Rupert Murdoch dismisses claims News Corp is a climate change denier
The founder and chairman of News Corp, Rupert Murdoch, has rebuffed claims his company promotes a climate-change-denying agenda.
At the company’s annual general meeting in New York, Murdoch was asked about the company’s stance on climate change: “What do you believe is the global role of News Corp in the current geo-political climate? If you do believe in climate change… why [does] News Corp give climate denies like Andrew Bolt and Terry McCrann so much air-time in Australia?”
The question was asked by Jessica Craig, a proxy for News Corp shareholder and founder of Crikey, Stephen Mayne.
Murdoch responded: “On climate change, we have reduced our carbon footprint by 25% six years ahead of schedule. We were the first North American media company to commit to science-based targets to limit climate change. We have reduced energy costs by [US]$18m since fiscal ’14. Global paper policy to ensure 100% of publication paper is sourced from certified sustainable material. And print centres have achieved 96% diversion from brown fields as part of our zero waste goal. There are no change climate change deniers around, I can assure you.”
Craig also asked the News Corp board whether the purpose of credible news organisations was to “inform or inflame” current issues, and how the company balances the need to provide information with the temptation to drive up profits and circulation via being inflammatory.
The board did not answer this question.
During the AGM, however, Murdoch pushed the company’s “premium content” offering.
“News Corp is an increasingly digital and global company, defined by unparalleled premium content and market-leading and multi-platform brands…. News Corp is a uniquely influential media company,” Murdoch said.
CEO Robert Thomson echoed these sentiments, positing that we’re entering a new era.
“We are surely entering an era in which our trusted news, information and entertainment is increasingly sought by platforms, partners, advertisers and audiences globally. We intend to make the most of that emerging opportunity for the benefit of all our shareholders,” Thomson said.
Both men lightly praised Facebook for taking the first steps in rewarding and respecting its journalism, however signalled there was still some way to go in balancing the playing field between traditional publishers and tech giants.
Thomson was far more praising of Foxtel, which, according to him, is recovering.
“The new management team at Foxtel has actually done an excellent job in improving the quality of the technology and the user experience, and evidence of that can obviously be seen in the success of Kayo, our sports streaming service which launched just over a year ago, and now has 402,000 paying subscribers, and that is at a premium rate of AU$25 a month, not AU$6.99 or AU$8 a month,” he said.
He also said paid subscribers for Foxtel had grown 12% to approximately 3.1m.
Overall, Murdoch said News Corp has had a “successful year” and it was now working to optimise its profits and simplify the structure of the company.
On how it can maintain its market position and have its mastheads survive in an ever-changing environment, Murdoch said “the secret is to go digital”.
Surely this response from dear Rupert is satire no?
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Not noted in this article was how he slunk off briefly to [Edited under Mumbrella’s comment moderation policy]
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The Australian and the Telegraph have done more to promote climate denial in this country than anyone. It’s a national disgrace that needs to be called out. And while we’re at it, you’ll never find a bad word about Trump in either. Blue collar Australians need to be educated on how they’re being hoodwinked by Murdoch’s nonsense
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Lies don’t matter anymore in the post-truth era.
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If you know somebody who works for his organisation, remind them about the harm it has caused to so many. Look at the UK, US and Australia, all in absolute strife politically, because of Murdoch rhetoric. Lachlan; what are you going to do?
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“Wild winter in US, UK, etc. no respectable evidence any of this man made climate change in spite of blindly ignorant politicians.”
– @RupertMurdoch
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I think it’s general knowledge that NewsCorp is the most hated company in the media industry and (arguably) in Australia. It’s been that way for years!
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Silly question ….Lachlan’s already doing it!
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We all know news outlets have political views. Left or right mostly left actually. Are there any “centre” media organisations? Ah, no! So don’t be surprised what you read in any paper or watch on TV. It will come with built-in bias and comment. Once upon a time, the news was news. It’s now all just meaningless dross with confirmation bias for no extra charge. ordinary folks just want milk, not milk with only 2% fat…
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You may be right about the bias – but climate change isn’t a partisan issue.
Politicians have fooled you into thinking it is – but the science has proven it’s happening regardless of which side you support. Right or left leaning, everyone burns the same in bushfires made worse by the inaction of governments paid for by mining and fossil fuel companies.
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Interesting to watch the slow cooked frog coming to the boil. For many years people like Murdoch and others – in politics, business and elsewhere – have treated the public with contempt. I get the sense that these folk simply don’t understand or feel the depth of ire and contempt they attract. News Ltd is screwed. They’ve sold all the valuable bits and the Murdochs are now sitting on a pile of cash, playing with the ideology entertainment they call news. One can only hope that their ultimate payback is just.
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Yeah Rusdie. And you sound like just the person to head up the re-education camp.
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Editorials are not news. News assets in the news ltd web space put editorials and comment front and centre. If you select “the news” it’s a different feed. Rupe may be drawing a line under what his journalists say and what he lets others say on his rags masthead and front pages.
The comments are a pack of self righteous fanatical neoliberal anti-union b.a.santamaria Catholic rightists but the actual journalists less so. Chris Mitchell retired and so now acts like the rest of the commentariat there.
A campaign of studied advertising withdrawal would work wonders. Rupert does not like declaring declining revenue.
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