UK political system targets News Corporation: end of Murdoch’s empire?

Wednesday, July 13th 2011 - 16:12 UTC

Full article 8 comments

Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation has announced that it is dropping its planned bid to take full ownership of satellite broadcaster BSkyB. The announcement came as the House of Commons prepared to vote for a motion supported by all major party leaders calling on Mr Murdoch to do so. Read full article

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Marcos Alejandro
What the hell that man above is wearing on his head? :-))))
Are we in the 21 st century?
Jul 13th, 2011 - 04:58 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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zethe
They do look rather awful.
Jul 13th, 2011 - 05:25 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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Marcos Alejandro
Do you wear one as well? :-)
Jul 13th, 2011 - 06:14 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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ElaineB
I guess it is respect for tradition and is the uniform of the position. The justice system represents the crown rather than political parties and is, therefore, seen as impartial. Unlike, say, the US system where judges always have one eye on re-election and party affiliation. The wigs are made of horse hair and are rather expensive, if ridiculous looking. : )

Back to the article. It has been interesting watching this story unfold, particularly now I am back in the UK. People have held negative opinions of Rupert Murdoch since he first entered Fleet Street but there has always been a reluctance in public opinion to censor the press because of the strong belief that a FREE press is one of the cornerstones of a FREE society. They are there to challenge the government and report freely. Even the salacious stories about celebrities are tolerated as fair game. If you want to live in the limelight, then you have to take the bad with the good, is the general opinion.

But this is so very different. The reporters of the NOTW used criminal activities to get information seemingly with the full knowledge of the editor and probably the owner. When the British public heard they had hacked into the phone of a missing child - later found murdered - to listen to the distraught messages from friends and relatives, even deleting some messages to make room for new ones, the public had enough.

You can almost see the relief and joy on the faces of MPs able to say what they really think of Mr Murdock without having to suffer years of negative stories about them from his papers. They have turned on the bully.

Something that bothers most people behind this huge story is that whilst reforms are necessary, and an independent regulatory board essential, is that we do not lose our free press. I detest some of the newspapers in the UK - without the Daily Mail whipping up hatred our country would be a happier place, but I will defend their right to exist. That is the price of free speech.
Jul 13th, 2011 - 06:44 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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Marcos Alejandro
made of horse hair??
I am sorry but... HAHAHAHA
I hope you don't wear one over your beautiful hair :-)
Jul 13th, 2011 - 07:35 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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ElaineB
I hope it doesn't come from the arse end! : )
Jul 13th, 2011 - 08:35 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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Marcos Alejandro
:-)))
Jul 14th, 2011 - 12:12 am - Link - Report abuse 0
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briton
it may look silly, but thats tradition for you.
its better then the pirate outfits you lot wear,
but hide,
Jul 14th, 2011 - 02:53 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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