There’s an fascinating thread over at Larvatus Prodeo about Laura Tingle’s Friday column in the AFR in which she revealed Labor strategists are now seriously contemplating how to deal with the ferocious campaign against the new government’s legitimacy by the Murdoch empire. (For those who missed the AFR column, a PDF version is available for download here.)
Suggestions on the LP thread range from dangerously undemocratic revenge fantasies in which the government takes The Australian on directly (the Death Wish option) to using news management techniques that disadvantage News Ltd journos (impractical and only likely to get the entire press gallery offside) to counteracting dishonest spin with facts (nice idea in principle, but the spin often makes for the better story and tends to have a life of its own).
A better approach is a review of media ownership laws aimed at lessening News Ltd’s market dominance and encouraging new voices into the media landscape. The ACCC rightly monitors anti-competitive behaviour in many other parts of the economy (such as we are seeing right now in financial services), but News Ltd stands as a behemoth in the local media industry. It controls nearly 70 per cent of the capital city and national newspaper market, 80 percent of the Sunday newspaper market and 62 per cent of suburban newspapers. it has newspaper monopolies in Adelaide and Brisbane, operates Sky News with Nine and Seven, owns a quarter of the dominant pay television provider Foxtel and owns half of the national wire agency, AAP. Its voice speaks louder than any other, including Fairfax, and its ability to shape the news agenda is formidable.
As this parliamentary issues paper from 2006 details, while Canberra can impose restrictions on broadcasters through the license arrangements policed under the Broadcasting Services Act of 1992, its legislative reach on the newspaper market is limited to general competition law and foreign ownership provisions. Attempts to break News Ltd’s dominance and prompt discussion of its impact on media diversity have generally been muted by the very fact of its ominipresence. Politicians see only downside for their careers in raising the issue and are so easily swayed by powerful media lobbies. No-one is there to speak for the rights of civil society – for citizens (as distinct from consumers who express their preferences in the market).
As the public broadcaster, the ABC traditionally was an alternative voice in that regard, but as has been discussed elsewhere, it now operates like any other commercial broadcaster and is a virtual echo chamber of News Ltd’s talking points of the day. Quite simply, there is little sign of the ABC as an independent spirit anymore. Instead, it cowers in a corner of its own making, embracing faux balance through he said-she said non-news that provides no context or perspective for its audience beyond what they can get in the commercial media.
One hopeful development has been the proliferation of blogs, of which this is one of the latest, that attempt to shed light on these issues in new ways, and prompt a discussion that hopefully reaches policymakers. But unless we start building a critical mass, our voices will be too fragmented to force change. So I am all for hearing ideas of making this happen….
18 Comments
Anonymous · September 11, 2010 at 4:19 AM
Why doesn't the MEAA's Chris Warren show some spine and blog about the Dickensian internal culture at The Australian and how its management treats its production staff? Inquirin' minds wanna know.
Anonymous · September 11, 2010 at 4:25 AM
If I could I'd bring the Murdoch Empire down… if only I had the market share equivalent of a proton torpedo and News Ltd. had the equivalent of a thermal exhaust port… oh wait Fox News.
Anonymous · September 11, 2010 at 5:55 AM
Thank you.Continue your work ,one day the story will be told.There will soon be enough out of work journalists that one will break the silence on what goes on within the evil empire.
Fran · September 11, 2010 at 6:29 AM
I can't see how it would be possible to get the entire press gallery offside by targeting News Ltd journos. Dropping them down the pecking order is a classic divide and rule mindgame. Sledge and wedge Mr Denmore. They are not going to have a plan for that, and this gets them thinking even more about themselves and their place in the grander scheme of things. It also gives them hand against those pushing them to run a line.
It's very practical for a pollie because it gives them time to think up answers, rather than just saying the first thing off the top of their head. That in itself would justify it.
Imagine the subtlety you could get into it. One journo from the Oz gets snark, and then someone from The Age gets sweetness and light. It's Good cop bad cop in bizarro world.
How much fun could it be, if you started off subtle and let them slowly catch on, until they were looking for facial tics and hand gestures. Think of the possibilities for manipulating that narrative against them.
Someone over at Crikey suggested Gillard's reported thanks to Mitchell over at News (“thanks for being so fair and balanced”) was actually a tongue-in-cheek way of asserting that Mitchell's mob was Australia's “Fox News” with all its partisanship. One can't know if this was so or Gillard was being craven, but one would like to think the former.
Lyn · September 11, 2010 at 6:44 AM
Hi Mr Denmore
Another interesting, enjoyable piece, thankyou Mr Denmore.
You have created a wonderful blog, love the setup, the text is marvellous.
The reporting by the Australian Newspaper is incredibly depressing, and as you said, the ABC just being their shadow.
Chris Ulhmann, just sprouted his summary of the new labor Ministry, it would be hard for him to be anymore detrimental, also he keeps saying her Government, shouldn't it be our Government, the other thing, her, she, it's bad manners.
Peter Hartcher trying to make us believe it was not Tony Abbott that said the Government is not legitimate, when we all heard Abbott, say the Government is not legitimate in his defeat speech on TV.
I would like to find one, just one, Political Journalist that supports the Government, just a little bit, just sometimes.
I read a comment by a reader on another blog, that they had tried to comment here, but had trouble with acceptance, I wonder what the problem is, the URL slot box maybe is confusing people, also select a profile, also both your comments so far are Anonymous, maybe trouble with entering names. Just a mention Mr Denmore.
Cheers
Lyn
from: http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/
ewe2 · September 11, 2010 at 7:26 AM
It was fascinating to see the discussion shy away from my dangerously undemocratic revenge fantasy 😀 The fact remains that government on behalf of the people has that power, nuclear option though it may be. There is a duty of care involved, after all. I don't believe, unlike many, that News would treat a Coalition government any differently, because that doesn't sell advertising. This is a stronger addiction than mere favoritism. To do otherwise is to view media corporations as special cases, which they are not; and if media ownership isn't reformed, what then?
Mr Denmore · September 11, 2010 at 7:26 AM
Fran, if Labor completely freeze out the press gallery employees of the Evil Empire, they also lose a source of intelligence about the Opposition. They need to stay a little close to the enemy to understand what's coming their way.
By playing favourites too keenly, they also make the Evil Empire people even more reliant on the Opposition spin. So I think they need to be nuanced in their communications strategy than just blackballing one camp.
What I liked about the two-week interregnum was that the independents actively called the press out on stupid questions or blithe assumptions. If News Ltd wants to be a player, it needs to be treated as one.
Anonymous · September 11, 2010 at 11:25 PM
Mr D, I don't think Fran had in mind a complete freeze.
Her approach was a much more subtle one than that.
An example might be to send out a notice of an up coming press conference to all parties except News Ltd at say 1000 for a conference at 1100, and send the notice to News Ltd at say 1015. Enough time for them to get there, but they have to scramble, whereas the others in the press gallery do not, and others in the PG get better seats. Can't see how that would get the whole PG offside.
Stop Murdoch · September 12, 2010 at 2:04 AM
There are many ways of actually doing something rather than just complaining about Murdoch and leaving it at that.
For over a year we have been coming up with ideas for real steps anyone can take to make some difference. Anyone with some imagination can come up with their own. Some easy things:
* Writing to your MP and letting them know how you feel about the media ownership laws and News Ltd.'s commercial deals with the ABC – a few minutes is all it takes to find their e-mail addresses,
* Bring your concerns about the Murdoch influence on the ABC to their attention,
* Ridiculing everything Murdoch at every opportunity (who wants to kick the tin to organise a mass printing of stickers like: “Is that true, or did you read it in The Australian?” and “Is your News Limited?”),
* Not engaging in their fabricated daily spin cycle,
* NEVER writing to your News Ltd editor and NEVER posting your comments on their websites, you'll just end up with soiled electrons and an ulcer.
* Don't advertise with them or attend News Ltd. sponsored events. Support genuine, independent media when you can.
* Don't marry them or bonk them, don't let your children work for them and don't write opinion pieces for them.
And how about a national “Boycott Murdoch” day?
It could coincide with the first day of the new parliament?
And for those who are worried about not knowing what the enemy is up to, “Who cares?” Seriously, a major part of the problem is that Murdoch “owns the debate” on so many issues so that polarisation is guaranteed and progress is impossible (climate change for example).
Feel free to plough through the posts at http://www.stopmurdoch.blogspot.com/ for some ideas and come up with your own and share them around.
Do something!
Anything!
PS “Anonymous”, plenty of books have been written about the belly of the beast:
'Media Mayhem: Playing with the Big Boys' John D'Arcy,
'The Murdoch Archipelago' Bruce Page,
'The Man who owns the News: Inside the secret world of Rupert Murdoch' Michael Wolff, 'Working for Rupert' Hugh Lunn.
Anonymous · September 12, 2010 at 2:08 AM
I'd appoint Bob Brown and the Independents as spokesmen for the alliance to be the first filter for all things connected with News Ltd.
I'd also engage a top commedian to poke fun at the Press Gallery journalists and their lapdog performances on behalf of their bosses.
I'd free up space on the broadband spectrum for a Comedy Channel devoted to showing the funny side to what News Ltd. and it's odious lapdogs are trying to do, which is denying a democratic right to vote for whichever person or party we want to instead of how they want which is the Party of Big Business, Miners and Overseas interests.
Stop Murdoch · September 12, 2010 at 2:34 AM
Apart from complaining, there are many ways people can DO something about Murdoch.
For the last few years we have been coming up with ideas ( http://stopmurdoch.blogspot.com/ ), anyone with some imagination can come up with their own. For example:
* Write to your federal MP and senators telling them how you feel about media ownership laws, the commercial deals between the ABC and Murdoch and political appointments to the ABC board,
* E-mail the ABC about the increasing Murdoch infiltration,
* Hold them up to ridicule, take your friends and family to task when they regurgitate Murdoch talking points without question,
* NEVER write to News Ltd letters pages, NEVER post to their websites, Don't write opinion pieces for them,
* Don't link to their sites,
How about a national'Boycott Murdoch Day', say, on the first day parliament resumes?
Who would be interested in kicking the tin for a mass printing of stickers like: “Is that true, or did you read it in The Australian?” and “Is your News Limited?”, couldn't cost more than a couple of hundred dollars.
And for those who say we need to “know what the enemy is doing”, Why? Seriously, who cares? A major part of the problem is that Murdoch is allowed to “own the debate” on too many issues (like climate change) so that the parameters are pre-set, polarisation is guaranteed and progress is made impossible.
Do something! Anything!
PS, “Anonymous”, there is already a wealth of books about the way Murdoch works and life in the belly of the beast, eg:
'The Murdoch Archipelago' Bruce Page
'The Man who owns the News: Inside the secret world of Rupert Murdoch' Michael Wolff
'Working for Rupert' Hugh Lunn.
Stop Murdoch · September 12, 2010 at 2:36 AM
PPS
'Media Mayhem: Playing with the Big Boys' John D'Arcy
Mr Denmore · September 12, 2010 at 3:52 AM
Regarding a sticker campaign, Tom Scott in the UK has done something similar. I think it could work here:
http://www.tomscott.com/warnings/
Stop Murdoch · September 12, 2010 at 6:12 AM
Brilliant!
Off to Orifice-Works now to pick up some A4 sheets of stickers and they'll be all over the local Murdoch rags first thing tomorrow.
Shortly we'll create a more Oz version and make it available to all at “StopMurdoch”, stay tuned.
Ro · September 13, 2010 at 2:57 AM
I saw a sticker on the way to work on Thursday “Is it true, or did you read it in the Courier Mail?” so it looks like someone has already started a campaign! I'd like to know where to get some of those stickers…
debbiep · September 15, 2010 at 5:03 AM
Regarding the sticker campaign – lets not forget Fridge Magnets . I am sure the Greens would like to give (send) them out 🙂
senexx · September 20, 2010 at 6:00 AM
Peter Andren also had a lot to say on the issue
Azrael · September 29, 2010 at 2:55 PM
Nothing papers over a complete lack of any productive ideas of how to implement change than stickers and posters.
Seriously folk, I'm with you completely on wanting Murdoch out of the press market, but sticker/poster campaigns speak purely to the converted, and actively irritate the folk we need to swing. To hit the Australian's pockets, we'd need to take not only the swinging voters, but also at least some of the right-leaning population – leftists aren't buying Murdoch's press anyway.
I can't think of a single campaign where a sticker/poster run has achieved its stated goals. And this is a VERY ambitious goal. They have a tendency to be something folk fall back upon in order to feel like they're doing something, when they don't have any actual leverage to achieve change with.
Remember, there's a difference between campaigns aimed at other lefties and campaigns that have to target the general populace. Posters and slogans might get someone to remember to pay their union membership, or to think about whether their daily life decisions are consistent with their stated ideology, but they don't convince non-leftists to change their views.
Same with trying to take on the right with ridicule – it looks good to folk who already agree with you, but to anyone who doesn't agree with you it just makes you look arrogant. And to take down Murdoch we actually need to convince a LOT of folk who currently disagree with us. Ridiculing their beliefs isn't going to bring them onside.