Recently in Australia, it has come to light that a mining magnate- Gina Rinehart, also the richest person in Australia- it buying shares in the media company Fairfax. First, let me enlighten you- Fairfax is the publisher of the few media outlets that aren't owned by Rupert Murdoch. In plain terms- Fairfax newspapers are, well, fair. They are balanced. They are impartial.
The Murdoch press, on the other other hand, has a more "tell them what we want" philosophy, rather than a "tell it as it is". It controls much of the media over here.
And onto Gina Rinehart- she was- to be blunt- raised on mining, was taught by her father that owning media was a source of influence, along with giving politicians money directly and nagging them and everyone else endlessly about the benefits of small government and the evils of environmentalism. She's a fanstastic contributor to anti-climate change propoganda (it wouldn't be very convenient for a massive mining company to be concerned about ruining the world, now, would it?) and a generous donater to the National Party. She's also good pals with old Rupert Murdoch.
In our democracy, the media has huge influence, and the ability to manipulate public thinking, as we have been privy to in the last couple of years with the anti-government campaign. Ask yourself.
Would video stories like SBS Dateline's "Fracked Off" on coal seam gas exploration get a run on TV if Gina Rinehart owned The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Australian Financial Review?
To allow a person with such apparently narrow and insatiable self-interest to have power over the media is a scary thought for the future of our country. We won't be building a stronger or better Australia by allowing those with all the money and self interest to be controlling our country.
I think you all know where this is heading. It just so follows that with a majority of Fairfax media owned by a far right-wing looney, Fairfax media will become the mouthpiece of that same far right-wing looney. As Thomas Jefferson said, information is the currency of democracy. If that information is being shaped and twisted by a far-right looney, it doesn't bode well for us Australians.
In typical far right wing fanaticism, Rinehart wants Rinehart's view to be the only one heard, seen and understood.
It's funny to see that because of such a free market, the country may become, well, less free. It's a pity to see just how much the world's richest are also the world's most powerful. How much they influence the thinking of the rest of us. It is sad to think how many of the very rich are wanting to run the country as well as own it.
To get to the point, I personally think there should be more regulation on media ownership- media is arguably the mightiest weapon, after all.
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The Murdoch press, on the other other hand, has a more "tell them what we want" philosophy, rather than a "tell it as it is". It controls much of the media over here.
And onto Gina Rinehart- she was- to be blunt- raised on mining, was taught by her father that owning media was a source of influence, along with giving politicians money directly and nagging them and everyone else endlessly about the benefits of small government and the evils of environmentalism. She's a fanstastic contributor to anti-climate change propoganda (it wouldn't be very convenient for a massive mining company to be concerned about ruining the world, now, would it?) and a generous donater to the National Party. She's also good pals with old Rupert Murdoch.
In our democracy, the media has huge influence, and the ability to manipulate public thinking, as we have been privy to in the last couple of years with the anti-government campaign. Ask yourself.
Would video stories like SBS Dateline's "Fracked Off" on coal seam gas exploration get a run on TV if Gina Rinehart owned The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Australian Financial Review?
To allow a person with such apparently narrow and insatiable self-interest to have power over the media is a scary thought for the future of our country. We won't be building a stronger or better Australia by allowing those with all the money and self interest to be controlling our country.
I think you all know where this is heading. It just so follows that with a majority of Fairfax media owned by a far right-wing looney, Fairfax media will become the mouthpiece of that same far right-wing looney. As Thomas Jefferson said, information is the currency of democracy. If that information is being shaped and twisted by a far-right looney, it doesn't bode well for us Australians.
In typical far right wing fanaticism, Rinehart wants Rinehart's view to be the only one heard, seen and understood.
It's funny to see that because of such a free market, the country may become, well, less free. It's a pity to see just how much the world's richest are also the world's most powerful. How much they influence the thinking of the rest of us. It is sad to think how many of the very rich are wanting to run the country as well as own it.
To get to the point, I personally think there should be more regulation on media ownership- media is arguably the mightiest weapon, after all.
More info:
link
link