We allowed the Murdoch family to ruin America.

[Funtatlaguy]

When Fox News first came on the air, it was obvious that they would be delivering the same lies and propaganda that Rush Limbaugh and other talkers in right wing radio were doing.
However, they just did it visually with prettier packaging.
They had mostly beautiful blonde women wearing short dresses 👗 delivering the “news” while sitting at see through glass tables.
Former Fox employees and whistleblowers told us what was going on at Fox 🦊.
That they were in the hen house and were determined to tear down legitimate news gathering, punditry, and good journalism of any kind by making advocacy infotainment news the new norm.

America let this happen.
We allowed propaganda and lies to replace real news.
Those who distribute cable channels on different platforms (at least those not owned by the Murdoch’s) should have refused to carry Fox News.
When they didn’t, Fox became this huge THING that actually ate real American legitimate journalism.
And now those chickens are roosting with 6 votes on the SCOTUS and no pushback from most of the both siderism media outlets that are corporately owned and won’t just state the truth.
The real fair and balanced truth is that Rupert Murdoch tried to ruin Australian and British media and now he’s all but accomplished that in America.
And we Americans let it happen.
In broad daylight.

[roamer65]

1. Murdoch is in Putler's pocket.

I really believe that eventually the truth of it will come out.

[uponit7771]

2. K&R, Murdoch's cartel needs to be sidelined to the tabloid section in EVERY SINGLE CATEGORY ...

... I'm talking about FAUX NewZ corp etc too.

I don't care if the M$M claims they have 2 journalist so they should be in WH press briefings regularly ... they shouldn't be.

[catbyte]

3. Tragically, it happened on Clinton's watch.

FCC Offers Murdoch a Way Out on Broadcast Ownership Rule

By JUBE SHIVER Jr
May 5, 1995 12 AM PT
TIMES STAFF WRITER
WASHINGTON —

The Federal Communications Commission voted Thursday to allow media mogul Rupert Murdoch to avert a costly restructuring of his television empire if he can show that the current ownership of his eight Fox TV stations is in the public interest.

The unanimous vote capped a controversal 18-month investigation of allegations that Murdoch’s Australia-based media company, News Corp. Ltd., had run afoul of a federal law prohibiting foreign firms from owning more than 25% of a U.S. broadcasting company.

Although the FCC approved Murdoch’s TV station purchases in 1985, FCC General Counsel William Kennard says it wasn’t until a year ago that the agency learned that News Corp. owned 99% of the equity in the stations. The FCC ruled Thursday that the ownership arrangement did indeed violate the law, but invited Murdoch to apply for a waiver--and most of those involved expect the waiver to be granted. The FCC had been sharply divided over how to resolve the issue, with the staff recommending that Murdoch be forced to undertake a costly restructuring to satisfy the law.

An emotional and misty-eyed Murdoch, seated in the standing-room-only audience at the FCC with his wife, daughter and son-in-law, was given 45 days to comply with the law or seek a waiver on the grounds that the ownership arrangement is in the public interest.

snip
[link:https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-05-05-fi-62827-story.html|
Full article]

[Funtatlaguy]

10. Yes. This was a terrible decision.

[KPN]

16. And here we are just 27 years later. The mentality

that allowed this to happen took full root under Reagan. “Moderation” and driving principles like triangulation opened the barn doors and let the horses loose. They have never been corralled since.

[blogslug]

26. Yes, but

Remember the congressman who got a shady book deal from a Murdoch-owned publishing house during that time?

...Despite Gingrich's earlier denials, it turns out that the new Speaker did indeed meet with Murdoch and his chief lobbyist during the period that Gingrich's $4.5-million advance from HarperCollins was being negotiated. And despite Gingrich's earlier denials, the three men did indeed discuss pending congressional legislation that is crucial to the future of the Murdoch-owned Fox television network. Gingrich finally was pressured into giving up his multimillion-dollar advance, but he still intends to take his share of the royalties the books earn. That means he stands to make millions from one Murdoch company while considering legislation worth billions to another Murdoch company...

https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1995/01/20/it-s-newt-s-book-now/

[DURHAM D]

4. Murdoch was set up by the CIA.

I assume they are proud of their work.

[Joinfortmill]

5. Yup. I know folks who've never, ever changed the channel for years. Brainwashed and rinsed.

[TeamProg]

6. Yep. Nt

[TeamProg]

7. Freedom of speech & the freedom to be stupid are really dangerous.

But legal. As we all know.

[jaxexpat]

8. The origin of our complicity can be seen in the response so.many had to Hillary's warning.

It was pretty easy to just mock such an outrageous statement. I mean, "vast right wing conspiracy" indeed. Our communal reaction was a kill shot into our own communal head.

My question is, have we really learned to think better? Have we grown past intentional ignorance? Millions of Americans with their heads in their cell phones don't even understand the question.

[ificandream]

9. Just curious if you have studied or worked in journalism.

Reason I ask is because as someone who has (me), I've been thinking and saying much of the same thing. (I think the only thing we may disagree on is the corporate factor. I don't think the "real" media is as badly corporate as Fox is.) But yes, Fox has ruined journalism with its continued incredible holier-than-thou. criticism of its competitors (though CNN's recent shift is deserving of slamming) and its no-holds-barred propaganda for right-wing fascists.

[Funtatlaguy]

11. Yes. I have a communications degree but mostly worked in media ad sales.

[Pepsidog]

12. Nothing will change until we solve the Fox problem.

[Funtatlaguy]

18. But, how? Does freedom of speech/media extend to everyone? Even liars?

Not sure how America puts the toothpaste back into the tube.
It kills me that we allowed an Australian who was basically chased out of Australia and the UK after he ravaged many of their media sources (which still make him billions) for him to live in America and marry an American and then make billions off of Americans while politically brainwashing about 40% or more of our countrymen.

It is THE STORY of our generation.
There would have been no Bush II or Trump without Rupert Murdoch.

[Pepsidog]

44. It is the story of our generation and the answers are elusive. It all started going

bad, you are correct, during Bush II term when bare naked lying became acceptable, enabled by Fox. This has been my argument for years but now with social media taking over there may never be an answer. The electorate is so gullible that I fear one smooth talking authoritarian type is closer to power than any progressive. After all Obama and Biden have done for the country and how Rs have so thoroughly ruined the country, that the mid-terms won’t be catastrophic for Rs I don’t understand.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

13. Conglomeration of media, with the resulting decrease in competition, is a real problem.

The FCC is supposed to work for us; it has worked instead to relieve corporations of regulations every time there was a GOP administration.

[Funtatlaguy]

19. Yes, and the FTC never regulated cable. Reform is so needed.

[Elessar Zappa]

14. One of the drawbacks of free speech.

The only way to counter them is with the truth.

[DemUnleashed]

17. And...

And people who don't know how to use their own brain got glued to Fox News!! I swear these people can not think for themselves...all they know how to do, is parrot!!

[Funtatlaguy]

21. It divided our country in no way that any politician or party could.

So many families and life long friendships have been broken or severely damaged by Fox.
I know that many of my relationships have changed because of Fox.

[elleng]

20. Yes we did,

for $$$.

[ananda]

22. Who's "we"? Cuz I sure didn't.

Haven't watched Fox for many years.

[Funtatlaguy]

27. We as in our country, we. Many here screamed warnings, to no avail.

[Kaleva]

49. Who did you scream warnings to?

How many times did you contact elected officials? How many letters to editors did you write? How many times did you protest in front of a Fox affiliated tv or radio station? One can tell how strongly one feels about an issue by what action or actions they take in responding to it. Cindy Sheehan gave up her friends, marriage and job to fight for what she believed in. Most post on social media and fool themselves into believing they care even though their lack of effort proves they don't.

[Samrob]

23. YES, they did! nt

[OMGWTF]

24. St. Ronnie Raygun fast-tracked Murdoch's American citizenship

and then he had his FCC Chairman rescind the Fairness Doctrine which allowed this motherfker to LIE to us and destroy our country.

[mountain grammy]

25. I know three people

I convinced to stop being brainwashed and quit fox. All three rejected trump. Only one voted for Hillary, the other 2 left it blank and have since said they regret it. All three not only voted for but also contributed to Biden. One is registered Democrat, 2 are Independent.

Fox is a plague.

[Funtatlaguy]

28. Good on you. Wish you worked for the Dem party as a Fox deprogrammer.

How?
Do you have a psych background or did you give then lobotomies?

[mountain grammy]

39. It was during the Obama presidency

They're not racists and some of what they heard on Fox made them uncomfortable. The relentless and ever more extreme "Christianity" was also getting to them. I got them hooked on Jon Stewart and Colbert and a few others I listen to and now they suggest stuff for me.

Most foxheads are lost. My sister in law was despondent when Bill O'Rielly left. Now she has Tucker.. sick, sick, sick.

[Funtatlaguy]

40. Sorry for your loss. I lost my brother to Fox.

[calimary]

29. It was a perfect storm of shit.

Some of us saw the worrying signs.

When Pox Noise and limbaugh started making headway, we had NOTHING to push back with. NOTHING to push back with! NOTHING to provide answers and pushback. NO media vehicles whatsoever! And NO promotion of any sort to muscle that out to the public and keep it pushed forward - and repeated! What were they thinking? Were they even awake?

[Funtatlaguy]

31. At one time, we had the 7-7-7 ownership rule. Wish we still did.

No individual or group could own more than 7 tv, 7radio, and 7 newspapers.
Now almost all media outlets are owned by just a handful of companies.

People on the right like to scream 😱 about how they think that most journalists are liberals.
Even if that was true, it’s not the worker bees 🐝 that matter.
It’s the people who sign their paychecks and most corporations are right of center especially when it comes to corporate profits taxation and regulations.

[calimary]

33. Heck, when I was still working any ownership only involved three properties in any one market.

So that usually meant an AM/FM combo and a TV station.

Or some other combination of those three. But that was back in the 70s and 80s.

[KPN]

30. It wasn't just Murdoch, but definitely the major

contributor to the sale of “fascism” in the name of freedom.

[Funtatlaguy]

32. Indeed, He has been mimicked by others.

[Carlitos Brigante]

34. The Telecommunications Act sure as shit didn't help. nt

[rubbersole]

37. A repub dream signed in 1993...

GATT, NAFTA and the Telecommunications Act were the hope of the movers and shakers in repub circles. The ramifications are shaping America today.

[Funtatlaguy]

41. And Bill Clinton signed it much to his later regret.

[maxsolomon]

35. I didn't allow shit.

[herding cats]

36. Please, don't give the Mercer's a pass.

There are definitely more vile actors at play her than the Murdoch's.

[Funtatlaguy]

42. They ARE just vile. But they don't have the platforms of Murdoch's

[Warpy]

38. Speak for yourself

Nobody fucking consulted me about it. I don't think he consulted many of us about it, except we voted with our common sense to avoid his poison at all costs, and we consistently voted against any politician he or his rotten stable of blow dried bobbleheads seemed to like.

You might have given him your permission, but nobody asked for mine and I'd never have given it if they had.

[Funtatlaguy]

43. I'm not referring to anyone on DU. None of us here

Had any part in this.
I’m just saying that WE as a country somehow allowed this to happen or somehow made this happen.
Maybe under our laws and constitution it could not have been prevented.
I only know that Fox News is one of the worst things to happen to America.

[Duppers]

45. K & R

Indeed.

[GusBob]

46. Throw in Mark Burnett

That show catapulted Trump into the living rooms of the idiots who don’t watch Fox

[Funtatlaguy]

47. I've read that Burnett is a Christian Evangelical Authoritarian advocate.

[GusBob]

48. He's a fucking asshole

His own wife begged him to denounce Trump, his golden boy

I’d bet those 2 are planning a new TV show as we speak

Maybe that’s what he kept the documents for

[betsuni]

50. What were Americans supposed to do about it?

[Irish_Dem]

51. Corrupt politicians and greedy oligarchs have greatly damaged our country.

And yes we let it happen.