This "partnership would help Fox News & U.S. to 'understand the Arab world better'"

By GottaLaff

SELL OFF: Prince Alwaleed bin Talal al Saud has offloaded a 9.09 percent stake in his Rotana Group to News Corp.
(GETTY IMAGES)

Let the comments begin:

Saudi based media group Rotana will sell shares to News Corp for access to the US firm's movie making and new media expertise to help boost its position in Arab media ahead of an IPO.

Rotana owns the Arab world's largest record label and about 40 percent of the region's movies - most of which are Egyptian - and operates 11 free to air television channels, two of which are through a partnership with News Corp.

Isn't this the same place from which the 9/11 terrorists ....?

Is Rupert palling around with...?

Oh but I kid. That's something you'd only hear on some biased outlet like... well, like....

...Fox.

Prince Alwaleed [...] holds a stake of about 7 percent in News Corp [...]

He said Rotana would benefit from News Corp's experience in television, movie production and new media, such as MySpace. [...]

News Corp Chairman James Murdoch said the deal expands News Corp's presence in a region with "a young and growing population where GDP (gross domestic product) growth is set to outstrip that of more developed economies in the years ahead". [...]

[Prince Alwaleed] said: "I don't visualise a situation whereby Fox News would be broadcasting in Arabic."

However, he said the partnership would help Fox News and the United States to "understand the Arab world better".

"Fox News is not the only media that is against Saudi Arabia ... It's an American syndrome".

Who would deny that ClusterFox is the perfect outlet to help us understand the Arab world better? They're so evenhanded and inclusive.

I couldn't be more excited for the U.S. I'm hopping from foot to foot in anticipation.

Thank you Rupes, for all you do.

H/t: Aphrodottie, 1kecko

Right-wing Saudi dynasty endorses Fox News dynasty

By GottaLaff

Think Progress has this little tidbit regarding the relationship between the Murdoch clan and Prince Alwaleed bin Talal al-Saud of Saudi Arabia, who happens to be the largest shareholder of News Corp... if you don't count Rupert's family:

The prince met with Murdoch last week to discuss a “future potential alliance with News Corp,” and he told Charlie Rose Wednesday about his respect for the Murdoch dynasty:

ALWALEED: I met with Mr. Rupert Murdoch and Mr. James Murdoch. We are always in tough. I’m second biggest shareholder there. And no doubt that News Corp is moving on all the fronts. You’ve seen how FOX rating is skyrocketing. … James is now managing Europe and Asia. … I’ll be the first one to nominate him to be the successor of Mr. Rupert Murdoch, god forbid if something happens to him. … I have full confidence in [James], full trust in him, and he’s capable. He’s really Rupert Murdoch in the making, and he’s almost there now.

How fun! Now we can see what's in store for the next election! Saudi Arabia can donate, News Corp can donate! It will be raining money!

Maybe the Dems can enlist some of their pals too! Haiti and Air America, and... ! Oh, wait...

Guess who owns Harper, the company that published the Game Change book?

By GottaLaff

So, who owns Harper, the company that published the Game Change book?

One guess. Ready? Hands on buzzers.... The clock has started.

5...4...3...2... (click audio)



Time's up!

Go here for the answer.

Sorry, no parting gifts. Times are tough all over.


To be fair, despite my snark indulgitude, I will update with what Will Bunch just tweeted me:

Actually, Harper's also publishing my 8/10 book (from a lib perspective...duh) on anti-Obama right wing -- also pub. Van Jones, D. Sirota

Rupert Murdoch's son-in-law attacks Fox's Roger Ailes

By GottaLaff

Maybe Sarah Palin will have something to say about this during one of her brand spankin' new spots on ClusterFox.

From the Department of Families Eating Their Own:

Matthew Freud, who is married to Elisabeth, Mr Murdoch’s second daughter, told the New York Times he was “ashamed and sickened by Roger Ailes’s horrendous and sustained disregard of the journalistic standards that News Corporation, its founder and every other global media business aspires to”.

For once, a member of the Murdoch family speaks the truth. "Freud" yet. I'd love him to put Ailes on the couch, record it, and share.

Mr Freud, a public relations executive whose London parties attract politicians from Tony Blair to David Cameron, prefaced his comment by saying he was “by no means alone within the family or the company” in his views.

I can safely say he has plenty of company on TPC.

ClusterFox Family Values are alive and ill.

H/t: Me old chum Edward

Roger Ailes worries about terrorist attacks on Fox

By GottaLaff

The New York Times took a look-see at ClusterFox's Roger Ailes and found all kinds of treasures.

Apparently, Roger Ailes was not happy that Rupert "Aaarh!" Murdoch was thinking about a New York Post endorsement of Obama during the 2008 election, so he threatened to quit. Know what that got him? $23,000,000.

The Post endorsed McCain/Palin.

Remind me to hold his wallet.

Mr. Ailes, the son of a foreman at the Packard Electric plant in Warren, Ohio, described his upbringing with three words: “God, country, family” and said that credo was responsible for the success of Fox News.

He forgot "fear".

[T]he 9/11 attacks had a profound effect on Mr. Ailes. They convinced him that he and his network could be terrorist targets.

Roger is a vewwwy vewwwy fwightened wabbit. He surrounds himself with corporate-provided security. Would Faux provide any other kind?

He travels to and from work in a miniature convoy of two sport utility vehicles. A camera on his desk displays the comings and goings outside his office, where he usually keeps the blinds drawn. [...]

A sign outside his house shows an illustration of a gun and advises visitors that it is under video surveillance.

So this is where Blackwater employees wind up once they're done killing Iraqis.

New York Times calls Wall St. Journal what it is: Murdoch propaganda outlet

By GottaLaff

Rumble! Everyone duck and cover!

The Wall Street Journal editor-in-chief, Robert Thomson, has today claimed the New York Times is "uncomfortable" about his paper's increasing success "while its own circulation and credibility are in retreat".

Oh now, that was just rude. Just because a Times column said that the Journal represents right wing talking points and that Rupert Murdoch "plays politics"?

"Principle is but a bystander at the New York Times," said Thomson, in response to a New York Times column by David Carr, which said Murdoch's conservative preferences were infecting news coverage at the paper he acquired two years ago.

Here's a link to Carr's piece. Here's a link to Thomson's statement. So, whatcha gonna do about that little digaroony, New York Times?

Keller later responded:

"While David's column clearly got under Mr Thomson's skin, I don't see anything in this response that casts doubt upon it. The column was scrupulously fair and, if anything, understated, and I have no inclination to help Mr Thomson change the subject," he said.

Take that, Robert Rupert Murdoch Thomson. Well, actually, that was pretty mild. Come on, let's take off the gloves.

Wait. What's that I hear? Sounds like strains from the West Side Story sound track.

Carr's New York Times piece was also critical of Gerard Baker, the Wall Street Journal's deputy managing editor and former Times US editor, whom it called "a neo-conservative columnist of acute political views ... especially active in managing coverage in Washington".

Where's Riff when you need him?

H/t: DCPlod

News Corp may get paid to take its news websites off Google

By GottaLaff

Rupert the Pirate wants us to pay to access his sites? Good thing I don't go anywhere near them:

Microsoft Corp has had talks with News Corp about a tie up, which would involve News Corp getting paid to take its news websites off Google Inc, a source familiar with the matter said on Sunday. [...]

News Corp Chief Executive Rupert Murdoch has said he wants to make people pay for access to his news websites. Other publishers including The New York Times are also searching for ways to charge for news online, convinced that they must not give news through search engines such as Google and Yahoo Inc.

I'll miss Frank Rich.

Google: Murdoch can keep his stories

By GottaLaff

Arrrr you really going through with this, Rupe? Say aye. Please say aye:

Google said on Tuesday, in response to threats by Rupert Murdoch to ban the search engine from listing content from his news empire, that any company could ask to have stories taken off. [...]

"Publishers put their content on the web because they want it to be found, so very few choose not to include their material in Google News and web search. But if they tell us not to include it, we don't."

It added: "If publishers want their content to be removed from Google News specifically all they need to do it tell us."

Nothing would make me day like Murdoch content walkin' the Google plank, mateys. I'd be tempted to pay many a doubloon for that to happen.

Glenn Beck/Fox News Boycott Goes International

By GottaLaff

News Corpse has a bit of interesting news, luvs. I absobloomin'lutely adore the British, don't you? Eh? What?

Today there are over 60 companies that have withdrawn from his show because they do not want their brands associated with the hatred and hostility for which Beck is known. [...]

But now the campaign has expanded into the international arena. The Guardian UK is reporting that Waitrose, Britain’s most upmarket supermarket chain, has pulled all of their advertising, not just from Beck, but from all of the Fox News Channel.

“We take the placement of our ads in individual programmes very seriously, ensuring the content of these programmes is deemed appropriate for a brand with our values,” said a customer services spokesman. “Since being notified of our presence within the Glenn Beck programme, we have withdrawn all Waitrose advertising from the Fox News channel with immediate effect and for all future TV advertising campaigns.”

Fox News airs in Europe on Sky satellite television. Sky itself is part of the international media empire owned by Rupert Murdoch who, of course, also owns Fox News. Sky’s chairman is Murdoch’s son James, who is the likely heir to the News Corp. throne.

Notable in this announcement is that Waitrose explicitly states that their ads will be withheld from all of Fox News. Previously, Fox has claimed that they were not suffering any revenue loss because ads removed from Beck were simply shifting to other programs. They can no longer make that claim.

Loverly.

Cheers then!

Rupert Murdoch's Compensation Down to Paltry $18 Million

Oh the poor, poor thing! However does he survive? No wonder he's shutting down his London freebie.

LOS ANGELES- Rupert Murdoch, the chief executive and controlling shareholder of News Corp., saw his compensation drop 40 percent in fiscal 2009 as weak earnings reduced his incentive pay, according to an Associated Press review of regulatory filings.

Murdoch, 78, was awarded a compensation package valued at $18 million, down from $30 million a year ago, according to the review of News Corp.'s proxy filed Thursday with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

His base salary of $8.1 million was unchanged, but his performance-based incentive pay fell 69 percent to $5.4 million from $17.5 million a year ago.

Murdoch papers paid £1m to gag phone-hacking victims

Oh, Keith must be schadenfreuding all over the place. Wonder if any of his U.S. papers used the same tactics?

Rupert Murdoch's News Group News­papers has paid out more than £1m to settle legal cases that threatened to reveal evidence of his journalists' repeated involvement in the use of criminal methods to get stories.

The payments secured secrecy over out-of-court settlements in three cases that threatened to expose evidence of Murdoch journalists using private investigators who illegally hacked into the mobile phone messages of numerous public ­figures to gain unlawful access to confidential personal data, including tax records, social security files, bank statements and itemised phone bills. Cabinet ministers, MPs, actors and sports stars were all targets of the private investigators.

Today, the Guardian reveals details of the suppressed evidence, which may open the door to hundreds more legal actions by victims of News Group, the Murdoch company that publishes the News of the World and the Sun, as well as provoking police inquiries into reporters who were involved and the senior executives responsible for them.

Report: Sarah Palin signs book deal. Who's writing it?

By GottaLaff

If she writes like she talks, there will be at least 3 volumes worth of garbled toos and alsos... if she writes at all, that is.

Now for the fun part. Guess who her publisher is. Go ahead, guess:

Sarah Palin, Alaska's governor and last year's Republican vice-presidential candidate, has signed a deal to write her memoirs with publisher HarperCollins, the Anchorage Daily News reported on Tuesday.

Palin, who was Senator John McCain's running mate in their losing 2008 election campaign, did not disclose how much she would be paid by the publisher, which is owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.

Poor Pitiful Palin, she just wants to set the record straight. If only ::sniffle:: the big bad pwess hadn't ::sniffle, snuffle:: tweated her so ::waaaah!:: badly, she wouldn't have to ::booohoooo!:: go to all this stoopit twouble:

"There have been so many things written and said through mainstream media that have not been accurate, and it will be nice through an unfiltered forum to get to speak truthfully about who we are and what we stand for and what Alaska is all about," Palin said in an interview published on the newspaper's website.

Rupert Murdoch: No more free news on the Internets

By GottaLaff

If we have to start paying for news online, then my blogger days are over:

News mogul believes media sites can’t survive failing business model

The billionaire CEO of News Corporation, Rupert Murdoch, is sounding the death knell for free Internet news delivery.

At least for Fox News and the many other online media outlets Murdoch controls.

Two things: 1) I rarely read anything Fox News posts, but 2) Rupert owns everything, so, potentially, there go some of my sleaziest, most unreliable sources.

Murdoch feels that, despite the global economic turndown, charging for access to news is not only the right thing to do, it’s the wave of the future. [...]

Murdoch is so bullish on the near future that he expects moves to charge readers at the websites of Fox News, The Times, The Sun and others within a year’s time. [...]

“The current days of the [free] Internet will soon be over.”

The good news?

Some might argue that Murdoch is grasping at straws as his vast portfolio flounders.

Good thing I don't frequent his floundering sites.

Fox Business News responsible for 50% drop in Dow

By GottaLaff

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Those claims about blaming President Obama for all those crashing stock market catastrophes? Yeahwhateverwrongwrongwrong... The official pointer finger of guilt is gravitating toward the real culprit... a little band of miscreants run by some Australian pirate (see video for Keith Olbermann's splendid impersonation):

In response to a post about how Fox News falsely claimed the Dow dropped 56 points during a speech by President Obama, an e-mailer offers up a snarky question (subject line Fauxviating):

So what has the DOW done since Faux came into existence?

[...] Just for the record, Fox Business News had its first broadcast on October 15, 2007. The previous close was 14,093.08.

In other words, since Fox Business News came into existence, the Dow has dropped nearly 50%.

Wowzers, maybe Faux Biz Noise should remove itself from the airwaves. They are singlehandedly responsible for the Fox Depression and Stock Market Crash of '09.

Good Odds that Rupert Murdoch Will be Responsible for the Next Timothy McVeigh or Assassination Attempt

By GottaLaff

Our pal Mark Karlin has something to say about the simmering mess of Republicans who are trying their best to stir up a revolution:

Yes, with the civil war talk on the program of the recently acquired FOX News demagogue, Glenn Beck, inflammatory talk by Sean Hannity, and Rush Limbaugh's nativist rants that equate Obama to something akin to an amalgamation of Karl Marx and Adolf Hitler, the right-wing media is stirring up the dangerous angry white male resentment to a dangerous frenzied pitch.

And we all know where that ended up with Timothy McVeigh and the militia movement of the '90s, which was enabled by the right-wing media barons -- such as Rupert Murdoch -- to create a literal armed militia movement against the government of the United States.

He refers back to our post about Sean Hannity's website of armed rebellion, military coup, and secession. In fact, he refers to a lot of things, and goes on to suggest what we should do about all this:

Call it treasonous, call it demagoguery, call it treachery: it is what comes down the pike when the wealthy Democratic elites are more content to fund organizations that criticize the apocalyptic, brown-shirted Murdoch media barons rather than buying up media and delivering an alternative message that emphasizes loyalty to the truth, Constitution and democracy. [...]

The reality is that the only thing that matters in media is owning it. Murdoch knows that and couldn't give a horse's fart for what Media Matters has to say, nor does CBS which just hired a Democratic-hating Republican stalwart as their senior communications executive.

Nor do any of the mainstream corporate media: including radio, television and print. They will just keep on doing what they are doing because they own it and they know what they want: an oligarchy.

The troops for this formidable army of images, mistruths, and emotional manipulation are the angry white males, the guys who have felt displaced by minorities and women and immigrants ever since the Civil Rights and Feminist upheaval began in the '60s.

And these displaced white guys are armed to the teeth, courtesy of the NRA and the senators and representatives who lie down like doormats for the gun lobby in Congress.

And bristling with guns -- including the .50 caliber sniper rifle that is legal in all but California -- they feel enabled and patriotic in rising up against the legitimate Constitutional government of the United States. [...]

This is what we saw in the Clinton administration that led to the domestic terrorist Oklahoma bombing and trumped up impeachment.

And before the right-wing media was as consolidated as it is today, we saw our liberal leaders gunned down one by one in the '60s, resulting in the election of Richard Nixon -- and the beginning of the well-funded corporate mainstream media consolidation owned by people beholden only to the oligarchy, not the American public.

Yes, there are exceptions, but they are few in number, far too few. [...]

But when the armed angry white males decide to act because of the Murdoch/Limbaugh et al. incitement to rise up ringing in their ears, the blood will be on the hands of Rupert and his fellow right-wing corporate media barons -- and he won't be sorry for it.

He'll only feel one thing: Mission accomplished.

Strong words. I'm glad he spoke them. Your turn.

Rupert Murdoch apologizes for chimp cartoon

Personally, as in he signed his name to the apology. Still a little weasel wordy, but wow.

NEW YORK (CNN) — The chairman of the New York Post, Rupert Murdoch,personally apologized Tuesday for an editorial cartoon published by thenewspaper that drew charges of racism.

"Today I want to personally apologize to any reader who felt offended, and even insulted," according to the statement from Murdoch, who is also Chairman and CEO of News Corporation which owns the paper.

"I can assure you - without a doubt - that the only intent of thatcartoon was to mock a badly written piece of legislation.

"It was not meant to be racist, but unfortunately, it was interpreted by many as such. We all hold the readers of the New York Post in high regard, and I promise you that we will seek to be more attuned to the sensitivities of our community."

Billionaires who lost billions, 2008: Awww, poor Rupert Murdoch's on the list

By GottaLaff

In Comments on the post about the despicable Fox News bottom-of-the-TV-screen racist New Years message, Eve said:

I hope Rupert was a client of Madoff. A big client.

...to which I responded:

That's the most euphemistically stated expression of distaste for Rupert that I've seen to date. Good one, Evers.

Well guess what? He may not have lost his Big Bucks to Madoff, but he's about 4 billion dollars poorer than he was last year:

[H]ere are some other billionaires who have lost billions this year (courtesy of Forbes and Business Sheet):

• Media mogul Rupert Murdoch lost $4.0 billion. Shares of News Corp. (NYSE: NWS) are 57% lower since the beginning of the year.

Awww. I hope he can still afford $14 million dollar homes and aubergine hair dye. With any luck, he won't be able to afford Sean Hannity's or Billo the Clown's salary.

H/t: Eve

VIDEO: Murdoch set up Obama to confront Ailes on Fox coverage

By GottaLaff

Via Think Progress:


Of course, Howie Kurtz was skeptical. Michael Wolff, author a recent Murdoch biography — “The Man Who Owns The News”, stuck to his story.

Sometime last summer, Barack Obama reportedly met secretly with Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes and the network’s owner Rupert Murdoch in an attempt for both parties to “clear the air,” after Obama had received some unfavorable coverage from the network.

Wolff, who claims that Murdoch brought in Obama to criticize Ailes for Fox’s unfair coverage of Obama, also said that Murdoch is “scared of" Ailes... so much so that, apparently, he had to hide behind big, strong Barack Obama and let him do his dirty work for him.

I feel a Worst Person of the World coming on.

Vote for Media Person of 2008

Go vote!! (You know who I picked)

Who was 2008's leading personality in the media world? Who left a lasting imprint on the industry — for good or ill? Cast your vote in I Want Media's seventh annual online election to name the Media Person of the Year.

Readers of I Want Media have again suggested an eclectic crew of candidates to be considered for recognition as the year's biggest mover and shaker in the mediasphere.

The voting is open until 12 midnight ET this Sunday, Dec. 7, with the winner to be announced the following morning.

This years candidates- Tina Fey, Arianna Huffington, The Laid-Off Journalist, Mel Karmazin, Jason Kilar, Rachel Maddow, Rupert Murdoch, Eric Schmidt, The Twitter Trio and Sam Zell.

Author: Murdoch 'absolutely despises' the 'bullying' Bill O'Reilly

By GottaLaff

Thanksgiving is over, and yet... there are so many dee-lish-ous tidbits to chew on:

A new book about media mogul Rupert Murdoch, whose News Corp. owns Fox News, is to be released next week. Its most sensational revelations involve what the author describes as Murdoch's loathing for leading Fox commentator Bill O'Reilly.

The book? Michael Wolff's The Man Who Owns the News. The revelations?

Murdoch is not only embarrassed at times by his ownership of Fox News, but that he "absolutely despises" O'Reilly...

Awww, poor Bill-o. Okay, hands: How many think Keith Olbermann will report on this in his Monday show?

Wolff adds that Fox CEO Roger Ailes shares Murdoch's opinion. "It is not just Murdoch (and everybody else at News Corp.’s highest levels) who absolutely despises Bill O’Reilly, the bullying, mean-spirited, and hugely successful evening commentator, but Roger Ailes himself who loathes him. Success, however, has cemented everyone to each other."

And guess who wants to improve his image? Hint: It's not Bill-o.

According to Wolff, Murdoch's desire not to be defined solely by his ownership of Fox underlay his purchase last year of the Wall Street Journal, which "was in no small way about wanting to trade the illiberal -- the belligerent, the vulgar, the loud, the menacing the unsubtle -- for the better-heeled, the more magnanimous, the further nuanced."

Not workin', Rupert. Arrrh!