Die-nasty

(Reuters) – It was one of many strange moments in a hearing rich in absurdity. As British lawmakers questioned Rupert Murdoch last month over whether his News of the World journalists broke the law by hacking into mobile phones, the 80-year-old Australian-born boss of media giant News Corporation began to reminiscence about his late father.

…snip…

Member of Parliament Damian Collins tried to get the hearing back on track, but Murdoch, sitting beside his son James, the head of News Corp’s non-U.S. interests, continued: “That just addresses the question of it being a family business. I would love to see my sons and daughters follow that route — if they are interested.”

What Murdoch’s children are interested in may no longer matter.

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Who says there are no manufacturing jobs left in America?

From Tim Dickinson at Rolling Stone:

How Roger Ailes Built the Fox News Fear Factory

The onetime Nixon operative has created the most profitable propaganda machine in history. Inside America’s Unfair and Imbalanced Network

The key to decoding Fox News isn’t Bill O’Reilly or Sean Hannity. It isn’t even News Corp. chief Rupert Murdoch. To understand what drives Fox News, and what its true purpose is, you must first understand Chairman [Roger] Ailes. “He is Fox News,” says Jane Hall, a decade-long Fox commentator who defected over Ailes’ embrace of the fear-mongering Glenn Beck. “It’s his vision. It’s a reflection of him.”

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A Hume-an Interest Story

From the raw story:

Buddhism is inferior to Christianity when it comes to forgiveness of sins, according to Fox News pundit Brit Hume. Tiger Woods should turn his back on Buddhism and become a Christian to be forgiven for cheating on his wife, Hume told Fox News’ Chris Wallace Sunday.

…snip…

Hume’s statements are particularly ironic given the recent sex scandals encountered by an assortment of Christian politicians.

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I Bet He Grinds Organs, Too!

Is it true that money buys happiness? Apparently, the Bancroft family thinks so. From the Guardian:

It was a sad week, perhaps, for the Bancroft family – that paternal clan of old-time warriors who fought valiantly to maintain the independent integrity of the Wall Street Journal. Or did they?

A less sympathetic observer might suggest that the Bancrofts spent three months indulging in navel-gazing dithering over Rupert Murdoch’s $5.6bn offer for their family media vehicle before indulging in a venal lunge for cash at the flimsiest hint of an extra incentive.

Whatever you think of the Dirty Digger’s politics, you’ve got to hand it to Murdoch – his handling of the Dow Jones battle has shown business brilliance and he has left the Bancrofts looking more dysfunctional than the House of Windsor.

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