For all the protestations one cannot shake the feeling that everyone at Fox News Channel is as far right as you can get. Trying to watch five (5) hours of Fox News is truly an exercise in running a marathon on crushed glass. It is not that the quality of programming is bad, the presenters unqualified, or the production values are subpar. The issue is that FNC does not sit on the fence: you either hate it or love it.
To paraphrase a saying quite synonymous with Rupert Murdoch, ‘Give the Devil his due’, which in this case is that Fox News is considered the 2nd most trusted news network in the USA. What is most remarkable is that in 1985 the idea that a fourth Network in the USA was not possible or needed. Rupert Murdoch thought differently and developed a new network to compete directly with CBS, NBC, and ABC. For all its unabashed Right wing, conservative and Patriotic stance Fox News Channel is very highly rated.
While most observers cannot separate Rupert the media Mogul from FNC’s political bias, I believe that Rupert is beyond political leanings and right wing agenda. Rupert is first and foremost an ambitious and astute media-man. Note I did not say Newspaper man or Journalist. He is driven with being in control and giving the public what it wants. Rupert is impartial, morally ambiguous and pandering to the lowest common denominator: case in point the Page 3 topless girls in The Sun. But he also owns The Times in London and the Wall Street Journal bastions of old world respectable upper-class society.
Rupert is a consummate dealmaker and negotiator. When he wanted to grease the wheels in China so as to enable his Star TV network to get government backing he did what was necessary. His HarperCollins book publishing division was ordered to kill a book by former Hong Kong Governor Chris Patten. Chris Patten’s book East and West was going to be hostile to the Chinese regime and this did not sit well with Rupert’s ambitious plans for China. There is no love or political agenda here he believes that a potential market of 1 billion people is worth more than journalistic integrity. Most serious journalists would find it abominable, yes, Rupert can be criticised for being morally bankrupt but if there was more money to be made pandering to the far left then Fox News Channel would swing the other way.
Rupert wants to be in control but not necessary profitable. While the financial implications and profits will most likely drive the direction of Rupert Murdoch’s empire, it is control and the ability to reach the most people that will win out. Closer to home the Herald Sun panders to a very mainstream and entertainment hungry audience. This has led to the Herald Sun beating The Age into submission and the Herald Sun has the highest circulation and profits. On the other hand The Australian continues to lose money hand over fist, yet Rupert continues to hold on to the National newspaper.
The reason, in one word, control. The ability to influence political opinion in Canberra is what Rupert wants from The Australian. What political viewpoint will Rupert support: one that will enable him to have more control and political sway.
While FNC tries to convince us that FNC is Fair & Balanced there is no doubt the balance is tilted towards the Republican Right. But what of Rupert Murdoch, Is he the Fox in FNC? When we look across the pond (the Atlantic) to UK politics Rupert’s media holdings were said to support the conservative Margaret Thatcher and John major. But during Tony Blair’s campaign all of Rupert’s media outlets were neutral or supportive. I think this going with the flow is what Rupert stands for, backing winners or the most likely to win.
Rupert Murdoch can be accused of many things but being partisan and dictating the bent of the FNC cannot be one of them. He backs winners and is only partisan to his own agenda and interests. Unlike FNC I would watch Rupert Murdoch for five hours and be the better for it.
i-Write.com.au 