The former prime minister of Australia, Kevin Rudd, has emerged as one of the fiercest critics of the Murdoch family’s media company, News Corp, which he says has the power to sway public opinion to protect its own agenda and to damage its political enemies.
Mr. Rudd created a petition to establish a royal commission to ensure the strength and diversity of Australian news media. The effort to look into the media concentration and its effects on democracy has captured public sentiment. On October 10, the petition for Murdoch Royal Commission was posted online and attracted 247,693 signatures. So many Australians rushed to sign it that the Parliamentary website crashed. On the one hand, News Corp owns more Australian newspapers than any other company. On the other hand, in an era where there are more local and international online sources of news and many consumers get their news via Google and Facebook, the question remains as to the power of a traditional media company to shape public opinion to the extent that News Corp’s critics believe.
Rupert Murdoch is one of the world’s most successful media proprietors and his conservative views on politics and business are well known. His son Lachlan, who is co-chair of News Corp and runs the family’s other US-focused business, Fox Corp, is said to share a similar world view. Media mogul’s younger son, James Murdoch had reportedly left the family’s company because he was concerned its newspapers were disguising facts and endorsing disinformation. Rupert Murdoch has been living in the United States since 1973. Over a decade later, the Australian-born publishing magnate, became a U.S. citizen to remove an obstacle to his acquisition of a network of then-independent American television stations. Today Rupert Murdoch is one of the most influential people in the media industry globally, with business interests that span television broadcasting and entertainment content to newspapers and book publishing. The two empires that he built over the last six decades—News Corp (NWS) and Fox Corporation (FOX)—own well-established media properties that operate in five continents including The Wall Street Journal, Fox News, HarperCollins, and the New York Post.
Petition Reason
Our democracy depends on diverse sources of reliable, accurate and independent news. But media ownership is becoming more concentrated alongside new business models that encourage deliberately polarising and politically manipulated news. We are especially concerned that Australia’s print media is overwhelmingly controlled by News Corporation, founded by Fox News billionaire Rupert Murdoch, with around two-thirds of daily newspaper readership. This power is routinely used to attack opponents in business and politics by blending editorial opinion with news reporting. Australians who hold contrary views have felt intimidated into silence. These facts chill free speech and undermine public debate. Powerful monopolies are also emerging online, including Facebook and Google. We are deeply concerned by: mass-sackings of news journalists; digital platforms impacting on media diversity and viability; Nine Entertainment’s takeover of the Melbourne Age and Sydney Morning Herald; News Corp’s acquisition (and then closure) of more than 200 smaller newspapers, undermining regional and local news; attempts to replace AAP Newswire with News Corp’s alternative; and relentless attacks on the ABC’s independence and funding. Professional journalists further have legitimate concerns around unjust searches, potential prosecution, whistle-blower protection, official secrecy and dispute resolution that should be comprehensively addressed. Only a Royal Commission would have the powers and independence to investigate threats to media diversity, and recommend policies to ensure optimal diversity across all platforms to help guarantee our nation’s democratic future.
Petition Request
We therefore ask the House to support the establishment of such a Royal Commission to ensure the strength and diversity of Australian news media.