Bolt: Is Rinehart’s Ten investment aimed at turning it into an Australian Fox News?
The Ten Network may become a vehicle to promote the commercial interests of the mining industry, News Ltd writer Andrew Bolt has claimed.
In his column today, Bolt claims to have inside information – although he says he can’t disclose the source – on the intentions of mining billionnaire Gina Rinehart who this week unexpectedly bought a 10% stake in Ten. Raising the possibility of a news operation similar to the conservative-leaning Fox News in the US, Bolt says:
“My strong and not entirely uninformed hunch is that much bigger issues are at play involving our country’s future and threats to the wealth we’ve taken for granted.
“I can’t disclose just why I suspect that, but read for yourself a clue in the terse statement put out by Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting on Monday: ‘Our company group is interested in making an investment towards the media business given its importance to the nation’s future and has selected Channel 10 for this investment.’
“Rinehart is on a mission. Channel 10 is just the vehicle.”
Bolt adds: “I believe this deal may be the start of an attempted shakeup of one of the three big free-to-air TV stations, by a woman rightly alarmed that people in the eastern states have got complacent, living fatly off industries they despise and in their ignorance now threaten.”
Ten has just seen the arrival on the board of James Packer and Lachlan Murdoch following Packer’s investment in the company.
Bolt says: “I have no idea what Rinehart hopes now to do to Ten, if anything. Nor could I guess what chances she’d have of turning it into, say, an Australian Fox News, even if she wanted to. What would Packer say? What would Murdoch, son of the Fox News owner?”
Bolt also refers to previously unreported comments from Rinehart over resource issues.
He says: “Not a single newspaper or television station reported her warning, or checked to see what the problem was. But now Rinehart may hope that next time one will.”
Tim Burrowes founded Mumbrella in 2008. He worked on Mumbrella until 2021. At various points he was editor, content director and editor-at-large.
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interesting times but what does it mean for the 7pm project?
Will the 7pm Project now be hosted by Gina and Twiggy Forrest?
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classic stuff from one of Australia’s top imagination-based commentators
#lolbolt
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Seriously, if you were going to pick a station as a mouthpiece for resource issues, would you choose the one with Masterchef and Neighbours?
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Re “classic stuff from one of Australia’s top imagination-based commentators”: Bolt may have many faults but failing to keep in touch with the right-wing power structure is not among them.
Furthermore, there are similar whispers in the Oz today; looks like at least two people got the same briefing.
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We’re doomed! Dooooooomed!
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Guess that will mean Simpsons 24hrs a day to cater for the lower IQ market.
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People who watch the Simpson are dumb Nathan? Care to clarify, or are you too busy reading the 1972 annual of Encyclopedia Brittanica?
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Whatever you think about Bolt, his readers aren’t to keen on Rupert’s iPad revolution. Not keen at all.
http://blogs.news.com.au/heral.....mmentsmore
Good on Bolt for putting up so many comments that get stuck into the rag he works for.
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Bolt goes nuts
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