Customer Reviews

Murdoch Archipelago

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Bruce Page obviously loves the profession of journalism and has written a fine book about the business in it's political environment, specifically relating to Rupert Murdoch.

Murdoch's father Keith became an Australian hero by attacking the "Establishment" with populist lies about the ill fated Gallipoli landings and his son follows in his footsteps, also posing as an outsider while attaching himself to any rising political party.

Page amply illustrates the fiction of editorial independence at News International and shows beyond dispute that the group has achieved it's dominance by trading populist press support for political favours.

I think that it helps to have a familiarity with Anglo/American/Australian politics and press history from the 1970's onwards, but if you do have this interest, then it's an extremely valuable reflection on the real life power plays, idealism, responsibilities, confusions and compromises of journalism - in fact the best that I've read.

In this brilliantly written and hard-hitting book, Bruce Page analyses in depth R. M.'s character (based on T. Adorno's `The Authoritarian Personality'), the history of his media empire, the power links, the revolutions in the media scene and the crucial test `freedom v. pseudo-freedom' for democracy.
His book contains also excellent information on such important historical issues as `Bloody Sunday' or the `Thatcher Years'.

Media landscape
In the early days of TV, newspapers didn't cover TV programs enough compared with the role they played in the life of their readers. Now, there is a close and vital embrace between TV and the newspaper industry (and most of all the tabloids).

Newspapers and pseudo-newspapers
A real news business, like newspapers must chase tirelessly after authentic (independent of opinion) disclosures. Some newspapers don't even try it; they are called pseudo-newspapers.
Effective and independent disclosures will bring newspapers into substantial conflict with the governing powers of the day.
Pseudo-newspapers will give active support of governing power to the extent of assisting it with official propaganda. The facts that are in the public interest are not published or selectively disclosed or covertly manipulated.

Freedom v. pseudo-freedom
The media system has been rightly thought to be the brightest hope for enlightenment, liberty and entertainment. But, the system became corrupted through profitable (corporate) alliances with the powerful in government. Law and regulations don't constitute a barrier anymore, if there is sufficient influence with sufficiently powerful people.

Democracy
For B. Page, democracy is fictional if media are there only for the ruling class. Only when the media are transparent, can the essential qualities of the intimate republic be saved.
Governments must not be allowed to hand over the use of public `goods', which give liberties material expression, to conspicuous free riders. Otherwise, a free society commits suicide.

Bruce Page wrote a very courageous and most necessary analysis of the Australian, English and US media scene. For him, democracies should be foolish to ignore media influences, which may be considered the greatest danger modern society faces.
A must read.

This is one of the most badly written books I have ever read. Bruce Page must have written it in a hurry.
People are giving this book good reviews because they are trying to get their own back on Murdoch after the Milly Dowler phone-hacking scandal in the UK.
As much as I despise Rupert Murdoch and his nasty right-wing media empire I will not give a good review rating to a book simply because it criticises Murdoch.
Bruce Page had the opportunity to stick the boot into Murdoch and he ended up kicking himself in the face.
This book was reviewed in Private Eye magazine when it first came out. Private Eye gave it a terrible review and I concur.