Thursday, May 3, 2012

British parliament declares Rupert Murdoch unfit to be in charge of a media organisation


On page 70 of the report by the House of Commons' Culture Media and Sport Select Committee into News International and phone-hacking, released yesterday our time, is the statement:

"If at all relevant times, Rupert Murdoch did not take steps to become fully informed about phone-hacking, he turned a blind eye and exhibited wilful blindess to what was going on in his companies and publications.

"This culture, we consider, permeated from the top throughout the organisation and speaks volumes about the lack of effective corporate governance at News Corporation and News International.

We conclude therefore that Rupert Murdoch is not a fit person to exercise the stewardship of a major international company".

This will put the spotlight onto the activities of his far-flung media empire elsewhere which goes under the collective name of News Corporation and, since the News Corporation board has responded by backing Murdoch, is sure to lead to enquires in most of the countries in which the News Corporation tentacles stretch.

In NZ, Murdoch's interests basically consist of HarperCollins publishers and a 44% stake in Sky TV whose management point out that as well as Murdoch's notorious Fox News, also carries a number of other news channels and that the Commerce Commission watches their activities.  Which it may do, but somehow the public may soon expect our Parliament to follow the British.

TVNZ Close-Up video

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