denying the obvious

[anthonybaxter]

Prime Minister John Howard says people worried about News Corporation buying a stake in the media group Fairfax need to calm down.

Rupert Murdoch's News Corp has paid $364 million for a 7.5 per cent share in Fairfax.

Mr Howard says the Government's new media laws are not behind the acquisition.

Uh huh. Sure. Right. It's just a GIANT COINCIDENCE that Packer sold off a chunk of PBL (while maintaining control, nice effort), Stokes is moving on the WA newspapers, and now Murdoch is moving on Fairfax.

I mean, there's assuming everyone is stupid, and there's assuming everyone is really, really, really stupid.

From the same article:

Communications Minister Helen Coonan says she is not surprised by the string of media deals being struck this week.

Last week Senator Coonan said she did not expect to see a wave of takeovers as a result of the Federal Government's new media ownership laws.

Oh my god - look! ABC bias in action! Pointing out that a federal minister is spinning absolute shite!

Comments

[aeduna.livejournal.com]

Even if they happen, she won't see them

[richardjones.livejournal.com]

Yes, presumably her aides will not pass on the information so she can retain deniability.

[sgtbiffo.livejournal.com]

I can see why there is a need for multiple media providers.

But in all honesty; I don't listen to the ones that kick around at the moment.

[anthonybaxter.livejournal.com]

.. but we won't get more in any way from this. We'll get less, much less. In the worst case, you're going to end up with the big 2 (Packer, Murdoch) controlling most of what media there is. And with the govt working very hard to neuter any possible journalism the ABC might do, and replace it with either shouting head shows or Mother and Son re-runs, there's going to be precious little journalism to keep the bastards honest.

[sgtbiffo.livejournal.com]

I know that the idea of multiple media providers is to keep the bastards honest.

As I said "I can see why there is a need for many different media providers."

I'll say that again:

"I can see why there is a need for many different media providers."


Though we need many different media providers, the ones we have at present do not present an unbiased veiw and overall do a hack job with it anyway. Whether they bang the ABC drum (which by your by your posts seems to be the only journalism worth buying into) or not.

I never asked for more. I only said a fraction of fuck all is still fuck all.

[hege-mon.livejournal.com]

here's going to be precious little journalism to keep the bastards honest.

surely the last few years have shown you that this is no longer the way things work. how many government-crushing media stories have we had in the last few years? how many had _any_ impact?

people just don't give a shit anymore.

[drbunsen.livejournal.com]

Just out of interest, do you live in Melbourne/read The Age?

[sgtbiffo.livejournal.com]

Why do you ask?

[(Anonymous)]

Because it's actually fairly decent, and makes the SMH and The Australian look like the reactionary Lib fronts they are. Admittedly it seems to have been getting worse the last few years.

[cheshire-bitten.livejournal.com]

no see they all saw the same astrologist who told them it was a good time to buy/sell media stocks…. Of coarse the astrologist was reading more than tea-leaves at the time….

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Oh my god - look! ABC bias in action! Pointing out that a federal minister is spinning absolute shite!

That's right, we need balance. Like something that Helen Coonan said that was sensible.

Whoops, there goes the research budget.

[anthonybaxter.livejournal.com]

It's sensible in that it makes sense to her. She doesn't have a problem with increased concentration of media ownership, because the new owners will own her party lots of favours.

[aeduna.livejournal.com]

the new owners will own her party

Freudian slip?

[anthonybaxter.livejournal.com]

Ha.

Well, of course, Packer and Murdoch already own the Liberal party.

Mind you, the ALP's no better - there's a quote I'm searching for, along the lines of "the most terrible thing in the world is when you try to sell out, but no-one's even interested in buying".