http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/05/19/turning-to-politicians-to-prop-up-our-newspapers/ now with extra source Sun, 12 Feb 2012 08:46:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/05/19/turning-to-politicians-to-prop-up-our-newspapers/#comment-26914 michael crook Wed, 20 May 2009 02:23:12 +0000 http://www.crikey.com.au/?p=59434#comment-26914 To ascribe any worthwhile effect to the survival of the commercial media, whether electronic or print, is a complete nonsense. The commercial media exists to make a profit for its shareholders by selling advertising. The oft realised perception that its owners are also major influences in the creation and direction of the predominant culture is certainly a bonus for them but I dispute whether such influence is in any way desirable. In Australia, with very little media diversity, in the last few decades we have had an unstoppable push towards the creation of a truly consumerist society, with all that that implies in the growth of personal greed and self gratification at the expense of growth in community participation and values. Just look at the epidemic of domestic violence and child abuse. Murdoch, Packer and their confreres have steered the ship of society into a world that they desire but is certainly neither fair nor just. In this they have been aided and abetted by the political parties who both fear and encourage their influence. That this influence is malign was shown by the Murdoch influence in the popular acceptance of the invasion of Iraq. The actions of Murdoch's print and electronic media in the three main anglo countries, the US, UK and Australia, has been likened more to a propaganda ministry than an independent media. If, as many international law experts have pointed out, the invasion of Iraq was a war crime then Murdoch is doubtless also culpable by his actions in support of the invasion. I now read only Crikey, Green Left Weekly, BBC and the Guardian. To ascribe any worthwhile effect to the survival of the commercial media, whether electronic or print, is a complete nonsense. The commercial media exists to make a profit for its shareholders by selling advertising. The oft realised perception that its owners are also major influences in the creation and direction of the predominant culture is certainly a bonus for them but I dispute whether such influence is in any way desirable. In Australia, with very little media diversity, in the last few decades we have had an unstoppable push towards the creation of a truly consumerist society, with all that that implies in the growth of personal greed and self gratification at the expense of growth in community participation and values. Just look at the epidemic of domestic violence and child abuse. Murdoch, Packer and their confreres have steered the ship of society into a world that they desire but is certainly neither fair nor just. In this they have been aided and abetted by the political parties who both fear and encourage their influence.
That this influence is malign was shown by the Murdoch influence in the popular acceptance of the invasion of Iraq. The actions of Murdoch’s print and electronic media in the three main anglo countries, the US, UK and Australia, has been likened more to a propaganda ministry than an independent media. If, as many international law experts have pointed out, the invasion of Iraq was a war crime then Murdoch is doubtless also culpable by his actions in support of the invasion. I now read only Crikey, Green Left Weekly, BBC and the Guardian.

]]>