Campaign for Press and Brodcasting Freedom Stop Murdoch Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom & GMB
FREE Press
2
We’ll
stop him 4
again!
No 210 Spring 2017£1
Journal of the Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom
SKY TAKEOVER: 300,000 SIGNERS SAY …
DONALD TRUMP
AND ALT-REALITY
Can the mainstream
media stand up
to him?
NO ADS, NO
CLICKBAIT, JUST
JOURNALISM
County gets real local
news online
They had no idea how many and how deeply people
RUPERT MURDOCH’S 21st Century Fox is making a
resented the abuse of power by the Murdoch media,
second bid to takeover Sky TV, and once again a popular
and now there’s a much wider range of people for
movement is bidding to stop him.
whom the prospect of their power extending even
Six years ago Murdoch’s attempt to buy up the
further is intolerable.
61 per cent of Sky he doesn’t already own crashed in
They contend that Murdoch, with his record of
flames as the phone-hacking scandal exploded around
bullying, influence-peddling and corruption, is not a
his London newspapers.
“fit and proper person” to have complete control of the
But it was already facing mounting opposition,
network. The regulator Ofcom has a power to conduct
particularly from a new style of popular campaigning,
the “fit and proper” test to media firms, but it is not a
the online activism of Avaaz and 38 Degrees, which
required part of the takeover procedure.
circulated a petition that reached 150,000 signatures.
Former chairman
In 2017 both
of the BBC Sir Michael
are working with a
Lyons challenged her
coalition of media
reformers, which
Turn to page 3 to “do anything in her
power to resist the
include the CPBF. This
further growth in the
time 38 Degrees has
Murdochs’ grip on news
already handed in a
, , How they pressure government
and media”.
petition to culture
Shadow culture
secretary Karen Bradley
, , How you can join the campaign
secretary Tom Watson,
with more than
who played a key role
300,000 names.
Special 4-page pullout in exposing crimi-
“Giving even more
nality within Murdoch
control over our media
newspapers, said the prime minister needed to come
to one man is a serious threat to our democracy,”
clean on what she discussed with Murdoch when they
said Maggie Chao, campaigner at 38 Degrees. “Rupert
met last September.
Murdoch is not fit and proper to take even more control
The former Labour leader Ed Miliband asked: “Do we
over the news we read and watch.”
want Rupert Murdoch controlling even more of media
Industry experts have been persuaded by Murdoch’s
landscape? No.” And to Theresa May: “You said you
managers that the takeover will pass comfortably
would stand up to the powerful. No better test than
through the regulatory process … but so they were
Murdoch bid for Sky. Over to you.”
in 2010-11.
TOUCH AND GO FOR SKY BID
WHAT TAKEOVER WOULD DO
9
DISTORTIONS
AND LIES …
Rail workers brave
media as well
as bosses
For all campaign news and
info go to cpbf.org.uk
Email:
[email protected]