Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.3/205296

Title

Harnessing the power of the press

Author(s)

Dodd, Andrew

Abstract

The late mining magnate, Lang Hancock, used to tell a story about Rupert Murdoch. It was about the time Murdoch was considering breaking into the mining industry in Western Australia and wanted a slice of the Pilbara. So he held a meeting with the then-premier Charles Court. According to Hancock, Murdoch turned up on his doorstep late one night to report that the meeting had gone very well. Murdoch explained how he'd convinced Court to give him what he wanted. He said it was easy. He just asked Court a simple question: 'Look you can have a headline a day or a bucket of shit every day. What's it to be?' Whether apocryphal or not, this anecdote seems eerily familiar, watching some of the recent behaviour of the editor in chief of Murdoch's Australian newspaper, Chris Mitchell. Mitchell has shown that he is also willing to harness News Limited's media assets to get his way.

Publication type

Commentary

Source

The Drum, 16 July 2010

Publication year

2010

Keyword(s)

Journalism;  Journalistic integrity;  Media campaigns;  Murdoch press;  News Limited

Publisher

Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Publisher URL

http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/36542.html