Lets be honest, This isn't even about the scandal anymore.
This is about systematically destroying the highly effective and innovative global media empire Mr Murdoch has work so hard throughout his life to build up. Why shouldn't he own BSkyB, after he risked everything to provide a world class service to millions of Brits and Irish.
Would the BBC and the newly re-Ideological Labour look upon this so harshly if this was Trinity Mirror? Would they my Arse.
I struggle to see how this is the Fault of the Murdochs.
When a rape is committed in a rented house, one does not apportion blame on the landlord.
(888777555, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:19, 9 replies, latest was 15 years ago)

You can shut the fuck up RIGHT now.
Media concentration is quite a large threat to the country. Secondly, need I remind you that it is in the BBC's mandate to actually have reporting from a neutral standpoint. Trinity Mirror is just one part of a larger press, of which 80% is mostly Tory-leaning anyway.

If you want a simple reason as to why Murdoch shouldn't own BSkyB, look at Fox News.

So shit the fuck off.
(The Luggage is haunted..., Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:22, Reply)

If you want a look at why biased news should be allowed, look at MSNBC or one of the Democrat channels.
Left wing channels would cancel out the influence from Right Wing ones such as Fox UK.
(888777555, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:25, Reply)

You don't get it do you?
Fox News isn't just biased, they actively distort facts and ignore anything that doesn't fit into their warped world view.

And you were doing so well.
(The Luggage is haunted..., Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:27, Reply)

So do other Liberal news channels.
There should be a news market in which the public should be allowed to hear what they want to.
(888777555, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:29, Reply)

Bloody hell, you hit your head this morning?

(The Luggage is haunted..., Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:34, Reply)

Utter bollocks,
that's all fair enough if it's packaged as entertainment or discussion.
It's absolutly incompatable with the idea of news. Are you saying if you ask any watcher of news in America if they want to hear accurate unbiased news they'll say "no, I want biased inacurate news please" consumer choice only counts if there is a viable alternative.
(PsychoChomp, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:36, Reply)

y'know just because they are left of your position, does not make then biased.
I find them shockingly pro-authority and rather right wing at times, but I suspect this is because I am a commie/anarchist and they actually represent a fairly middle of the road viewpoint somewhere between your EDL sympathies and my desire to smash the state and instantiate a mutualist utopia (joke).
( CQ Knows the truth, all of it., Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:31, Reply)

I am able to envisage unbiased news, because ITV is always quite fair.

(888777555, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:33, Reply)

Oh don't make me laugh...

(The Luggage is haunted..., Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:33, Reply)

By world standards it's one of the best ones.
And it makes channel 4 news which is my personal fave.
(PsychoChomp, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:37, Reply)

Oh right.
Thought you were talking about pure ITV ITN, which always seems a little over-sensationalised to me. Then again, I can never bring myself to watch ITV. I always end up feeling a little dirty for some reason.
(The Luggage is haunted..., Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:38, Reply)

Anyway need I remind you that Public service broadcasters such as the BBC and RTE have the sort of power private media does not
And they are often not neutral.
(888777555, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:28, Reply)

Mate. Let's get one thing straight here...
If you say "Need I remind you", no one is going to listen to a thing you have to say, because you sound like an arrogant child.
(Poppet some assembly required., Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:29, Reply)

I think the point is that most people don't want a politically biased channel.
I want unbiased unsensationalised news. Not editorial spin, bias or anything. If it is dull news, I can take it.
( Bartleby A dead man on vacation, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:32, Reply)

Don't they?
They buy biased newspapers by the millions every fucking day. You give the public way too much credit here.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:35, Reply)

they don't know that it's biased I suspect

( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:37, Reply)

I know the papers are all biased in one way or another.
I was referring to radio and TV news.
( Bartleby A dead man on vacation, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:38, Reply)

As a sympathizer to Free Market ideologies.
Its hard to prove such statements until one has been one opened up and we are allowed to see it fail or succeed on its own merits.
There may be a large enough minority of willing viewers to sustain it anyway. This is the choice of and business of the viewers, and it would be silly to take it away fro them because "over 50% object" to something that doesn't affect them or any other unwilling participant at all.
(888777555, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:36, Reply)

How odd.
Parliamentary debates run that way.
(The Luggage is haunted..., Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:37, Reply)

You really are quite naive aren't you.

( girlinthehole, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:22, Reply)

He's 16
it's the unwillingness to accept that he might just possibly be less than totally right when even the resident torries here call him a twat that's scary. I weep for our future.
( CQ Knows the truth, all of it., Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:27, Reply)

The Tories don't like him either
I know people like him. They buy a tweed suit when they go to university
( Amberl was stripey and dominated Europe, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:32, Reply)

I had a bet with myself about how long before you got involved.
I won. Should you not be in school?
( CQ Knows the truth, all of it., Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:25, Reply)

They probably expelled him for being a knob.

( girlinthehole, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:35, Reply)

I was just wondering about that.

(Poppet some assembly required., Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:39, Reply)

I really fucking wish that had been a criteria for expulsion at my school

(Darth Foxtrot A one-man army dedicated to making fetch happen, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:42, Reply)

Murdoch is a complete cunt.

( Agnostic Antichrist Baltimora, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:25, Reply)

OK I'm not sticking up for you anymore

( Peej, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:27, Reply)

I admire your bulldog spirit, young man.
You are simply desperate to start a fight at every turn.

I actualy agree that now everyone is bandwaggonning on this one and putting the boot in, there's definitely an element of that.

I do take issue with you on the 'world class service' issue, though - he peddles shit, to cunts.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:31, Reply)

Why shouldn't we put the boot in?
Precisely for the reason of peddling utter tripe to the lowest common denominator.

The public wants what the public gets, indeed.
(The Luggage is haunted..., Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:33, Reply)

The public are cunts and should die.

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:34, Reply)

Going Underground?

( Bartleby A dead man on vacation, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:35, Reply)

Yup.
Paul Weller is a very smart man.

I like a lot of his music.

Now that's entertainment.
(The Luggage is haunted..., Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:36, Reply)

Haha!

( girlinthehole, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:36, Reply)

Monty, you know I of all people have no issue with your sticking up for the underdog in the face of endless abuse
Nonetheless I can't help but wonder if you have a vested interest here. Can you recall every woman you had sex with when you were 20-21? Did any of them have Indian heritage or roots in Wolverhampton?
(Darth Foxtrot A one-man army dedicated to making fetch happen, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:46, Reply)

Oh, that would be fucking loverly.
And the best part would be Monty would try his best to be a good dad and look after the lad, can you imagine his and his 'parents' horror?. Addled druggie that he is he's a conscientious father.
( CQ Knows the truth, all of it., Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:56, Reply)

I'm taking his failure to deny the suggestion as an admission of guilt
as opposed to "having work to do" or "refusing to acknowledge such a preposterous idea". DNA tests please. How bushy are Monty's eyebrows, anyone?
(Darth Foxtrot A one-man army dedicated to making fetch happen, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:05, Reply)

I think we need the Jeremy Kyle Show to sort this one out

( Amberl was stripey and dominated Europe, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:34, Reply)

I would fucking love that
The amount of disdain generated by Monty were he to meet Kyle would break television
(Darth Foxtrot A one-man army dedicated to making fetch happen, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:49, Reply)

Wolver-fucking-hampton?
You sir, are sailing very close to duel territory.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:04, Reply)

BREAK BATTLE

(Darth Foxtrot A one-man army dedicated to making fetch happen, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:09, Reply)

A couple of points;
Rape is typically a crime of passion, and as such is rarely planned. Whilst one would not blame a landlord for a singular rape in his property, if a group of people were using a prominent, lucrative residence to persistently commit aggravated sexual assault over a period of several years, any landlord who claimed to have no idea of the goings on would have to be an idiot or a liar.

Secondly, the idea of Sky News becoming more like Fox News should fill anyone who watches it with horror, unless they are a complete fucking idiot.

:-)
(Darth Foxtrot A one-man army dedicated to making fetch happen, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:39, Reply)

I thought that Sky News was okay to watch.
Same with BBC news. I thought they didn't seem to be too... extravagant or twisty with their coverage. But then that's coming from me, a foreigner.
(Poppet some assembly required., Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:42, Reply)

No, they're OK as is
I prefer BBC to Sky because they're a bit less sensationalist. But Fox News UK, in whatever format, would be obscene.
(Darth Foxtrot A one-man army dedicated to making fetch happen, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:43, Reply)

I liked the lady on BBC.
she had blonde hair, and was really pretty. (this is not my sole criteria for picking favourite news anchors, btw)
(Poppet some assembly required., Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:45, Reply)

I have no problem with this criteria
I'm sure Plumdozer wouldn't either
(Darth Foxtrot A one-man army dedicated to making fetch happen, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:47, Reply)

Rape is rarely about passion
and more about control. Or power. Specifically, taking the power to say no away from someone.
( b3th Not shit. Not mod., Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:55, Reply)

Good point
I meant to infer that in most cases it is a spontaneous crime rather than a planned one. I hope.

Morning
(Darth Foxtrot A one-man army dedicated to making fetch happen, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:59, Reply)

Morning you
Feeling better today? I left a nice treat on your fb page for you.
( b3th Not shit. Not mod., Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:01, Reply)

So you did
And it's awesome. Thank you :-)
(Darth Foxtrot A one-man army dedicated to making fetch happen, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:03, Reply)

Because, you blithering idiot:
1: Monopolies are illegal. This is what Murdoch is trying to get and this is why there was controversy over him buying out BSkyB before this scandal hit. BSkyB is our biggest broadcaster. Almost everything that is not the BBC is owned by BSkyB

2: Biased media is not a good thing. Even a schoolchild such as you ought to be able to see that. Biased media makes it easy for powerful people to sweep things they don't want to acknowledge under the carpet. Fox News, for example, has not reported a single thing on the phone hacking scandal, not a sausage. With all our media controlled by one man, nothing detrimental to Murdoch would get reported.

3: Rupert Murdoch is a conniving, sly, dirty fucking bastard.
( Kroney, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:47, Reply)

*polite applause*
I think it's fair to say the shit has rolled all the way uphill on this because Murdoch is such an odious cunt, but that's what you get for being an odious cunt.

Happy B3taday, btw
(Darth Foxtrot A one-man army dedicated to making fetch happen, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:49, Reply)

Nine years :(

( Kroney, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:52, Reply)

Are the words "less for armed robbery" buzzing around your head?

(Darth Foxtrot A one-man army dedicated to making fetch happen, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:55, Reply)

I'm starting to worry that I might be a lifer.

( Kroney, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:01, Reply)

Can we have an anecdote about the old days of B3ta please granpda?

(Darth Foxtrot A one-man army dedicated to making fetch happen, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:02, Reply)

I remember the days before The Fear
and the Quo were memes. I remember when there was only /board.

In those days, people weren't actually cunty to each other. That came later.
( Kroney, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:04, Reply)

Can you trace back the origins of B3ta trolls?
Is there a "Troll Adam/Eve" who started the tradition?
(Darth Foxtrot A one-man army dedicated to making fetch happen, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:08, Reply)

As befits my age, my memory isn't what it was.
I think some people from 4chan came over.
( Kroney, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:10, Reply)

I'm going to ignore that first comment and/or pretend I'm not older than you

(Darth Foxtrot A one-man army dedicated to making fetch happen, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:15, Reply)

What's that, young man?
Speak up!
( b3th Not shit. Not mod., Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:18, Reply)

I read that as 'lifter'
I have to admit, I'd had my doubts about you.
( b3th Not shit. Not mod., Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:04, Reply)

I would like to point out at this juncture
that not only do I have excellent health, 20/20 vision, blue eyes, a 2.1 AND that I'm at my peak physical condition, I'm also rather attractive to women.
( Kroney, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:07, Reply)

I think we'll be the judge of that, thank you.
*judges*
( b3th Not shit. Not mod., Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:10, Reply)

You know the tripod of lust?
I'd be the bit that you'd actually sit on. The cushion, I suppose.
( Kroney, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:12, Reply)

That just reminded me of those space hoppers with dildos attached.
I have no idea why.
Actually, I bet they're fun.
( b3th Not shit. Not mod., Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:14, Reply)

That's my animal magnetism.
The Cushion of Fulfilment, that's me.
( Kroney, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:15, Reply)

The problem is there are no liberal news channels
the same argument is trotted out by Fox's defenders but all their examples of "liberal" channels - MSNBC, CNN - are actually centre-right. I can't help wondering if that might be because THEY'RE ALL OWNED BY GIGANTIC MULTI-NATIONAL CORPORATIONS.
( The Light in Chains don't touch the Pope's boner, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:53, Reply)

I don't know about you, but I tend to find
that gigantic multi-national corporations don't tend to hold to a socialist/liberal left policy. In fact, I tend to find they're rather protectionist.
( Kroney, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:56, Reply)

I disagree.
I refuse to concede that the US and Aussie political spectrum is at all shifted to the right of the European spectrum.
They support the Dems, they're centre left.
(888777555, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:56, Reply)

You're an idiot

(PsychoChomp, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:58, Reply)

I mean such a massive idiot I don't know where to start.
Just look at policy implementations of the last 5 years.

Or just read anyone's analysis of the political spectrum.
(PsychoChomp, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 10:59, Reply)

Actually find one link on the whole internet that agrees with you and I'll be suprised.

(PsychoChomp, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:01, Reply)

ones from the Democrat party website don't count

( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:04, Reply)

so much this.

( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:02, Reply)

How long will it take before you start
to believe that, when everybody else you talk to is telling you you're wrong, you may not be right. Can we skip to the end, please?
( Kroney, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:00, Reply)

Sod everyone else
If Chompy and I agree on something it must be correct
(Darth Foxtrot A one-man army dedicated to making fetch happen, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:03, Reply)

I've never met anybody with so little a grasp on their subject
be so confident that their opinion is gospel.
( Kroney, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:05, Reply)

He's 16
I'm going to keep repeating this. The only thing that stopped me being as big a knob at his age was lack of confidence.
( CQ Knows the truth, all of it., Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:06, Reply)

You mean a lack of the Internet to be anonymous on

( Labia Majora You keep on talking but it makes no sense at all, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:08, Reply)

Well, this too
Hey! I'm not that fucking old!* And I don't deny he's shockingly ignorant and cock sure, but only about average for his age.

*is that fucking old
( CQ Knows the truth, all of it., Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:10, Reply)

There are very few teenagers who are not ignorant and cocksure
Most think they're invincible and have a grasp of the Truth that old folk will never have.
( Labia Majora You keep on talking but it makes no sense at all, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:13, Reply)

there are two explanations here though
either he knows fuck all about this stuff and has reached a lot of daft conclusions, or he has done a load of research, reached a lot of daft conclusions and while doing so has wasted a lot of time when he could be enjoying himself as much as possible while he is young.

Either way: verdict is 'fucking stupid'
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:17, Reply)

Nicely put!

( Labia Majora You keep on talking but it makes no sense at all, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:20, Reply)

Seconded

(Darth Foxtrot A one-man army dedicated to making fetch happen, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:21, Reply)

I'm with Kroney on this one
When I was his age I was exactly as you say, as long as I was discussing football or music or even politics with my mates. I'd make damn sure I knew my stuff before starting such a discussion with an adult because they tend to be more worldly-wise, on account fo having lived in it.
(Darth Foxtrot A one-man army dedicated to making fetch happen, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:17, Reply)

When I was his age
I was too busy playing Ultima Online, listening to Marilyn Manson and NIN, and being the token goth kid who got friendzoned all the damn time.
( Labia Majora You keep on talking but it makes no sense at all, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:21, Reply)

Was that a social network?

(The Luggage is haunted..., Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:23, Reply)

In a way
It was one of the first major MMORPGs.
( Labia Majora You keep on talking but it makes no sense at all, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:24, Reply)

Ultima Online, or Friendzone?

(The Luggage is haunted..., Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:29, Reply)

Ah I see, UO

( Labia Majora You keep on talking but it makes no sense at all, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:31, Reply)

Ok, that one fell totally flat.

(The Luggage is haunted..., Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:36, Reply)

Me too
If you trade Ultima Online for Final Fantasy VII. The online thing didn't ramp up in time for me to take advantage of my parents' internet connection.
(Darth Foxtrot A one-man army dedicated to making fetch happen, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:26, Reply)

I played that too, and FFVIII

( Labia Majora You keep on talking but it makes no sense at all, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:28, Reply)

FFVIII is my all time favourite FF game.

( Kroney, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:30, Reply)

Me too
FFXII is also very good, but FFXIII is one of the worst 'games' I've ever played.
( Labia Majora You keep on talking but it makes no sense at all, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:31, Reply)

I preferred VII myself
Not that VIII isn't awesome, but I couldn't bring myself to care as much about the characters. And obviously I was comparing it to the awesomeness of VII throughout.
(Darth Foxtrot A one-man army dedicated to making fetch happen, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:32, Reply)

At 16 I was intelligent enough to do some proper research
if I was going to be talking with adults.
( Kroney, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:08, Reply)

And in my day
we had respect for our elders and betters....
( CQ Knows the truth, all of it., Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:11, Reply)

I didn't have any of that
but I made sure that I actually knew what I was talking about.
( Kroney, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:12, Reply)

Good man.
Try to propagate this idea to other adult, let alone children.
( CQ Knows the truth, all of it., Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:15, Reply)

So there being a Democratic President means the entire country leans left of centre
You absolute simpleton. You're forcing me to agree with Chompy, here. Please Leave The Internet and don't put me in this position again.
(Darth Foxtrot A one-man army dedicated to making fetch happen, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:01, Reply)

he'll be thinking that the President is actually in charge next.
That they'd let a moron like Dubyah have his finger on the big red button.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:03, Reply)

Good point
Also, how bad did things have to get before they'd elect a Democrat? Four years of a complete fucktard wasn't enough, they gave him EIGHT before going "left of centre"
(Darth Foxtrot A one-man army dedicated to making fetch happen, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:07, Reply)

bollocks are they
The Democrats are, as far as I can see about as far left as our Tory party, maybe less so, they just look vaguely left wing compared to the rabid neo-con hate machine that is the Republican party
( CQ Knows the truth, all of it., Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:03, Reply)

Bang on, sir
The Republicans are so far to the right that they think racism is acceptable and a candidate who preaches Creationism is anything other than a fucking moron.
(Darth Foxtrot A one-man army dedicated to making fetch happen, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:06, Reply)

Why thank you my whimsical friend
Nice to be told I'm right occasionally, I'll try not to get used to it.
( CQ Knows the truth, all of it., Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:08, Reply)

Been a while since anyone called me whimsical
Or indeed anything other than "a bender"
(Darth Foxtrot A one-man army dedicated to making fetch happen, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:13, Reply)

bender

( b3th Not shit. Not mod., Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:14, Reply)

Well, I do tend to use whimsical and Metrosexual
to mean "bent as a nine bob note with out actually taking it up the arse", you may be insulted or not as you chose.
( CQ Knows the truth, all of it., Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:16, Reply)

Given the language generally used to describe me in this forum
notably by my best online friend, just above you - I will happily take either as a compliment.
(Darth Foxtrot A one-man army dedicated to making fetch happen, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:18, Reply)

Cool
My Sig continues to ring true.
( CQ Knows the truth, all of it., Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:22, Reply)

Awwww
I love you really, you beakering cunt.
( b3th Not shit. Not mod., Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:23, Reply)

We all love Darth
because he's lully, just not quite as much as Rory, obviously.
( CQ Knows the truth, all of it., Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:32, Reply)