Summary: Color of Change, who rallied a national online movement of letter writing, emails and petitions to remove Glenn Beck off the air by reaching out to Beck’s advertisers, has now turned its attention to the head of News Corp (and owner of Fox), Rupert Murdoch. They are hopeful their efforts will be as successful with Murdoch as they have been with Beck; 80 advertisers have deserted Beck after pressure from Color of Change.
What is as American as apple pie? Awaking each morning to have one’s coffee (or tea) and read the newspaper; which often includes at least one local news source and one or two national, i.e., The New York (or LA) Times and The Wall Street Journal. This morning, I noticed a newspaper sitting on the table — lots of colorful ads, peppered headlines – it was the WSJ. My first thought, Rupert Murdoch; another real newspaper down the drain.
Like Glenn Beck and much of the crew on Fox news, Murdoch has been the news over the past week. Murdoch publicly voiced his support of Beck’s outrageous claim that President Obama is a racist, stating, “if you actually assess what he was talking about, [Beck] was right.” Realizing that his comments did not go over well, Murdoch tried to double back and say that was not what he really meant. Too late. The cat’s out of the bag and, like Beck, et al., it is time for us to let Mr. Murdoch go.
There is a growing sentiment across the country to rid our media outlets (whether in print or on air) of the kind of sensationalized reporting Murdoch promotes. The Color of Change is seeking to silence the lies and innuendo that Murdoch’s media enterprises espouses. Color of Change first went after Glenn Beck and, to date, has influenced 80 advertisers to pull their advertisements and support of Glenn Beck’s show. Now Color of Change is going after the source, Rupert Murdoch. Color of Change is asking everyone to sign a petition demanding Murdoch be accountable for his comments.
While Beck is the worst offender on the Fox News Channel, the network has a long, deep history of engaging in inflammatory racial rhetoric; attacking Black leaders, Black culture, and Black institutions.
A sad commentary for us all is Murdoch’s use of America’s sacred founding principles, i.e., freedom of speech and press, to build a media empire with racial fear, hate and paranoia as its foundation.
Last month, Murdoch put Don Imus (fired from MSNBC for his infamous “nappy headed hos” comment) back on television on the Fox Business Network. Several weeks ago, Murdoch personally fired Marc Lamont Hill — one of Fox News’ few black commentators — in response to a racially charged smear campaign led by a News Corp shareholder, who said Hill has a “reputation of defending cop killers and racists.” Last night, Lou Dobbs resigned from CNN (thank you, Lou) and, after meeting with Roger Allies of Fox, there is much speculation Dobbs may join the race/hate line up at Fox. (It is almost like watching Bat Man, when all the evil forces unite together.)
Murdoch’s Henchmen, Racist Ideology and Voiced Commitment to “destroy Barack Obama”
Murdoch chooses his employees carefully, and his agenda is obvious when you look at the people he’s chosen to run his media organizations.
Roger Ailes, president of Fox News, is a former media consultant for Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush. He was also a media consultant for Rudy Giuliani’s first mayoral campaign in 1989. Ailes made his name by using racial paranoia to propel Republican politicians to victory, starting in the 1960s. He engineered key elements of Richard Nixon’s Southern Strategy, and a notorious race-baiting ad campaign that helped the first President Bush defeat Michael Dukakis. Ailes was also the executive producer of Rush Limbaugh’s failed television show. Ailes latest activity — meeting with Lou Dobbs last month. Today, Lou Dobbs announces his last show with CNN. As noted before, not difficult to connect those dots.
Col Allan, who heads up News Corporation’s New York Post, is best known for allowing the paper to run a cartoon that appeared to depict the President as a dead monkey, covered in blood after being shot by police. Allan’s response to a nation-wide, public outcry of indignation was to attack the critics of the cartoon coupled with a short insensitive statement that took no responsibility for the paper’s action.
Sandra Guzman, an editor (and Latina) of the New York Post spoke out against the cartoon. Last month, the New York Post fired Guzman. She is now suing News Corporation, the New York Post, and Allan, stating that the New York Post is a “hostile work environment where female employees and employees of color have been subjected to pervasive and systemic discrimination and/or unlawful harassment based on their gender, race, color and/or national origin.” Guzman says that Col Allan and others at the paper routinely made inappropriate sexual and racial comments. She also says that the paper’s Washington, DC bureau chief told her that the New York Post’s goal was to “destroy Barack Obama.”
Color of Change, along with many other organizations, are determined to not allow either Murdoch or anyone in News Corps continue to get away with the kind of hatred and race-baiting media coverage they now promote. They are asking everyone to sign the petition and pass it on to others to do likewise.
References
1. Rupert Murdoch Interview, Sky News, 11-06-09
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsboAwzj7aY
2. “An Open Letter to Rupert Murdoch: What exactly do you mean?” Huffington Post, 11-10-09 http://tinyurl.com/yg2yj58
3. “Murdoch doesn’t consider Obama racist: Spox,” Politico, 11-10-09
http://tinyurl.com/y8fhg4n
4. “On FOX, Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson and Mike Gallagher attacked Kwanzaa,” Media Matters, 12-23-04 http://mediamatters.org/items/200412230012
5. “Matalin: ‘I think these civil rights leaders are nothing more than racists. And they’re keeping … their African-American brothers enslaved,’” Media Matters, 2-09-06 http://mediamatters.org/items/200602090003
6. “Defending Bennett’s comments, Rev. Peterson cited alleged violence at Superdome to claim that most blacks ‘lack moral character,’” Media Matters, 10-03-05 http://mediamatters.org/items/200510030005
7. “Breaking: Don Imus Joins Fox Biz,” TV Newser, 09-03-09
http://tinyurl.com/mdtn4x
8. “FNC Liberal Pundit Marc Lamont Hill Fired,” TV Newser, 10-16-09
http://tinyurl.com/yzx7xyd
9. “Fox President Roger Ailes’ History Of Race-Baiting,” Media Matters, 10-30-09 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnNyEKAZIO4
10. “NY Post Defends Cartoon, Slams Al Sharpton” Huffington Post, 02-18-09 http://tinyurl.com/cdmhmm
11. “New York Post Lawsuit: Shocking Allegations Made By Fired Employee Sandra Guzman,” Huffington Post, 11-10-09 http://tinyurl.com/y964vmb
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