Accuracy in Media, a website devoted to correcting media bias, doesn’t just reserve its ire for liberal outlets. Rupert Murdoch gets it in the neck too, for endorsing new Australian PM Kevin Rudd:
One Australian observer of Murdoch told AIM that “Murdoch’s helping of leftist candidates is no surprise to longtime readers of The Australian.” He explained, “Although their editorials are mostly pro-freedom and free-market, when it comes to elections they back whoever they think will win anyhow. This shows that Murdoch is more interested in power and influence.
I would suggest he may have some vague conservative instincts, but these come a poor second to the accumulation of power. I therefore believe Fox was launched to fill a niche and make money for Murdoch rather than as a principled alternative to the MSM [mainstream media]. And if Murdoch thinks using Fox to pander to leftists will increase his influence, then he’ll do it. To put it another way, he has permanent interests rather than permanent politics.”
Still, those anonymous Australian observers will say anything!
2 responses to “Rupert Murdoch: leftist”
Adrian, Hmmm. That “anonymous Australian observer” seems a little bit too well-informed to be a man-on-the-street — could that be the voice of the reporter? :) In any event, I salute Murdoch for acting like a non-ideological, profit-driven businessman who simply does what needs to be done to satisfy his news audiences. If that requires sucking-up to politicians, the people have elected the wrong folks to positions of power. Murdoch is doing exactly what businessmen should do for their stockholders — would we really prefer that they take advantage of their roles to force their personal opinions upon us? (Steve Boriss, The Future of News)
The fact Murdoch backs who he thinks is going to win is no surprise. As you say its power and influence that interests him. But surely Rudd and Co, are aware of this and I wonder how well they will sit together. I guess its on of those questions only time will tell.