Frank Rich: Murdoch and O’Reilly are ‘thugs’

[Playinghardball]

Source: RawReplay
By David Edwards

New York magazine writer Frank Rich explained Monday that Rupert Murdoch’s unethical business practices weren’t limited to just Britain.

“I think that we’re deluding ourselves if we think the whole Murdoch culture has not spread to America,” Rich told HLN’s Joy Behar. “We’re reading all this sort of exotic stuff about having British police on the payroll. Bernie Kerik was on the Murdoch payroll. He had a huge advance from Harper Collins. And you know, the piece I’ve written in New York that’s out today, I talk about the bullying things that they do. It’s not just about politics. It’s not just about Fox being right wing. It’s about them going after people who are personal enemies, Bill O’Reilly having producers stalk people on the street.”

“Liberals love to criticize Fox because it’s not fair and balanced and all that. They like to criticize the Post because it’s very right wing. Forget about the politics. This is about power and money, punishing enemies that they don’t like, for reasons that could be personal or business, not just political.”

“They’re thugs,” Behar remarked.

“Yes,” Rich agreed. “It’s thuggery. And I think this scandal is going to play out like Watergate for a couple of years.”

Watch this video from HLN’s The Joy Behar Show, broadcast Aug. 1, 2011

http://www.rawstory.com/rawreplay/2011/08/frank-rich-murdoch-and-oreilly-are-thugs/

[malaise]

1. Bernie Kerik was on the Murdoch payroll

We pointed that out weeks ago.

Of course they're thugs backed by ReTHUGS

[BlueDemKev]

2. And?

Tell us something we don't already know.

[Heading North]

6. Exactly

Rich is rich, ain't he?

[BlueDemKev]

7. I have NO problem with rich people....

...I have a problem with greedy, self-centered people who don't realize it's a civilized society that gave them a conducive environment for earning their wealth.

[SpiralHawk]

9. Rich with revelations about Republicon scumbaggery

Thank heavens there is one journalist who has not been bought out by the occultist Republicon black-ops wankers who so pollute the infosphere.

[SpiralHawk]

3. What a wanker Bill O'Reilly is. Has been for many decades.

He was a major a-hole demagogue in the 1970s, and has only degenerated -- proof positive that Republicon Family Cesspool Values rot your soul.

[gratuitous]

4. Yes, yes they are

The major problem is the acquiescence to the Murdoch empire's thuggery by other folks in the media business. This acquiescence is driven in part by collegiality (you don't want to cross a prospective future employer), part by fear (thugs tend to respond in thuggish ways when they're called out for their thuggery), and part by good old-fashioned cowardice. The predictable result is a loss of credibility across the media spectrum, which is really what Murdoch wants. When nobody trusts the popular media, it's so much easier to lie and fling mud because a responsible counter-balance isn't just ineffectual, it doesn't exist.

When the professional aspects of news gathering and dissemination is subordinated as badly as it is to "market" forces, the entire profession suffers. If you're making a boatload of money off of the way things are, I suppose you're really more interested in keeping that money stream flowing into your pocket. I just wish they'd lay off the "professional reporters" talk, because most of the on-air talent is nothing of the sort.

[malaise]

11. Love this paragraph from Rich

What did Ailes and Murdoch want in exchange for installing the manifestly unqualified and corrupt Kerik in the nation’s foremost security job? Was Kerik as subservient to Murdoch executives as was the now departed commissioner of London’s Metropolitan Police? Perhaps Myler, if squeezed, can tell us what was going on. Regan won’t—her suit against News Corp. was aborted in 2008 with a whopping out-of-court settlement of $10.75 million. Rarely has silence been that golden.

May the shit continue to hit the fan

[salin]

5. great article by Rich. Have to go to the link, and then click the link

where he refers to the article that he had just written.

[malaise]

8. Indeed

http://nymag.com/print/?/news/frank-rich/murdoch-scandal-2011-8/

:hi:

[salin]

12. thanks for posting

need the diversion from the news of the day - and the responses. A few minutes reading about the likely future further woes at the house of Murdoch - a pleasurable few minutes. :hi:

[Dawson Leery]

10. And

Hannity is bull connor jr. as are ALL of those country "musicians" who perform at his "Freedom Fest" (hate fest against liberals)