Murdoch to media: You dug yourself a huge hole

vvicked0471 · 11-17-2008, 05:52 PM

**This really isn't political, but for lack of a better forum, this is where I'll post it. Mods, if you feel there is a better place, please move this thread.**

Quote:

With newspapers cutting back and predictions of even worse times ahead, Rupert Murdoch said the profession may still have a bright future if it can shake free of reporters and editors who he said have forfeited the trust and loyalty of their readers.

"My summary of the way some of the established media has responded to the internet is this: it's not newspapers that might become obsolete. It's some of the editors, reporters, and proprietors who are forgetting a newspaper's most precious asset: the bond with its readers," said Murdoch, the chairman and chief executive officer of News Corp. He made his remarks as part of a lecture series sponsored by the Australian Broadcast Corporation.

Murdoch, whose company's holdings also include MySpace and the Wall Street Journal, criticized what he described as a culture of "complacency and condescension" in some newsrooms.

"The complacency stems from having enjoyed a monopoly--and now finding they have to compete for an audience they once took for granted. The condescension that many show their readers is an even bigger problem. It takes no special genius to point out that if you are contemptuous of your customers, you are going to have a hard time getting them to buy your product. Newspapers are no exception."

The 77-year-old Murdoch, recalling a long career in newspapers that began when his father's death forced him to take over the Adelaide News in 1952, said the profession has failed to creatively respond to changes wrought by technology.

"It used to be that a handful of editors could decide what was news-and what was not. They acted as sort of demigods. If they ran a story, it became news. If they ignored an event, it never happened. Today editors are losing this power. The Internet, for example, provides access to thousands of new sources that cover things an editor might ignore. And if you aren't satisfied with that, you can start up your own blog and cover and comment on the news yourself. Journalists like to think of themselves as watchdogs, but they haven't always responded well when the public calls them to account."

To make his point, Murdoch criticized the media reaction after bloggers debunked a "60 Minutes" report by former CBS anchor, Dan Rather, that President Bush had evaded service during his days in the National Guard.
"Far from celebrating this citizen journalism, the establishment media reacted defensively. During an appearance on Fox News, a CBS executive attacked the bloggers in a statement that will go down in the annals of arrogance. '60 Minutes,' he said, was a professional organization with 'multiple layers of checks and balances.' By contrast, he dismissed the blogger as 'a guy sitting in his living room in his pajamas writing.' But eventually it was the guys sitting in their pajamas who forced Mr. Rather and his producer to resign.

"Mr. Rather and his defenders are not alone," he continued. "A recent American study reported that many editors and reporters simply do not trust their readers to make good decisions. Let's be clear about what this means. This is a polite way of saying that these editors and reporters think their readers are too stupid to think for themselves."

Murdoch's comments come at a time when the media landscape looks increasingly bleak both for print-based and online news organizations. A recent report by Goldman Sachs predicted that advertising pressure will continue because of the declines in the auto and financial industries. Online outlets are also feeling the impact. On Friday, TheStreet.com shut its San Francisco office.

Despite the blemishes, however, Murdoch said newspapers can still count on circulation gains "if papers provide readers with news they can trust." He added they will also need to embrace technology advances like RSS feeds and targeted e-mails. The challenge, according to Murdoch, will be to "use a newspaper's brand while allowing readers to personalize the news for themselves-and then deliver it in the ways that they want."

"The newspaper, or a very close electronic cousin, will always be around. It may not be thrown on your front doorstep the way it is today. But the thud it makes as it lands will continue to echo around society and the world," he said.

My favorite part of the article :

"A recent American study reported that many editors and reporters simply do not trust their readers to make good decisions. Let's be clear about what this means. This is a polite way of saying that these editors and reporters think their readers are too stupid to think for themselves."

Link to original source

marcusJay · 11-18-2008, 05:37 AM

Oh, I pray for the day when the press does their jobs as they were intended to do it.
Just report the news and stop attempting to make or manipulate the news.

**Hashishi** · 11-18-2008, 09:48 AM

I hate to agree with that lizard, but he's pretty much hit the nail on the head. There was a guy who's name I forget who not long back came out and voiced concerns that blog culture and the internet in general would force media to go 'soft'; that citizen journalism would destroy the great foundation, checks and procedures associated with professional yada yada etcetera.

That position is being proved more and more wrong as the days go by,

KillerWeed420 · 11-18-2008, 05:16 PM

I hardly watch any news on tv anymore. You can get more news off the web.

nornerator · 11-18-2008, 08:06 PM

This is the same guy responsible for the horrendous distortions on the FOX news network. Don't get me wrong, ALL the networks are biased, most of them have a Democrat bias, FOX has a republican bias.

Regardless, all the TV news is little more than brainwashing, but Fox is hilarious because it is so obvious. I mean they only have to repeat "Fair and Balanced" after each segment because its so hard to believe they are actually being "fair and balanced" (which they are not)

Its interesting that Murdoch would say such things, perhaps to throw the heat off of his back.

Either way, Corporate media is brainwashing

vvicked0471 · 11-18-2008, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nornerator

Regardless, all the TV news is little more than brainwashing, but Fox is hilarious because it is so obvious.

Could it be that you see it that way because you don't agree with their agenda?

Personally, I don't watch the news channels but maybe 2-3 time a month, and that is usually when I am at my parents house. I must say that if you watch them, they are all obviously slanted in one direction. I don't see FOX as being worse than CNN, NBC, certainly no worse than MSNBC, or even ABC.

Oh, and from my understanding, the "fair and balanced" bit stems from rankings on coverage of the issues. Apparently they mention the opposing opinions more than any other network.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nornerator

Either way, Corporate media is brainwashing

I completely agree...

nornerator · 11-18-2008, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vvicked0471

Could it be that you see it that way because you don't agree with their agenda?

Personally, I don't watch the news channels but maybe 2-3 time a month, and that is usually when I am at my parents house. I must say that if you watch them, they are all obviously slanted in one direction. I don't see FOX as being worse than CNN, NBC, certainly no worse than MSNBC, or even ABC.

Oh, and from my understanding, the "fair and balanced" bit stems from rankings on coverage of the issues. Apparently they mention the opposing opinions more than any other network.

I completely agree...

It is possible that they mention the opposing opinions more than other news networks, still doesn't mean they are "fair and balanced"

The only reason I pick Fox out of the crowd is because in my opinion it is much more obvious to see their agenda than the other networks.

All of them, CNN, NBC, MSNBC, FOX, ABC, they are all filthy liars and manipulators. Thats what happens when you let corporations tell you the news.

Thankfully we have the internet now and even though 99.9% of the shit you read is bullshit atleast .1% is real, which is .1% more reality than the corporate media

11-18-2008, 09:48 AM	#3
Hashishi Unf*ckwit'able Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 4,890 Grams: 38,283.68 Thanks: 1,772 Thanked 1,910 Times in 1,033 Posts Stock Portfolio Total Value: 0.000 Gain/Loss: 0.000%	I hate to agree with that lizard, but he's pretty much hit the nail on the head. There was a guy who's name I forget who not long back came out and voiced concerns that blog culture and the internet in general would force media to go 'soft'; that citizen journalism would destroy the great foundation, checks and procedures associated with professional yada yada etcetera. That position is being proved more and more wrong as the days go by, __________________ "Cunnilingus and psychiatry brought us to this." - Tony Soprano

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