch and his son James, one can easily imagine that the trail of soulless behavior leads right to their doorstep.

Yo Ho Ho, and A Bottle of Dumb

Associated Press reports that a publication owned by right-wing media pirate Rupert "Arrrg" Murdoch is being investigated by Scotland Yard for illegally hacking into the private cell phones of hundreds of British celebrities and politicians. The trash rag being investigated, "News of the World," is owned by Arrrg's company News Corp. A major element to the story is that News of the World apparently has paid nearly $2 million dollars in out-of-court settlements to some of the victims to keep the story quiet, payments which Arrrg claims to know nothing about.

Question: Does anyone believe that Arrrg himself was unaware of $2 million in hush payments? Riiiight, matey!

More Reason to Savor Franken's Victory

Following Al Franken's victory, TPM canvasses the wacky wingnut media empire of Rupert "Arrrgh!" Murdoch, and finds more gaskets blown than from all the Indy 500's since 1947. They just can't understand how someone who ridiculed their heroes (O'Liely, Mannatee, Pills, The Old Fart Himself) could have possibly been elected. Wait... according to Murdoch's WSJ, the election was "stolen." Riiiiigt!

Maybe it's just me, but it's cosmically satisfying that these over-medicated crackpots are having peptic eruptions over this. I can't wait to watch their tiny heads explode when health care reform is law.

Coordinating Strategery, No Doubt

Item in today's "Reliable Source" (WaPo):

"Hey, Isn't That...?

Rupert Murdoch dining with a flock of House Republicans -- Eric Cantor, Cathy McMorris, Tom Price, Adam Putnam -- at CityZen on Wednesday."

A "flock" of birdbrains. Yes, indeedy.