MURDOCH'S ELECTION COVERAGE 'INSULT TO AUSTRALIANS'

Date August 26, 2013 Michael Lallo

Fears for democracy: British Labour MP Tom Watson. Photo: Ken Irwin

Even now, Tom Watson routinely memorises the number plates of unfamiliar cars outside his house.
''To be targeted like I was - to be followed by covert surveillance specialists, to have someone try to destroy your character - is very threatening,'' says the British Labour MP who helped blow the whistle on News of the World's phone hacking scheme.
In 2011, it was revealed Mr Watson had been stalked by the paper's private investigators as payback for his dogged investigation of its affairs. News International's executive chairman James Murdoch apologised ''unreservedly''.
But Mr Watson was not placated. Dubbed Rupert Murdoch's ''tormentor-in-chief'' by the British press, he has since devoted himself to the public scrutiny of the 82-year-old's global media empire. He is in Australia to discuss News Corp's coverage of the federal election: an unabashed anti-Labor crusade, he believes, driven by Mr Murdoch and his New York Post editor-in-chief, Col Allan.
''It insults Australians when they produce content like that,'' Watson says, referring to the recent front pages depicting Labor politicians as clowns and Nazis and demands to ''KICK THIS MOB OUT''.
A fortnight ago, the ABC's Media Watch analysed one week's political coverage in Mr Murdoch's Daily Telegraph. Of the 80 election stories it printed, the program deemed half negative to Labor but none negative to the Coalition.
''Can the Telegraph editors seriously claim they're balanced?'' Mr Watson asks.
What about the argument that a free press can cover an election however it likes?
''Of course,'' Mr Watson says. ''But has Rupert actually learnt anything from the Leveson inquiry [into UK press ethics, sparked by the hacking scandal]? Leveson looked at how papers blur news and editorial and it's hard for readers to distinguish. If Murdoch's papers are doing that, we should call him out.''
As for the suggestion that Mr Murdoch's editors enjoy editorial independence: ''All 175 of his newspapers supported the invasion of Iraq. Are you telling me that all 175 of his editors independently reached the same decision?''
While Mr Watson's Australian media tour - including ABC1's Q&A on Monday night - is sponsored entirely by activist group Avaaz, he is open in his support of Kevin Rudd. Yet he believes Mr Murdoch's desire to unseat the Prime Minister could succeed.
''I have absolutely no doubt he could swing this election,'' he said.
Read more: http://www.watoday.com.au/federal-politics/federal-election-2013/murdochs-election-coverage-insult-to-australians-20130825-2sjz8.html#ixzz2dFJabxpR

ETHICAL DONATORS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS REQUIRED, TO FILL THIS SPACE WITH YOUR POLITICAL SLOGANS, ADVERTISING OFFERS, WEBSITE DETAILS, CHARITY REQUESTS, LECTURE OPPORTUNITIES, EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS, SPIRITUAL AND/OR HEALTH ENLIGHTENMENT COURSES.

AS AN IMPORTANT MEMBER OF THE GLOBAL INDEPENDENT MEDIA COMMUNITY, MIKIVERSE POLITICS HONOURABLY REQUESTS YOUR HELP TO KEEP YOUR NEWS, DIVERSE,AND FREE OF CORPORATE, GOVERNMENT SPIN AND CONTROL.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW YOU MAY ASSIST,  PLEASE CONTACT: themikiverse@gmail.com