Vince Cable vs. Rupert Murdoch

[CaledonianGonzo]

Well fuck my old boots. Is it unrestricted in content, do you happen to know? I knew Iran was supposed to be one of the more "liberal" Arab countries but that really has surprised me after I'mmadinthehead's crackdowns of the not-too-distant past.

I think it mostly just shows south American soaps and sitcoms like the big bang theory...

[Zetetic]

I knew Iran was supposed to be one of the more "liberal" Arab countries but that really has surprised me after I'mmadinthehead's crackdowns of the not-too-distant past.

"Liberal" after 1979? Arab?

[Tiny Poster]

There's no grand conspiracy with Murdoch - follow the money and you'll find him. He's nothing more than a very astute businessman with his eye on the main chance.

Yep, if you take in all the stuff put out by the various branches of Murdoch-owned media, you'll find points from all over the political spectrum expressed. For example, there's films like Fight Club or The Thin Red Line and pretty subversive primetime TV comedies as well as Fox News and The Sun. All bases covered.

[thepuffpastryhangman]

Well yes and yes. But what's "the main prize" got to do with that speech?

EDIT - "the main chance", sorry.

[Santa's Boyfriend]

Yep, if you take in all the stuff put out by the various branches of Murdoch-owned media, you'll find points from all over the political spectrum expressed. For example, there's films like Fight Club or The Thin Red Line and pretty subversive primetime TV comedies as well as Fox News and The Sun. All bases covered.

The guy that got Fight Club made did so without Murdoch's knowledge, and when Murdoch found out the kind of film they were making he went ballistic.  The producer was told in no uncertain terms that unless the film was a huge hit, he would be fired after the opening weekend.  Which indeed he was.

[CaledonianGonzo]

A toss-up as to whether to put this in here or in the actual current BBC thread, but this is on-topic as it seems written purposely in response to those, like Murdoch, who would do away with the Beeb:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3q2iZuU5WM

One can question the 'humour' value (negligible) and the model to which it's working (Billy Joel), but it still puts across a fairly unequivocal message.

[SetToStun]

"Liberal" after 1979? Arab?

I admit the use of the word "Arab" may have been technically incorrect, it was just a handy tag. Perhaps "Islamic" would have been better. Anyway, by "liberal" I meant socially liberal. Up until quite recently (according to a documentary I saw a few years ago, plus a few news broadcasts), it was quite normal for girls to attend school up to and including further/higher education; there were female teachers, doctors, dentists, scientists; there was quite a liberal café society in the major cities and people were pretty much allowed to get on with life, provided they didn't get too critical of the government or the Ayatollahs. I'mmadinthehead seems to be more hard-line than most, however. If the documentary got that wrong, then apologies.

[kngen]

I admit the use of the word "Arab" may have been technically incorrect, it was just a handy tag. Perhaps "Islamic" would have been better. Anyway, by "liberal" I meant socially liberal. Up until quite recently (according to a documentary I saw a few years ago, plus a few news broadcasts), it was quite normal for girls to attend school up to and including further/higher education; there were female teachers, doctors, dentists, scientists; there was quite a liberal café society in the major cities and people were pretty much allowed to get on with life, provided they didn't get too critical of the government or the Ayatollahs. I'mmadinthehead seems to be more hard-line than most, however. If the documentary got that wrong, then apologies.

The 'feminisation' of Iranian cultural and political life, and the liberal legacy this engendered, has a lot to do with the massive number of men killed in the Iran/Iraq war in the latter part of the 20th century. It was expediency more than anything - that's not to say that Iran isn't a hugely cultured, sophisticated and educated country (probably the most so out of the Middle East), but if the Immams could get the women back in their homes playing the dutiful wife without the country falling apart, they'd do so in a second. But make no mistake, as this gender bias[nb]I'm talking purely in numbers here[/nb] rights itself in coming years, women will struggle to hold their positions (or at least younger women will find it far harder to ascend to lofty positions their forebears did). This was just a shot across the bows in a long, slow battle of attrition to return Iran to less enlightened times.

[SetToStun]

Ah, fair enough. I'm pretty sure that bit wasn't covered - it's the sort of thing you'd remember, really.

[CaledonianGonzo]

Worth mentioning at this point that the Islamic Revolution in Iran had its roots in the actions of the US and UK governments (like, for example, the 1953 coup d'etat) seeking to monopolise Iranian resources like tobacoo and - yup - oil (hey, BP!). 

I guess the debate is as to which regime is/was worse for the Iranian people - the Shah's corrupt, pro-Western dictatorship or the current ultra-conservative regime of the Ayatollahs.

[kngen]

I think what a lot of Westerners forget (or never knew in the first place, such as a certain Anthony Charles Lynton Blair) is how deep the feelings of injustice run in regards to  Mossadegh's overthrow in 1953. That country has been through so much for so long, and it can all be charted back to that point. (Yeah, nice one, Churchill). So unsurprisingly, even the progressive, democratic elements in modern Iran aren't exactly seduced by overtures from the West given their previous meddling. Thankfully, it seems like the US/UK can't even begin to think about drumming up money/support for any kind of regime change antics, because I fear that the man in the street, who may have had reservations about what happened in Iraq, is less likely to feel affinity with a group of people who are supposed to be 'on our side', but in actuality are thinking 'Piss off you bastards - haven't you fucked us over enough already?'

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Surely someone at some point must have mused at the potential hilarity of Rupert Murdoch being hurled from a dodgem.

[Recurring Villain]

Aye aye!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11691728

The Business Secretary, Vince Cable, has ordered Ofcom to investigate News Corporation's plan to take full control of broadcaster BSkyB.

News Corporation has said it wants to buy the 61% of BSkyB it does not own.

The inquiry will look into "media plurality" - the degree to which news outlets are concentrated under one organisation's ownership.

Rupert Murdoch's News Corp owns News International, which owns the Sun, News of the World, Times and Sunday Times.

These account for a third of the UK's national newspaper circulation, while BSkyB has almost 10 million customers.

In a statement, News Corporation said it believed its plan would be cleared.

"News Corporation is confident that the proposed investment will not adversely affect media plurality in the United Kingdom and looks forward to discussing any substantive issues with the relevant authorities."

In a short statement, BSkyB said it noted the announcement made by Mr Cable.

Separately, the European Commission is also investigating the impact of the purchase on competition, owing to the size of the proposed acquisition, and will announce its decision by 8 December.

Mr Cable's move follows pressure from rival media groups who wrote to him last month urging him to block Mr Murdoch's move, which they said could reduce diversity in the industry.

The signatories included the heads of the BBC and Channel 4, as well as chief executives of newspaper groups, including the Telegraph, the Mail, the Guardian and the Mirror.

But the broadcasting executive and former head of programmes at BSkyB, David Elstein, said it was unclear whether there were any grounds for the complaints.

"You have to think through what possible effect on media plurality - ie the number of news outlets, media outlets there might be - from News Corporation owning all of BSkyB as opposed to 39% and it's quite hard to spot what they might be."

Ofcom has to report back to the Business Secretary by 31 December. Mr Cable must then decide whether to make a referral to the Competition Commission.

News Corp told the board of BSkyB in June that it was prepared to pay 700 pence a share to take full control of the leading satellite broadcaster, an offer that has not been made formal but that the directors of BSkyB said was too low.

As well as its UK interests, News Corp owns other major assets including the Fox film and TV empire, as well as major publishing companies, including Harper Collins.

Its latest results for the three months to September showed profits up 26% at $775m (£484m).

[actwithoutwords]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/robertpeston/2010/12/what_vince_cable_said_about_ru.html

Uh oh.
I hope Cable hasn't ballsed this up now. Imagine Murdoch had the BBC to thank for this. IRONY.

[biggytitbo]

Game set and match Murdoch,

Thanks a lot Cable, you TURD.

[ThickAndCreamy]

Nice to see Labour arguing Cable should step down in the decision making in a clear ploy to win back the love of News Corporation.

It's the new, new Labour! HUZZAH.

[fat handed twat]

Oh for fuck's sake! He finally does something useful and he's probably going to have to resign for it now!

[imitationleather]

Nice to see Labour arguing Cable should step down in the decision making in a clear ploy to win back the love of News Corporation.

It's the new, new Labour! HUZZAH.

:(

Nothing good can come of any of this.

[Dead kate moss]

:(

Nothing good can come of any of this.

Hey, what happened with the lost mailbox key?

[George Oscar Bluth II]

I echo the general "oh for fucks sake" sentiment. There was no way the BBC could have sat on this story once they had it, sadly.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Oh well, don't really feel like rallying around that cunt Cable but it's for a good cause.

[thepuffpastryhangman]

Worra daft lad. I always wonder 'just how clueless are the likes of Ricky Hatton, allowing themselves to do exposed doing naughty's nicer sister by the NOTW?' But Ricky's an idiot, Vinnie's just a bare faced liar, yet, here he is, proving he's got less than zero nouse. Also proving how much more aware the previous cabinet must've been.

[Goldentony]

Seems strange the guy from Erasure would have a problem with Murdoch, wonder what kicked it off!!

[Dusty Gozongas]

Any gamblers here know what the the odds are for a general election within the next 18 months?

[Danger Man]

Any gamblers here know what the the odds are for a general election within the next 18 months?

9/2 for 2011 on Betfair.   6/1 for 2012.

5/4 for 2015.

[The Duck Man]

The saddest element of this is that the decision on BSkyB has been passed to Jeremy Hunt.

It is why no major international players have come forward to buy ITV and major US networks are not interested in investing in Britain. They are driven away by regulations which are strangling our creative media industries. We will strip away the regulations in the same way that Big Bang revolutionised the City to make it the major financial centre of the world ...

Because our regulation is stuck in the pre-internet dark ages, we have left our media industries exposed and vulnerable to huge market shocks. It has taken the combination of a bitter advertising recession and the structural changes wrought by the internet for this to sink home.

The start must be massive reform of the cross-media ownership rules for local media operators. We need to allow media operators more flexibility to own businesses operating on both the same and different platforms.

FFS.

[Dusty Gozongas]

6/1... I'll kick myself if I don't!

[rudi]

Seems strange the guy from Erasure would have a problem with Murdoch, wonder what kicked it off!!

It was when The Snu outed Alf Moyet as a woman.

[CaledonianGonzo]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/robertpeston/2011/01/ofcom_says_news_corps_sky_bid.html

I am as sure as I can be that Ofcom has made an unambiguous recommendation that NewsCorp's plan to acquire all of British Sky Broadcasting should be referred to the Competition Commission for further investigation.
Sky headquarters

What I don't understand is why Jeremy Hunt, the Culture Secretary, has not simply published the report and announced that there will be a further Competition Commission enquiry into whether the takeover restricts plurality in the media (or choice for viewers and readers).

Instead, he is having talks with BSkyB and with News Corporation (which already owns 39% of Sky and various British newspapers, including the Sun and Times), as the Guardian disclosed a few days ago.

What is there for Mr Hunt to talk to NewsCorp and Sky about, if - as I say - Ofcom's advice is clear and unambiguous?

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Quite. But we all know Jeremy Hunt.

We need to allow media operators more flexibility to own businesses operating on both the same and different platforms.

There's only one corporation he could possibly be referring to.