48 hours to stop Murdoch's UK media takeover

Thought this should have it's own thread:

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Cut and pasted from:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/murdoch_messages_2/?fp

(it takes just a few seconds to sign the petition, just need you name, email address and post code)

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Dear friends across the UK,

Last week Jeremy Hunt said he'll allow Murdoch to own all of BSkyB. Now a series of reports of criminal and indecent Murdoch journalism are coming out -- hacking murdered Milly Dowler, the Soham girls, and the 7/7 families! We have 48 hours to flood the BSkyB public consultation and stop the deal.

We've done it before -- in the last consultation Hunt said our avalanche of 40,000 messages delayed the deal as his officials had to read each email carefully, fearing a legal challenge. Now our voices could halt the deal and get a full inquiry into this vile hacking.

Murdoch's media tramples standards and ignores ethics, and the whole country is horrified. But the government is pushing to give him full control of our largest commercial broadcaster. It's an outrage and threatens the very pillars of our democracy! The official consultation ends on Friday. Send a message now calling on Hunt and Cameron to refuse Murdoch's BSkyB deal until there's a full Competition Commission review and a full public inquiry into phone hacking:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/murdoch_messages_2/97.php?cl_tta_sign=3f423a97d275d0d1965f1e550b3cd0db

Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation already owns 40% of British newspapers and 40% of BSkyB, the UK’s largest commercial broadcaster. In the US, Australia and elsewhere this degree of media dominance would not be allowed. News Corporation has admitted responsibility for hacking the phones of politicians and celebrities, and now stands accused of listening to messages of a murdered 13 year old girl. But our government wants to give Murdoch power over half of our media, allowing him to then squeeze out his rivals one by one.

Since November we’ve repeatedly rallied to stop Murdoch. We've sent messages, phoned ministers, done stunts, and funded adverts and legal challenges. Jeremy Hunt says our actions have delayed the deal and persuaded him to make changes to how Sky News will be treated if Murdoch takes over BSkyB. He's had to hire extra lawyers and is nervous about a battle in the courts. We're making an impact, but the conditions Hunt plans to put on the takeover won't work, as Murdoch regularly runs rings round regulators.

Now is the moment to stand up for our media and our democracy and build pressure on the government. Let's send messages calling on Jeremy Hunt and David Cameron to refuse Murdoch's BSkyB deal until the deal has been reviewed by the Competition Commission and a full judge led public inquiry into the hacking scandal is conducted and completed. Send a message now, and encourage your friends to do so.

http://www.avaaz.org/en/murdoch_messages_2/97.php?cl_tta_sign=3f423a97d275d0d1965f1e550b3cd0db

An independent and diverse media is vital for holding governments to account and should not be in the hands of someone known for unethical journalistic practices and who often seeks favours in return for endorsing politicians and parties. But people power can stop this deal. If we all stand up together now in the UK, we’ll give hope to independent media advocates across the world.

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Already done it.
https://www.lfgss.com/post2265303-3464.html

done and doner

Hack his phone, that's what to do.

done

Had the email in my account, thanks for the reminder, done and shared on FB

dun didid it

Done it

at last
i have been boycotting murdochs products for the last few years
the sooner his media empire crumbles the better
fucking aussies

Welcome back tynan.

^ is it though?

Our reputation is more important than the last hundred million dollars.

Rupert Murdoch

Done, Shared, FBd. I get all Four Lions just thinking about Rupert Murdoch.

Right, now don't me wrong, I strongly dislike the NOTW, and what they are alledged to have done is clearly wrong, but I don't see how that has any relevance to this takeover. There is no evidence Murdoch had any knowledge of this, yet the mix of anti-Murdoch propaganda (which should be irrelevant to any decision), and fears of a lack of competition (which is a valid point), just confuses the issue, and as such I won't sign anything.

If this was purely about the lack of diversity in the media, then fine, but nothing has changed there.

Surely he is responsible for the actions of those who work for him? Surely this is indicative of a journalistic ethic within the Murdoch empire? Surely support for media plurality is enough reason to sign, regardless of other people's reasons?

10,000 signed in 1 hr
cool ey

Signed and forwarded to all on Fbook.

Right, now don't me wrong, I strongly dislike the NOTW, and what they are alledged to have done is clearly wrong, but I don't see how that has any relevance to this takeover. There is no evidence Murdoch had any knowledge of this, yet the mix of anti-Murdoch propaganda (which should be irrelevant to any decision), and fears of a lack of competition (which is a valid point), just confuses the issue, and as such I won't sign anything.

If this was purely about the lack of diversity in the media, then fine, but nothing has changed there.

Ofcom disagree with you though:

http://media.ofcom.org.uk/2011/07/06...it-and-proper/

And has anyone read the Times editorial today? It's a beautiful work of fiction and diversion.

Ofcom disagree with you though:

http://media.ofcom.org.uk/2011/07/06...it-and-proper/

Link doesn't work. If Ofcom are against it, for whatever reason, then that's absolutely something the government should be taking note of. I'm in no way saying I'm for the takeover, but to say it shouldn't happen because of the phone hacking is a ridiculous knee-jerk reaction.

If Murdoch is somehow to blame for that (which is what is being implied here), then it's happening in a company he 40% owns now, as he does BSkyB.

Sorry, revised link:

http://media.ofcom.org.uk/2011/07/06/statement-on-fit-and-proper/

"n the light of the current public debate about phone hacking and other allegations, Ofcom confirms that it has a duty to be satisfied on an ongoing basis that the holder of a broadcasting licence is ‘fit and proper’.

It is clearly not for Ofcom to investigate matters which properly lie in the hands of the police and the courts, however we are closely monitoring the situation and in particular the investigations by the relevant authorities into the alleged unlawful activities."

Cliveo can tell you all about 'fit and proper'.

Frank Dobson asked the attorney general in the house of commons today whether NI would receive a licence to run a minicab firm in London ... it appears not .... & as London cyclists we know what a bunch of cowboys cab drivers can be

Murdoch, First Fleet in reverse.

Went to a fascinating talk about this at the Royal Institution last night. The speakers were Evgeny Lebedev, Max Mosley, Johaan Hari, Charlotte Harris and Ruby Wax.
It was hosted by the independent and the editor gave a very good introduction basically damning Murdoch.
They do talks every few weeks. really recommend getting tickets. very interesting stuff

http://www.5x15stories.com/index.php?/coming-next/coming-next/