UK minister declares 'war' on Rupert Murdoch

So this guy is saying that Rupert Murdock doesn't have any rights to purchase any shares he wants to? How utterly dictatorial that sounds.

Monopolies are not good for business as there is no competition, hence most developed countries have monopoly and mergers commissions to ensure fair business practice. If Murdock buys all the shares he has a virtual monopoly on UK media, not good considering how media affect peoples opinions. Should one man be able to have so much power over a countrys media, no. We need conflicting opinions in media so people can make up their own mind.

“raise serious question’s about fairness and due process.”

Oh no, News Corp is not being treated fairly. How unjust! Tears must be flowing.

public sector reforms risked running out of control.

A nice quote from "Dave" Cameron's right hand man George Osbourne in 2006. "“Ireland stands as a shining example of the art of the possible in long-term economic policymaking.” In other words, I am an ideological moron who lives in a Harry Potter book and has no idea what is going on, but you can trust me and Dave to reform the public sector.

Cable should stop apologizing and do what he said he could do.

fairness and due process

how do you stop a control freak like Murdoch?

Yea keep the media free! ...well make the media free..er...

there are many espoucing that wikileaks debacle is just a testing ground for govts and corporations, like google, to take over total control of the Web siting security issues....Murdochs empire is among those wanting such power...keep Big Brother at bay

Murdoch should be allowed to buy all the media he wants. I'm sure that if he were allowed to buy it all, then the newspapers would let us know if there were any real problems with it.

What's the problem? Murdoch's organizations have never been anything other than completely fair and balanced.

I suggest he gets the guys on Fox to do a real job on this liberal Cable guy.

Murdoch should be allowed to buy all the media he wants

Murdoch would buy WikiLeaks if he could make a buck off it. Just another money junkie getting his fix. The idea that he is a right-wing ideologue is just his cover, he can't go around telling people the real reason for what his company puts out is that people buy it. If they bought something else, he would fill that market too.

Murdoch would buy WikiLeaks if he could make a buck off it. Just another money junkie getting his fix. The idea that he is a right-wing ideologue is just his cover, he can't go around telling people the real reason for what his company puts out is that people buy it. If they bought something else, he would fill that market too.

Sorry GJ but it seem you are not happy with government nor the private sector. I think that if either of them would spout off opinions that you agree with then you'd be perfectly happy with them. Murdock is a capitalist. He can try to buy what he wants. In business if his opponents can buy it up instead of him then that is fair game too. I couldn't care less if he or someone else buys it. He has every right to try to buy it up if he so desires. If others want to buy it instead or just decide not to sell to him then that is their choice. It's a free country. He's here! You fear! Get used to it!!

Murdock is a capitalist

Sorry Mike, but monopolies are not capitalism. They are anti-capitalist organizations. If Murdoch's purchase creates a monopoly it should not be allowed. That is understood even in the most right-wing, free market economic theories.

If Murdoch's purchase creates a monopoly it should not be allowed.

Then I'd think that any first world country would have anti-monopoly laws enacted by now. But I guess the UK is still third world as we have seen by the breakdown of transportation just because of a few cm of snow.

Murdoch would buy WikiLeaks if he could make a buck off it. Just another money junkie getting his fix.

what's wrong with that? ohhh right... you hate capitalism.

Why don't more people just open up more media companies?

Oh, and least you guys forget, Rupert pays the nation's best and most important broadcast journalist what he should have always gotten paid. too bad I can't watch him in Japan.

They are anti-capitalist organizations.

So long as people are able and willing to buy the product and the private company is able to generate a profit there's no reason why a monopoly couldn't exist in a purely capitalistic structure. If cost is driven up to much people seek alternatives, if none exist the entrepreneur creates them forcing the larger company to drive down its cost. Its state sponsored monopolies and oligopolies that are hard to crack.

Anyway Murdoch isn’t monopolizing the entire media industry in this article; he’s just seeking a majority share in one broadcasting company. Also, considering how the article mentions that his move to purchase a majority share “is opposed by Murdoch’s many rivals” I think it’s fair to say he isn’t the only player in this media game.

Publicity could be a boon to Rupert LoL

Murdoch would buy WikiLeaks if he could make a buck off it. Just another money junkie getting his fix. The idea that he is a right-wing ideologue is just his cover, he can't go around telling people the real reason for what his company puts out is that people buy it. If they bought something else, he would fill that market too.

Oh heaven forfend. The guy is trying to make a buck? Gah, burn him at the stake! Damn, I really can't stand attitudes like this.

Sorry Mike, but monopolies are not capitalism. They are anti-capitalist organizations. If Murdoch's purchase creates a monopoly it should not be allowed. That is understood even in the most right-wing, free market economic theories.

Right, no question. Except thats not what this is about. And thats not what would be happening. He is interested in purchasing one channel. He is not, and would not have a monopoly on news. Not only that he already has cleared the European regulators on this very issue. No this is not surprisingly, about someone like yourself, who views making a profit as being a bad thing. I swear, people who think like this, must be worshiping Marx or something. Remember that all the money you've made, you should give to the government. It really belongs to them after all, and they need it now, having wasted their own excessively.

We need conflicting opinions in media so people can make up their own mind.

Whats amusing about this line, is that it so demonstrates precisely why Murdoch is so successful. News Corp owns FoxNews, which provides a balanced viewpoint, giving both libs and conservatives a chance to express their views on given topics. On the MSM, its basically all the same. Whether you're watching MSNBC, CNN, or one of the broadcast networks, they have all the same spin, and almost none of it is conservative. Same thing with Newspapers, for years they've been dominated by one viewpoint. Murdochs genius was realizing there was an untapped market, and that by creating FoxNews, and giving both sides, he would be catering to that market. The reason he wants control of BSkyB, is not to create a monopoly, but to fill a market and make a profit. That it likely will have an actual capitalist slant is what these socialist hate.

"Oh heaven forfend. The guy is trying to make a buck? Gah, burn him at the stake! Damn, I really can't stand attitudes like this."

Nah, it's the monopoly that pisses regular folk. Rupert's earned enough bucks - I want no more a right-wing turd like Murdoch in control of every major media outlet than I do a screaming Hugo Chavez.

Well...murdoch has had a war on the truth for years.

Taka

"Well...murdoch has had a war on the truth for years."

Heh, wasn't that an affiliate of the so-called War on Terror?

Affiliate? Sponsor baby. Sponsor. As in, "brought to you by...." ;-)

Taka

Nah, it's the monopoly that pisses regular folk. Rupert's earned enough bucks - I want no more a right-wing turd like Murdoch in control of every major media outlet than I do a screaming Hugo Chavez.

But you're ok if he just controls what he does, right? I mean you're saying you oppose monopolies, and then talk Murdoch. Did you conveniently forget I don't know, all the major news networks, Time, Newsweek, a whole raft of newspapers etc.

And Madverts, since you've decided that Murdoch has enough money, he should then not be allowed to make any more right? Wait, how low is the governments new bar on income earned? What, you've made more then that you say? Just remember, you belong to the government. In Mao we trust an all that...

Oh heaven forfend. The guy is trying to make a buck? Gah, burn him at the stake! Damn, I really can't stand attitudes like this.

I think you completely missed the point. No problem with making a buck. Problem is pretending you have some other motivation for what you are doing when ALL you are doing is trying to make a buck.

Personally, I don't think that Murdoch cares one bit about the political views that he claims to have or that his outlets promote. They are just the most profitable views to have and promote. But he can't very well come out and say "the reason I started Fox News (or any other outlet) is that I figured there was a big market for this kind of stuff and I could make a ton of money." He has to say it was for a reason and principles more than that.

I think you completely missed the point. No problem with making a buck. Problem is pretending you have some other motivation for what you are doing when ALL you are doing is trying to make a buck.

You mean besides the obvious, creation of a media empire? What the hell are you talking about? Of course the guy is motivated by making a buck, but you're delusional if you think that sums up Rupert Murdochs existence. There is more to him then that, just like you could say Obama is an incompetent idiot, who would make a much better dogcatcher then he would President, but while he is incompetent, he is more then that, he also is interested in going on vacations, playing basketball and golf, and of course being a father and husband. The point being, only very few people are motivated only by one thing, the way you seem to be suggesting. He's not just trying to make a buck, though that is obviously the main goal, he's also trying to influence people, and control a larger media empire. Given where things stand at the moment, I'd much rather have someone like Murdoch running things, then idiots like this Cable.

Personally, I don't think that Murdoch cares one bit about the political views that he claims to have or that his outlets promote. They are just the most profitable views to have and promote.

I agree, I suspect his primary motivation was money, but I also don't doubt his own personal political philosophy is on the right, and that he is much more sympathetic to them that seek to allow him to keep his hard earned money, then those whose primary goal in life is to take it away, and to force everyone under greater and greater government control.

he is much more sympathetic to them that seek to allow him to keep his hard earned money.

More like he is much more sympathetic to them that seek to allow him to make his hard earned money. It is in Murdoch's interest to promote right wing politics because that will result in more right-wing politicians in power who will allow him to do what he wants.

molenir,

I don't agree with anyone having a monopoly whatever their trade. That is not capitalism, and no one is more a capitalist than I.

GJDailleult - Murdoch would buy WikiLeaks if he could make a buck off it. Just another money junkie getting his fix. The idea that he is a right-wing ideologue is just his cover, he can't go around telling people the real reason for what his company puts out is that people buy it. If they bought something else, he would fill that market too.

LONDON — A senior British minister had to step aside from media policy issues Tuesday after telling undercover reporters he had “declared war” on media mogul Rupert Murdoch.

Business Secretary Vince Cable was taped by Daily Telegraph journalists posing as constituents saying “I have declared war on Mr Murdoch and I think we are going to win.”

Earlier, Cable apologized for saying he could bring down the government if pushed and claiming public sector reforms risked running out of control. He told the journalists that that “I have a nuclear option ... If they push me too far then I can walk out and bring the government down.”

Cable told the reporters that his desire for a tough approach to the banks, which precipitated the financial crisis, had been opposed by “our Conservative friends.”

This story isn't about Murdoch but about a government official and "ballroom dancing aficionado" having a personal problem with a media outlet and ilegally using his position to punish his political parties opposition.

I don't agree with anyone having a monopoly whatever their trade. That is not capitalism, and no one is more a capitalist than I.

Right, so then you're ok with Murdochs aquisition of BSkyB then right? I mean, since he isn't gaining a monopoly. I mean, that is what you've said right?

molenir grow a brain and learn who murdoch is and what his media interests are in the UK.

The man controls quite a media empire, in the US and England. However he by no means has a monopoly, not even close. He does not control the BBC, he doesn't control a huge number of influential newspapers in the UK. Gaining BSkyB will increase his market share, but it won't be even close to forming a monopoly. Do a bit of research yourself before you make this kind of assertions. I mean theres a reason why this cleared the EU commissioners so easily.