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News Corp. Enters Into Politics – Explicitly, This Time

by Philip Bump | 9:41 am, August 18th, 2010

» 38 comments

Rupert Murdoch‘s News Corporation, the parent company for Fox News, The Wall Street Journal and the New York Post, recently made a $1 million contribution to the Republican Governors Association, a partisan 527 designed to bolster GOP gubernatorial campaigns.

Facing immediate and ferocious criticism, News Corp. responded by citing their sympathy with the RGA’s “pro-business agenda”. Articles about the transaction were similarly quick to note that other companies, even other media companies, have given money to the RGA as well as Democratic committees.

But the actual amount donated by News Corp. was $1,010,450 – an amount that makes News Corp. the sixth-largest contributor to the committee this year. It’s an amount only $500,000 shy of the number three contributor – the Republican National committee. News Corp. also, expectedly, didn’t donate to the Democratic Governors Association.

Nathan Daschle, executive director of the DGA, called it “stunning” that a media company would make such a large, partisan investment in politics. “The people owning Fox News have made a decision that they want to see Democratic governors go down to defeat,” said Daschle. “It’s a jaw-dropping violation of the boundary between the media and corporate realm.” News Corp.’s spokesman responded: “It’s patently false that a corporate donation would have any bearing on our news-gathering activities at Fox News or any other of our properties.” (Also, Fox News, responding to Daschle wanting to air out his concerns on the network, tells the Washington Post: “We understand Nathan’s desire to get face time on the most watched news network. And when he can offer insight on a legitimate news story instead of concocting a dishonest publicity stunt, we will consider having him on as a guest.” )

The speculation, of course, is what one might call trickle-down politics. News Corp. invests over a million dollars on behalf of Republican candidates. Murdoch’s newspaper properties will undoubtedly endorse in many of these races, and are very likely to endorse Republican gubernatorial candidates. Fox News will continue to air issues and tacitly argue for Republican policy measures during opinion hours. So, where is the organizational wall of partisan advocacy erected? Between a producer and on-air talent? Where the clock ticks from 3:59 to 4:00pmET? Echoing my previous thoughts on this: anywhere?

There’s another question: why the RGA? As a 527, it could accept corporate money even before the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision. But governors, contrary to News Corp.’s argument, have a limited impact on tax issues and agenda. Why not give to the RNC? The RNC has only $10 million on-hand. The RGA, in contrast, has raised $27 million more than it has spent this year – $15 million more than the DGA. Is it because, unlike the House, Republicans aren’t expected to walk to victory in gubernatorial contests?

There’s no question that News Corp.’s action is unusual, brash and inflammatory. Whether or not it’s a one-time investment or a thrown-down gauntlet in a new era of media company engagement remains to be determined.

But two things are certain: News Corp. knew that this would reinforce the common perception of their political bias. And News Corp. did it anyway.

DGA, fox news, New York Post, News Corp., Politics News, rga, rupert murdoch, The Wall Street Journal

The Real Royal King

Fair and balanced.

We report, you decide.

Pimps and whores.

EACH AND EV’RY DAY
FOX FANS RAISE THE CALL:
GIVE US RIGHTIST LIES,
OR NOTHING AT ALL!
dlauf87

http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/contrib.php?cycle=2008&cid=n00009638

Should we not let our kids to to UC, Stanford, Colombia, or Harvard? How about Time Warner and General Electric, do they get news exposes when they donate to politics?

The reality is that companies will donate to causes that help their companies and it happens on both sides. The difference is in the news coverage of it.
Pablo

dlauf87 said:
The reality is that companies will donate to causes that help their companies and it happens on both sides. The difference is in the news coverage of i

Well, that and Jeff Immelt’s season pass to the White House.
NORBIT

Get over it!

The “Mainstream Media” serves as a veritable “in-house” propaganda arm of the Democratic Party!!!
———————————
More Importantly:
This just gets better & better!

Did you all hear the latest Democrat Campaign? —— “TEAM PELOSI !”
I kid you not!
They’re rallying around one of the most dis-respected Speakers of all time!!

That’s like saying: “Team Cleveland Browns!” – or – “Team Jimmy Carter!”
————————

Hey, Make sure to grill “Team Pelosi” about that Islamic Terrorist “Victory Mosque” going up at Ground Zero!!
- we want to keep that story going until Nov. 2!!!!
Azarkhan

“”News Corporation believes in the power of free markets, and the RGA’s pro-business agenda supports our priorities at this most critical time for our economy,” News Corp. Spokesman Jack Horner said.

It’s real simple Philip. The Republicans believe in individual liberty and free markets and the Democrats don’t.
I hope News Corp. gives one million each to the Republican Senate, House, and National Committees.

PS: I’m sorry. Of course you believe in individual liberty. Just as long as it is restricted to arrogant elitists like you. That would pretty much limit it to NYC, LA, and DC.
ZoneDaiatlas

Here’s what Philip Bump and the rest of the Obama’s knee padders at Mediaite failed to mention.

News Corp. has given 54 percent of its donations to Democrats and 46 percent to Republicans, according to the Center for Responsive Politics including $8,000 to Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid’s campaign committee and $5,000 to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s organization. News Corp. also gave $45,000 each to GOP and Democratic campaign committees on Capitol Hill.

Murdoch even held a fundraiser for Hillary Clinton in 2006 and the New York Post endorsed her Senate re-election bid.
newzmaker

In spite of popular belief by the Professional Left, the Murdoch family has a long history of supporting Democrats.
Having said this, however, Murdoch is a businessman, first, and foremost, which means that he will protect his assets, always. Unlike GE, the parent company of MSNBC, Fox News didn’t have to beg for stimulus money, which means Murdoch definitely knows to profit from his business ventures.

http://online.wsj.com/article/NA_WSJ_PUB:SB125832961253649563.html
marcus.lewis

This seems to me like a network that is outright paying for access and interviews.
paulmdoro

Azarkhan said:
“”News Corporation believes in the power of free markets, and the RGA’s pro-business agenda supports our priorities at this most critical time for our economy,” News Corp. Spokesman Jack Horner said.

It’s real simple Philip. The Republicans believe in individual liberty and free markets and the Democrats don’t.

More amazingly reasoned and astute political analysis from everyone’s favorite partisan. Democrats hate freedom, liberty, free markets, and America. Duh.
Azarkhan

” from everyone’s favorite partisan”

Come on now. You’re not giving Royal his due.
paulmdoro

Azarkhan said:
” from everyone’s favorite partisan”

Come on now. You’re not giving Royal his due.

Each side needs its hysterical cheerleader.
notsofast

But my dear Philip, son, you left out this from the Bloomberg article:

“Big Democratic givers for the governors’ races include two Washington-based labor groups, the Service Employees International Union, which donated $1.1 million, and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which contributed $3.3 million.”
paulmdoro

Big corporation donates money to political group. ZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz………………..
The Real Royal King

Azarkhan said:
“”News Corporation believes in the power of free markets, and the RGA’s pro-business agenda supports our priorities at this most critical time for our economy,” News Corp. Spokesman Jack Horner said. It’s real simple Philip. The Republicans believe in individual liberty and free markets and the Democrats don’t.I hope News Corp. gives one million each to the Republican Senate, House, and National Committees. PS: I’m sorry. Of course you believe in individual liberty. Just as long as it is restricted to arrogant elitists like you. That would pretty much limit it to NYC, LA, and DC.

I find it rather ironic that anyone thinks that the party which wanted to rip habeas corpus out of the Consitution and now wants to revoke the 14th Amendment, the very hallmark of all individual rights the individual states might find inconvenient has any interest in individual liberty. In fact, I have never seen any indication of that.

I have no quarrel with Murdoch’s largesse to radical rightists, nor am I surprised by it. He simply can’t proclaim that FOX is a news organization anymore, nor can he proclaim it’s fair and balance. It is demonstrably and beyond dispute nothing more that Propaganda Ministry for the RNC. It’s long been that defacto. Now, it’s official.

EACH AND EV’RY DAY
FOX FANS RAISE THE CALL:
GIVE US RIGHTIST LIES,
OR NOTHING AT ALL!
The Real Royal King

notsofast said:
But my dear Philip, son, you left out this from the Bloomberg article: “Big Democratic givers for the governors’ races include two Washington-based labor groups, the Service Employees International Union, which donated $1.1 million, and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which contributed $3.3 million.”

Toads and tamales there, my friend. These are not purportedly fair and balanced news organizations are they? And, you can’t argue that FOX News is anymore. You lose.

EACH AND EV’RY DAY
FOX FANS RAISE THE CALL:
GIVE US RIGHTIST LIES,
OR NOTHING AT ALL!
notsofast

The Real Royal King said:
Toads and tamales there, my friend. These are not purportedly fair and balanced news organizations are they? And, you can’t argue that FOX News is anymore. You lose.

No- you lose.

Tell me the law that prevents them doing what they did?

I’ll wait!
marcus.lewis

notsofast said:
But my dear Philip, son, you left out this from the Bloomberg article:

“Big Democratic givers for the governors’ races include two Washington-based labor groups, the Service Employees International Union, which donated $1.1 million, and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which contributed $3.3 million.”

Last time I checked, those labor groups aren’t a news organization.
notsofast

marcus.lewis said:
Last time I checked, those labor groups aren’t a news organization.

Last time I checked, Rupert was NOT a FOX commentator.
paulmdoro

Fox is a corporation that owns Fox News, the WSJ, and others. GE is a corporation that owns MSNBC and others. Each makes donations to political groups. You can’t be outraged about one and not the other.
paulmdoro

And really, transparency is a key part of this as well. It’s not a secret. People know and can draw their own conclusions.
marcus.lewis

notsofast said:
Last time I checked, Rupert was NOT a FOX commentator.

The money didn’t come out of Rupert’s pocket. The money came out of News Corps’ pocket. How can they have any journalistic integrity or control when they know they have to report a certain way and ask candidates questions that the candidate wants to be asked? With such a large contribution to the RGA, News Corp is explicitly backing republican nominees; if I was a journalist in one of Rupert’s companies, I certainly would think twice before publishing an article that while true, might paint one of the candidates in a bad light.
The Real Royal King

notsofast said:
No- you lose. Tell me the law that prevents them doing what they did? I’ll wait!

I never said any law prevented it, Twit. I said that the largesse destroyed any appearance of objectivity. It does.

You know people who deovte there lives to twisting the truth are usually far better at it than you seem to be. This was particularly inept.

notsofast said:
Last time I checked, Rupert was NOT a FOX commentator.

No, he merely hires and continues to employ them, and they are not influenced at all by his blatant rightist ideology, are they? I’m afraid Murdoch left you no room to squirm out of this one. The indisputable fact is: FOX NEWS IS NOW THE OFFICIAL PROPAGANDA MINISTRY OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

EACH AND EV’RY DAY
FOX FANS RAISE THE CALL:
GIVE US RIGHTIST LIES,
OR NOTHING AT ALL!
The Real Royal King

paulmdoro said:
Fox is a corporation that owns Fox News, the WSJ, and others. GE is a corporation that owns MSNBC and others. Each makes donations to political groups. You can’t be outraged about one and not the other.

And, that is the wisest thing you have ever said. The real point to all of this is that those who make a life out of bleating, moaning and whining about MSNBC now lack the moral authority to do so. All the mud thrown at MSNBC now comes back and dirties them.

EACH AND EV’RY DAY
FOX FANS RAISE THE CALL:
GIVE US RIGHTIST LIES,
OR NOTHING AT ALL!
marcus.lewis

paulmdoro said:
Fox is a corporation that owns Fox News, the WSJ, and others. GE is a corporation that owns MSNBC and others. Each makes donations to political groups. You can’t be outraged about one and not the other.

You’re right. I don’t believe any news organization should give any money to those in power or who wish to be in power. As people have pointed out already, News Corp is not the first to give money…however, the sheer size is something new–especially when usually news organizations (or their parent companies) tend to give a much smaller amount (relatively speaking of course) or balance out the amounts they give to each side. All in all, it is still a sign of the failure of our media, insofar as they are buying access to politicians and political parties.
paulmdoro

At least we know about though. Transparency here is very important.
The Real Royal King

paulmdoro said:
At least we know about though. Transparency here is very important.

In the former East Germany some hotels had clear plastic sewer pipes so clogs could be detected. I suppose it is good to see FOX’s crap as well.

EACH AND EV’RY DAY
FOX FANS RAISE THE CALL:
GIVE US RIGHTIST LIES,
OR NOTHING AT ALL!
paulmdoro

If the law of the land from now on says that corporations can donate as much money as they want to whomever they want, I for one want transparency.
notsofast

marcus.lewis said:
The money didn’t come out of Rupert’s pocket. The money came out of News Corps’ pocket.

Irrelevant. They do not write for or speak on FOX .

The issue is influence, and if FOX is so pro Republican, why would they feel a need to make a donation?

And GE owns NBC and Immelt sits as one of Barry’s advisors- talk about a conflict!
notsofast

The Real Royal King said:
No, he merely hires and continues to employ them, and they are not influenced at all by his blatant rightist ideology, are they?

Nope!

Not anymore than NBC is influenced by Immelt who advises Barry!
http://www.nukethefridge.com MartiniShark

I gather Part-2 of this series will detail for us the myriad ways G.E. is currying favor with this administration and using its news divisions to suppport them in their initiatives in the hopes of huge windfalls down the road.
Iris

the right wing old fart hatemongers love the muslim Prince Alaweed from Saudi Arabia who owns fox news the geezer channel along with the non American murdoch family. You stupid geezers, this is one reason why everyone knows you hate America. Say what you want about Imelt et all, THEY ARE AT LEAST AMERICAN YOU TREASONOUS OLD GEEZER CHANNEL WATCHING HATEMONGERS!
tjl

No surprise here. The price to pay for propaganda.
DaTruth

Let’s see, the very same Rupert Murdoch who held a fundraiser for Hillary Rodham Clinton??? Gotta love it when the facts get in the way of the narrative:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/07/18/politics/main1816866.shtml

The same Newscorp who’s former #2 for many years –Peter Chernin– was a huge money-raiser for Democrats? Oops…there goes that narrative again. Read here about Chernin and Murdoch family members as well as Newscorp employee contributions:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/02/us/politics/02murdoch.html?_r=2&oref=slogin

Snippet: “But an analysis of campaign contributions from employees of the News Corporation and its affiliates, including 20th Century Fox, Fox Sports and the like, reveals they skew heavily Democratic and toward Mrs. Clinton, who collected more than $100,000 in donations compared with about $80,000 for Mr. Obama.

The records show that the employees gave less than $20,000 to Republicans seeking their party’s presidential nomination.

Last year, even Mr. Murdoch contributed $2,300 to Mrs. Clinton’s presidential campaign. His son James contributed $3,450 to Mrs. Clinton. This followed The Post’s endorsement of her re-election in 2006, as well as Mr. Murdoch’s highly publicized fund-raiser for her.

Several top Murdoch advisers are close to the Clintons. Peter Chernin, president and chief operating officer of the News Corporation, is a major fund-raiser for Mrs. Clinton. Gary Ginsberg, Mr. Murdoch’s chief spokesman, was an assistant counsel in the Clinton administration and has acted as his emissary to the world of Democratic politics. ”

It’s hard to be so “royally wrong” about Newscorp, but some websites and commenters who don’t bother to actually do research manage to do just that.
marcus.lewis

Sorry “Da Truth” but I think you are misleading. There’s a huge difference between 1 million and 100,000. Also there’s a big difference between someone donating their own private money versus a company donating money.

If News Corp really wanted to be transparant and are worried about pro-business agenda, they would form their own PAC. At least then they would be able to man up and stand up for what they actually believe. As it is now, they can disavow anything the RGA says, while still being one of the top contributors to the RGA. Gotta love having it both ways.
WilsonTheHeretic

This is a TERRIBLE idea. As a longtime Fox viewer I am completely uncomfortable with this.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Karna-Myers/1227080007 Karĕna Myers

The only reason FOX has any ratings is because it has placed free televisions in airports, bus terminals and building lobbies. As is everything else reported by FAUX Noise–it’s totally contrived.
marcus.lewis

Karĕna MyFriend said:
The only reason FOX has any ratings is because it has placed free televisions in airports, bus terminals and building lobbies. As is everything else reported by FAUX Noise–it’s totally contrived.

While there may be some correlation between people being introduced to FNC via tv’s being on everywhere, those sets are not measured in the Nielson ratings. Nielson still fails to count viewers who tune in from places other than their home.
ZoneDaiatlas

What we have here but facts that Mediaite and the rest of Obama’s knee padders won’t report…

GE the parent company of NBC has donated $1.1 Million to the Democrats in the 2010 cycle…
http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=D000000125

Time Warner the parent company of CNN has donated $536,000 to the Democrats in the 2010 cycle…
http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=D000000094&cycle=2010