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Forums - General - Cable 'I declared war' on Murdoch

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12053656

Vince Cable [business secretary] told undercover reporters he had "declared war on Rupert Murdoch" and planned to block his efforts to take full control of BSkyB [largest satellite provider in UK], according to the BBC's Robert Peston.

News Corporation, which is run by Rupert Murdoch, already owns 39% of BSkyB but wants to buy up the remaining 61% for £7.8bn.

The group also owns News International - whose publications The Sun, News of the World, The Times and The Sunday Times account for a third of the UK's national newspaper circulation.

Mr Cable ordered Ofcom to investigate the proposal over concerns about press freedom and consumer choice - but he will have the final say and has stressed the need to be politically impartial.

"His whole empire is now under attack"

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Labour are calling for him to be stripped of his power and seat in the Cabinet... but they would. I'm not sure where I stand on this, as I do worry that News Corporation are starting to hold a ridiculously huge percentage of the UK's media outlets, and something needs to be blocked, even if by the competition commission for holding a monopoly stake in some industries; however, this is far beyond the power of Cable, and I'm pretty sure that if Murdoch's media had a different political stance, Cable wouldn't have such a problem with it. 



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Just so I've got this right... Labour is asking a Liberal Democrat to be stripped of Power?

Is Murdoch still supporting Labour?  I thought for sure he'd of switched back to the Conservatives with favor swinging back their way.

People often see Rupert Murdoch as an extreme right wing person, but people that have studied his life actually realize he's nothing but a moderate who is an immense frontrunner.  He went Conservative Aussie to Aussie  Labor, Conservative English to Labour, (I'd of thought back to Conservative by now.)

Heck, in the US presidential election he raised money for Obama and the last thing he's spoken about politically is immigration in favor of the democrats.  Though they thought it was a smart idea to try and blast him for Fox News for it.



I do think that media tycoons are dangerous if allowed to hold too much of the press.



He looks like he's about to drop dead any minute ...

Sorry for my useless unintelligent input ..



 

Kasz216 said:

Just so I've got this right... Labour is asking a Liberal Democrat to be stripped of Power?

Is Murdoch still supporting Labour?  I thought for sure he'd of switched back to the Conservatives with favor swinging back their way.

People often see Rupert Murdoch as an extreme right wing person, but people that have studied his life actually realize he's nothing but a moderate who is an immense frontrunner.  He went Conservative Aussie to Aussie  Labor, Conservative English to Labour, (I'd of thought back to Conservative by now.)

Heck, in the US presidential election he raised money for Obama and the last thing he's spoken about politically is immigration in favor of the democrats.  Though they thought it was a smart idea to try and blast him for Fox News for it.


Murdoch's outlets tend to have a pro-Conservative bias, the exception being The Sun which really just follows public opinion.

You're right, Labour are asking for Cable (a Lib Dem) to be stripped of his power... but that's because they're in opposition, and Cable is a very popular politician in the minority party of the coalition - a lot of back bench LD MPs could kick off if Cable was removed from Government - destablalizing the coalition itself, and thus aiding Labour in their opposition postion.



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SamuelRSmith said:
Kasz216 said:

Just so I've got this right... Labour is asking a Liberal Democrat to be stripped of Power?

Is Murdoch still supporting Labour?  I thought for sure he'd of switched back to the Conservatives with favor swinging back their way.

People often see Rupert Murdoch as an extreme right wing person, but people that have studied his life actually realize he's nothing but a moderate who is an immense frontrunner.  He went Conservative Aussie to Aussie  Labor, Conservative English to Labour, (I'd of thought back to Conservative by now.)

Heck, in the US presidential election he raised money for Obama and the last thing he's spoken about politically is immigration in favor of the democrats.  Though they thought it was a smart idea to try and blast him for Fox News for it.


Murdoch's outlets tend to have a pro-Conservative bias, the exception being The Sun which really just follows public opinion.

You're right, Labour are asking for Cable (a Lib Dem) to be stripped of his power... but that's because they're in opposition, and Cable is a very popular politician in the minority party of the coalition - a lot of back bench LD MPs could kick off if Cable was removed from Government - destablalizing the coalition itself, and thus aiding Labour in their opposition postion.

Well, at least it's good to know that it's not just American politicans who can surprise me in the unbelievable actions they'd take to support themselves.

This would be like Democrats asking that some Green party guy be removed from power because of their criticizing... well Ruper Murdoch I guess.

Rupert Murdoch's news stations always do slant Conservative, mostly because that's usually a huge niche to fill, reporters and news owners usually being more liberal.

What Murdoch believes is far more murky. 



Kasz216 said:
SamuelRSmith said:


Murdoch's outlets tend to have a pro-Conservative bias, the exception being The Sun which really just follows public opinion.

You're right, Labour are asking for Cable (a Lib Dem) to be stripped of his power... but that's because they're in opposition, and Cable is a very popular politician in the minority party of the coalition - a lot of back bench LD MPs could kick off if Cable was removed from Government - destablalizing the coalition itself, and thus aiding Labour in their opposition postion.

Well, at least it's good to know that it's not just American politicans who can surprise me in the unbelievable actions they'd take to support themselves.

This would be like Democrats asking that some Green party guy be removed from power because of their criticizing... well Ruper Murdoch I guess.

Rupert Murdoch's news stations always do slant Conservative, mostly because that's usually a huge niche to fill, reporters and news owners usually being more liberal.

What Murdoch believes is far more murky. 

It's the job of the opposition to be fiercely critical of government. Keeps them on their toes.



Rath said:

I do think that media tycoons are dangerous if allowed to hold too much of the press.


I'm not sure that's a worry with Rupert Murdoch, he seems completely uninterested in doing anything but making money off the Media.

For example, he owns Fox News.. basically the only news station that's anti-immigraion in the US, the other 3 being pro immigration.

Rupert Murdoch is one of the staunchest proponents of reforming immigration, granting the people here amnesty and greatly opening up our borders to immigrants.


Granted, I wouldn't want to risk it depending how much media he owns... but I wouldn't see it being an issue with him.