Re: Dan Kennedy on Reliable Sources

[Garrett Wollman <wollman@lcs.mit.edu>]

<<On Sun, 20 Apr 2003 14:15:11 -0400, "Dan Billings" <billings@suscom-maine.net> said:

> Fox has a clear point of view.  They have made a marketing decision to be
> different from the rest of the media, which most people on the right think
> have a left wing bias.

I heard a BBC interview with one of Rupert Murdoch's former close
subordinates (and former edtor of /The Times/), who made it quite
clear how things work in the Murdoch empire: Rupert only hires people
who agree with him.  That doesn't necessarily mean that reporters are
pre-screened for compliant political views -- but it does mean that,
in the executive and senior editorial ranks of his companies, there is
little dissent from the Murdoch agenda.

This same person pointed out that almost all of Murdoch's businesses
are structured to give him complete control of the business despite
having only a minority economic stake.  He suggests that the News
Corp. empire will likely be dismembered by shareholders within a few
years after Rupert's passing (even though his sons are expected to
inherit his financial interest).

-GAWollman