by Tola Adenle
The most ruthless practice of journalism in the world has finally been brought to its knees. For decades, Rupert Murdoch and his global newspapers and other communication empire operated like a law unto themselves and before the Murdoch brand, politicians of all stripes and all levels, cowered. As has been widely reported, nobody was off limits to the hacking madness of Murdoch’s brand that included not just politicians, socialites but also a young girl – Milly Dowler – who had been reported missing before the discovery of her body.
While U.S. journalism was always generally sedate, that was before the arrival of British-trained tabloid journalists who perhaps constitute most of those at the vanguard of the mud-raking and trash American “journalism” of today. As Murdoch continued his global rampage of engulf-and-devour acquisitions of different communication media to build his empire, even once staid Washington, D.C.’s WTTG suddenly went under the umbrella of buccaneering cowboy FOX outfit whose journalists no longer respect the old unwritten rules about national institutions like the American presidency.
When Nicholas von Hoffman of CBS’ 60 Minutes referred to President Nixon as a rat or something as terrible back in the 70s, he quickly vanished from television; could have been a coincidence but the guy simply disappeared from national news outlets. Today, Murdoch’s acolytes at FOX go overboard and beyond indecently-personal when anything about U.S. President, Barrack Obama is discussed. Racial slurs that once belonged in blog entries by weirdos, have been used by at least a FOX staffer.
Pretending to push the same kind of conservative agenda that Murdoch had pursued from Australia to Britain, FOX staffers had almost arrived at the pedestal they are placed by frightened politicians most of whom always have things to hide, anyway, and therefore fit President Truman’s take of politicians: ”I could have been a pianist in a w*hore house or a politician, there is not much difference”! Kissing up to the uncrowned King of W*hore journalism was not only wise but smart, and as is being reported, sometimes with positive returns.
FOX is THE station that has held up Sarah Palin and the far right of the Republican Party as THE acceptable political face and voice of the U.S.A.: regurgitating ill-formed ideas and opinions that may or may not be understood, whipping up hate towards minorities, championing the interest of the rich over the less-privileged and championing cuts of benefits to children and the poor while keeping on the front burners the feathering of personal nests, etcetera.
Mercifully, all that fake patriotism path and grandstanding should come to an end now with the sordid tales coming out of Britain about the extent of damage done by Murdoch’s lawless gang who would hack the phone of just about anybody to dig dirt as “news”. The repercussion should be tough enough to deter future buccaneers as news purveyors. The U.S. is already on its way with investigations.
Of those damaged by the investigations going on in the British Parliament – the institution, itself, has been greatly damaged – David Cameron may be the worst hit as nobody is shedding any tears for Murdoch or any of his we-can-get-away-with-anything deputies and proxies who are worse than damaged. Cameron has lost credibility and, perhaps, legitimacy and the calls for time-for-him-to-go are gaining momentum, and with the no-term guarantee in the British system, the heat is already on for him to go.
Murdoch’s employees – journalists and administrators – are perhaps damaged beyond redemption and many may even head to the Big House by the time the smoke clears although that does not seem to impress the ever-discerning British public whose angst about the economy has found something to have it against.. With a Cameron’s close associate, Coulson also being a Murdock acolyte, and with the Met Police Chief Sir Stephenson, and his Deputy, Yates, stepping down – or is it standing down they call it these days – the blogs are beginning to read as if they are being written by Nigerians on Sahara Reporters although the British character to remain civil and not disagreeable while disagreeing, remains strong. How could a people have confidence in a Police Chief who had over two dozen visits with a tabloid chief? Ms. Rebekka Brooks, a top Murdoch employee who was invited by the Police is being seen as sinister by the public, especially since she was to be invited for questioning along with her boss today.
There are also very strong words for British [Murdoch] journalists some of whom have been found to feel at home in the sewer, reportedly demanding bribes in the UK as well as the U.S.A., to kill stories. Hello, there, does that sound like stories of Nigerian journalists that made news not too long ago? Well, here are just a few of the judgement from the streets of Great Britain:
STEVE F Why are you all so shocked theres nothing new here, the Police, polititians and journerlists have always been looking out for themeslves and there pockets.You will never hear the full extent of these crimes because so many top influencual people are involved.This will never be about protecting the public but saving the arse’s of greedy so called upstanding members of Goverment and the Police Force.
forget this smokescreen we need the jounalists to investigate the £50 million sent to africa this week and find which tory account ‘s it will bounce back too ,,,
CORKY The Police definition of ‘Resigning’ = No more workies, a nice big fat pay-off and a pension to suit. They have joined the grabbing MPs in the greed and criminality stakes. A plague on their houses!
T’ Now when Brooks faces the Parliamentary inquiry she can claim the equivalent of taking the 5th Amendment and just sit there and laugh … Two days before she was due to answer questions in-front of a parliamentary panel the Police arrest Her. Is this yet another blatant example of string pulling and the puppets on the end of these strings being pulled are the actual people we trust to uphold justice in this country. This would make any God Fathers of any Mafia empire proud.
DEZ He could have had the decency to have waited a tad longer before getting his nose caught in the trough along with the untrustworthy selfish coppers….all of them with their pathetic see-through responses and lies…..It seems we lesser mortals are being run by an elite clandestine club who do not have to worry when they screw up they just let the majority of the population pick up the tab and keep them in the luxury which they believe they are entitled to…..come the UK revolution
[A Nigerian’s angst and cynicism about his native land is palpable in the following about his new home.]
OLUFEMI O.K. …. so what’s this all about ? Afterall the police invited her for a business meeting – it was no arrest, contrary to what the police would have you believe.After the meeting she went home and slept in her bed.That is the way criminals are treated in this country.What else do we want, and how else do we expect them to treat her ? This whole thing is a farce and a joke and perhaps serious minded people should not bother themselves with this saga, we know the outcome ; all evidence has by now either been tampered with or been destroyed.The only people who stand to profit from this are the lawyers, everone else is going to lose and the perpetrators would get away scot free.
SCEPTIC … So my question is ?? who is giving the thumbs down to suggestions that THE POLICE are corrupt ?…
DION Released without charge,Coulson released without charge,its a charade.Taken to a police station and being released some hours later is about as far as it will go.Its rumoured that Brookes is still on the NI payroll.Its all a smoke screen conjoured up by men in gray suits in Westminister all working overtime to protect Old Etonian millionare Cameron.
BILLY … do people really think our government gives a toss about any of this? no of course they dont. its just a cover up to get the simple minds of this country on their side and to take their minds of the more important stuff. like how about we are giving 52 @#$% million to africa when everyone with any brain cells knows the money NEVER reaches them.shes been arrested but we all know nothing will come of it.
ROB H Absolutely disgusted with the whole affair….the country is falling apart at the seams. Cameron has a good deal to answer here…judgement? Nothing other than a cabal…noses in the trough!!! …
GEORGE 2 What happened to us ? Who can we trust to get us out of this mess ? I don’t think there’s anyone left in the “Establishment” who has enough integrity , honesty or professionalism to investigate this whole matter . As a result , they can no longer say that the public’s cynicism is not well founded .
Do these bloggers’ words make readers wonder if the British masses are beginning to think – like those in Nigeria – that their country is like “a crime syndicate masquerading as a nation”: parliamentarians (lawmakers), Prime Ministers (Presidents), journalists (ditto) who cannot be trusted? ”A cabal”; foreign aid that is believed not to reach those it is intended for; police that is labeled ‘corrupt’, the privileged covering each other, publicized cases of arrested wrong-doers that the masses know are mere charade because “we all know nothing will come of it”, etcetera?
Please re-read the two highlighted paragraphs and see how they seem to have been written by Nigerian bloggers “who do not wish the country well”.
From various online reports: Yahoo News UK, Sky … including Ian Dunt who wrote “PHONE HACKING HAS REVEALED CAMERON’S WEAKNESS”: