Reports of Murdoch’s questioning by the British government on Wednesday had the media boss asserting that while he disagreed with the phone hacking and e-mail hacks, he was in favor of their goals—he said that when people put themselves out in the public eye, they deserve to be scrutinized. This is true but the modifier is the degree of importance to society by those who are out front—that combined with the level of scrutiny itself.
Much of what Murdoch approves of is junk. He makes money off of the junk, feeds the brains of youth with his junk, and so is in favor of it. Now he’s a victim of the type of crap he has so long peddled. It is by his own standards now that he is being treated. And it’s a great little morality play for the public to see. From what I’ve read here at DK, there are plenty of people ready and willing to twist the knife as the Murdoch tales unfurls. Good for them. He has hurt this country a great deal I believe.
He of course, didn’t admit to knowing anything about the illegal practices his employees were using. But when the boss tells people what his goals are, the employees usually respond. Clearly it was he who set the standards for his company—and clearly he is to blame. Whether he was only the steersman at the helm when the big boat ran into the rock and ice—or was the captain, laying drunk in his cabin, he was the man in charge and should be out of that position for the public’s safety. That he didn’t use his media influence to drive his business dealings is just not believable. People in business do exactly that! The real legal question is did he use soft or hard extortion to accomplish this
I’ve never understood really why people just don’t quit when they’re ahead and can get themselves free of the game. Donald Trump makes a fortune then goes on to play an ass on TV? Murdoch wins all that he and his family could ever really use, but decides to piss away his reputation rather then work to set it in the hall of great men? All I can figure is that these types of people were just dumb-lucky to begin with and just plain dumb at the end.
The debate about what constitutes “fair game” for reporters continues. If a person’s work is satisfactory, do we have the right to stick our noses in their private lives? Hell no. It’s bad for the culture to see the indignity of it—just as there is a psychological effect in witnessing other forms of violence. Mob bosses and other little tyrants create a climate of fear, Murdoch understands this very well. But some members of the media are really nothing more then slobs making make money off this crap. And the famous who court the notion that “bad press is better then no press” to publicize their latest dull offerings, are even more pathetic. They are like chimps trained to perform in a rude circus act.
It’s so great that we have journalists with the guts to stand up for more then just “all of the truth that sells”. Curses to the rest of the slime.