MEDIA - Case Study: Rupert Murdoch Flashcards
Which news outlets does Murdoch own? HINT: Name as many as you can; there are 4 named examples here!
News Corp, Fox News, The Sunday Times, The Times and hundreds of other media outlets!
Why wasn’t Murdoch getting along with the British prime Minister in 1995?
John Major –> This was because Major’s government threatened to regulate his Empire / increase media regulation!
What happened as a result of Murdoch and the Major not getting along?
Murdoch backs Blair and the Labour Party in the 1997 Election –> ‘The Sun backs Blair’!
Which forms of media does Murdoch believe that owners should have?
All forms of media under the ‘beck and call’ = Newspapers and TV!
Which British Papers does Murdoch own in the UK?
The Sun, The News of the World, The Times and The Sunday Times!
What does Thatcher allow Murdoch to do and what is the consequence of this?
She allowed Murdoch to buy over the usual and legal amount of industry allowed; she changed the law because they are politically aliened and he backed her government in the election!
She allows Murdoch to buy The Times and the Sunday Times –> She allowed Murdoch to invest in TV, as seen with B SKY B (which is SKY today)!
What did Murdoch say to John Major regarding his European Policies?
He said that he didn’t like or support his European Policies; he told Major to CHANGE his policies or his papers could not back or support him!
This was because Murdoch did not want a single European currency; he wanted a referendum on this issue –> He was Anti-EU!
What evidence is there that Murdoch has direct influence with what is published in his papers?
The direct targeting of Tory MPs in scandals!
Murdoch and Neil Wallis = He said that he hated Wallis’ 1st draft of the paper and that they needed to back Labour in the election ‘200%’!
How does Murdoch justify his actions in a PLURALIST way?
He uses the example of the DEMOCRATIC MODEL and this newspapers just depict the dominant ideology in society and reflect what people want to see (there are also different newspapers that cover different perspectives)!
HOWEVER = People of power should be investigated in a democratic society!
What was the decisive moment of interference in a particular election, according to Nigel Farage?
The 1997 Election with ‘New Labour’!
Blair promised he wouldn’t take the UK into the European currency without a referendum, which meant that Murdoch supported him!
This later influenced Brexit and the EU Referendum in 2016!
In regards to Murdoch’s papers backing Blair, how did Blair repay him?
Blair repaid him by telling him about the Iraq Invasion (which led to the Iraq War in 2003) the night before it took place!
