Written By:
Mike Smith - Date published:
10:11 pm, April 25th, 2012 - 7 comments
Categories: accountability, Media, uk politics -
Tags:
James Murdoch has confirmed to the Leveson enquiry that he did discuss News International’s bid to take over BSkyB with Cameron at a dinner at the home of Rebekah Brooks. Last year I wrote a post about Cameron’s denial that he had an inappropriate conversation with the Murdoch’s about their bid to take over BSkyB. It looked like a “I didn’t inhale” denial. Now we know he did inhale.
Not only that, it has also emerged in the same interview that Jeremy Hunt, the Culture Secretary charged with ensuring that the takeover was according to law, was briefing Murdoch on the back channel via his staff. His tenure looks very shaky. Cameron will also be under severe pressure.
As I write, Rupert Murdoch is being interviewed by Robert Jay, counsel to the Leveson enquiry. Its across Sky, BBC and CNN – it’s going to last or five hours. It’s a fascinating insight into the relations between media and politics. It is also showing how a judicial enquiry is the best way to ensure light is shed on the backdoor dealings between political and commercial interest.
It has relevance to us; in particular how our television is being taken over by Murdoch-owned Sky, with the demise of TV7 and a hands-off approach from successive National Ministers of Broadcasting. More to come on this.
The current rise of populism challenges the way we think about people’s relationship to the economy.We seem to be entering an era of populism, in which leadership in a democracy is based on preferences of the population which do not seem entirely rational nor serving their longer interests. ...
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It also has relevance in the collusion between big business and government ministers to thwart regulatory and democratic process. Jeremy Hunt must have something pretty good to dispute the evidence that he was feeding information from the minister’s to News International to help the BSkyB (the sky casino deal in NZ sounds like a bit of a echo). Hunt has made an official request to appear before the inquiry, in the hope that it will allow him to hang to his role on until after the Olympics (i.e. shut down the debate until then)
The right-leaning papers in the UK are positioning this as Murdoch’s revenge for the hacking inquiry that indirectly scuppered the BSkyB bid.
There’s a lot more to come, for sure.
One can only hope and pray that when, and if, TV 7 is banished, viewers will not turn to the frightful Fox News. May I plead that people protest now the threat by a devious government to rid us of a channel that is cultural, artistic, informative, newsworthy, and most of all interesting, often absorbing. Be sure to sign the petition currently available, write to Key and Ministers.
The struggle to save TVNZ7 and Public Broadcasting is continuing. TVNZ7 isn’t dead yet.
http://issues.co.nz/savetvnz7/Sign+The+Petition
Paul Norris on why we must try to save TVNZ7, in Tuesday’s Herald.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10800954
Some of us never got a chance to see 7 ..
Theres a TV show for that … its called last Chance to see !!
The only time I saw TV 7 was online via Russel Brown. I can’t receive 7.
its all on the interweb
http://tvnz.co.nz/shows-b?channel=tvnz-7