The Rise of the Murdoch Dynasty (BBC 2 doc)

[greencalx]

This has been screening on Tuesday nights for the last two weeks on BBC2, with one more part to come. It can be iPlayered, obvs.

For anyone who has a passing knowledge of who Rupert Murdoch is, or what he has done, there is very little that is surprising. However it is quite interesting to have a spotlight on him and his children (who all have key positions within the empire) as they are usually lurking in the shadows somewhere and it's quite difficult to get the measure of them. Murdoch senior is clearly very astute, especially when he is pretending not to be. It's not clear that his sons operate at quite the same level, although his daughter Elisabeth seems to have inherited his wile. Archive footage suggests that Murdoch senior had some charm which may be less evident in his later years.

The first episode focussed on the period around the election of the New Labour government, and the Murdoch press switching allegiance from the Tories to New Labour. I guess I wasn't paying close attention at the time, but in retrospect it seems obvious that the Tory sleaze that was a factor in discrediting the Major government was a targeted campaign by the tabloids (and the Murdoch press in particular). The second episode covered the Brown / Cameron handover, as well as the phone-hacking imbroglio, the two linked of course by Andy Coulson (NotW editor turned Cameron spin doctor). It was entertaining seeing Les Hinton (chair of the UK operation) and Nick Davies (Guardian journalist who broke the phone hacking story) trade insults for (but not directly with) each other.

What's really striking for me is how entangled the UK government and senior Murdoch execs are. Of course, the revolving door between the press and the government is well documented but it seems to run very deep. The story was told of Rebekah Brooks' wedding reception, which was attended by then PM Brown (or, at least he was invited, I don't recall the detail) and a whole host of other senior politicians. It was said to be an awkward occasion, with all the politicians looking over their shoulders at Murdoch.

When people say that all Labour leaders are monstered by Murdoch, I think it's clear that there's monstering and there's monstering. There was no way Corbyn would even have been welcome within this set, nor would he ever have wanted to have been. It's not clear that cosying up to Murdoch does anyone much good in the long run.

The final episode looks to be on Brexit and Trump. That will be a barrel of laughs, I'm sure.

[greencalx]

Just me watching this, then? The final ep was a bit of a disappointment. They didn't seem to know what it was about. Was it about the relationship between Fox News and Trump during his run for presidency? Or about the Sun wot won it for Brexit? Or about the estrangement of two of his children, leaving a Hobson's choice for his successor. It is rather peculiar to pick a narrative thread that doesn't have much in the way of an ending.

That said, it had me reflecting on the fact that the most likeable contributor in the whole episode was Piers Morgan, and therefore what a shower the rest of them must be.

[BlodwynPig]

Thanks for summarising. I have no interest in seeing these because my stomach couldn't take it and being on the BBC I doubt there is much skewering of the 'right' wrong people.

Was there any insight on Murdoch legacy. I am sure there are other powerful media despots - well plenty of lobbying oligarchs so not just media - but when Murdoch dies will a vacuum be left or is the succession already in place.

Any detail on his Bob Maxwell / spy dealings?

[confettiinmyhair]

I agree that part 3 was a mess. The second part was one of the best documentary series episodes I have seen. I'd forgotten the Max Mosley story. I also dug the Game of Thrones style music and the family tree that depicted all the shady connections.

[greencalx]

Was there any insight on Murdoch legacy. I am sure there are other powerful media despots - well plenty of lobbying oligarchs so not just media - but when Murdoch dies will a vacuum be left or is the succession already in place.

Not sure whether answering will lead me to break your BBC boycott by proxy, but this wasn't really addressed. Basically they wanted us to think it was wide open and in the last five minutes said "it's Lachlan" without ever telling us much about him. In particular, given the first two eps, one could have gone into the question of whether he was likely to hold as much sway over the "great" and the "good". But instead they decided to give the time to Farage, presumably on the basis that he's not on the telly very much.

To be honest no one came out of it well, other than Nick Davies.

Any detail on his Bob Maxwell / spy dealings?

Private Eye also had a good old whinge about the show in the current episode, though I'm not entirely sure what their beef was.

[Ken Oath]

Only just seen the first two eps of this. Gave me a good opportunity for some good old cathartic yelling at the usual suspects.

it had me reflecting on the fact that the most likeable contributor in the whole episode was Piers Morgan, and therefore what a shower the rest of them must be.

Faark, me too. How egregious must the bastard be that I thought Morgan came across as fair and reasonable?

I was disappointed it didn't really deal with his influence on media here (Oz), both then, and now. Also, no mention of how he smashed Fleet Street and the unions to set up in Wapping.

Raking over the Leveson Inquiry, I could only rail at the injustice that nobody (apart from Coulson) went to prison. (Remember how we thought we'd got him, and that evil puritan-dressed woman?)

Oh well. Tom Watson is looking well these days, and I'm sure the Chipping Norton Set are having a good old time, bless 'em. Cunts.

In short, we all knew he was an evil fucker, nothing new, but it does lay it all out quite nicely, if one, e.g. has to demonstrate to people in their family who read (and believe) Murdoch propaganda.

Three stars out of five. Could have stuck the knife in deeper to his deeply criminal organisation, but I'm glad it was made.

Here's hoping the scrotum-chinned cunt carks it some time soon.