Murdoch's World
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Page 287 A blogger could base his website in the West Indies: Paul Staines, “Bring On the Press Police,” Wall Street Journal Online, November 27, 2012.
Page 288 Cameron expressed doubts: Michael Holden and Kate Holton, “Britain’s Cameron Rejects Press Law After Hacking Scandal,” Reuters, November 29, 2012.
Page 288 Cameron pushed a plan with a royal charter: Fraser Nelson, “Why the Spectator said ‘No’ to David Cameron’s Royal Charter for Regulation of the Press,” Spectator, March 19, 2013; Alan Rusbridger, “We Need Reform AND a Free Press. This Will Require Both Time and Openness,” Guardian, March 25, 2013; “UK Urged to Reconsider Post-Leveson Media Proposals,” letter to Prime Minister David Cameron from the Committee to Protect Journalists, April 2, 2013.
Page 289 as media analyst Claire Enders argued: Claire Enders/Enders Analysis, submission to Leveson Inquiry, July 17, 2012; also Annex 1 and Annex 2 to Enders’s submission.
Page 289 Ed Miliband advocated that path: Dan Sabbagh, Lisa O’Carroll, and John Plunkett, “Murdoch’s Share of the Newspaper Market Is Too Big, Says Miliband,” Guardian, June 12, 2012.
Page 289 story about a possible cover-up: A series of stories about Bo Xilai by Jeremy Page of the Wall Street Journal is nicely captured in “Bo Xilai: Inside the Scandal: A WSJ Documentary,” WSJ Digital Network, June 29, 2012.
Page 289 “It involved a certain amount of risk”: Rebecca Blumenstein, interview by author.
Page 289 the Times website was shut down: Author’s interviews with Lawrence Ingrassia, assistant managing editor of the New York Times, and Richard Bejtlich, chief security officer for the Mandiant consulting firm.
Page 290 the Pulitzers were once again punishing: Two Wall Street Journal editors, interview by author.
Page 290 “proven to be unfounded”: William Grueskin, interview by author.
Page 290 “We must not take . . . our foot off the gas”: Nick Leys, “Murdoch Affirms ‘Papers Here for Years to Come,’” Australian, September 24, 2012.
Page 290 a charming jumble: The history of the State Theatre in Sydney is set out on its website, www.statetheatre.com.au/HistoryGallery.aspx.
Page 290 Murdoch’s gaze turned westward: Author’s interviews with one News Corp official; two former Tribune Co. officials; and one Tribune Co. official; Meg James, “Rupert Murdoch, Other Potential Buyers Eye L.A. Times,” Los Angeles Times, October 19, 2012.
Page 291 “It won’t get through”: Meg James and Nicole Sperling, “Rupert Murdoch Says Los Angeles Times Purchase Not a Sure Thing,” Los Angeles Times, January 14, 2013.
Page 291 “a strategy of deciding what you want”: Andrew Jay Schwartzman, interview by author.
Page 291 in hopes of appeasing investors: A News Corp executive and a News Corp newspaper editor, interviews by author.
Page 291 Holy shit, Angelo told a friend: Two of Angelo’s associates, interviews by author.
Page 292 Fox Group . . . would assume any costs: News Corp executive, interview by author.
Page 292 Lachlan Murdoch refused to return: An associate of Lachlan Murdoch and a former News Corp official, interview by author.
Page 292 “relentless” cost-cutting: “News Corp Promises ‘Relentless’ Cuts at Newspapers,” Reuters, May 28, 2013.
Page 292 thought Joel Klein was disappointed: Former News Corp professional, interview by author.
Page 293 legal strategy seemed to have worked: Lawyer familiar with federal investigation into News Corp’s potential Federal Corrupt Practices Act violations, interview by author.
Page 293 Tom Mockridge . . . could not abide: Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson and Emily Steel, “Murdoch’s UK Newspaper Chief Resigns,” Financial Times, December 2, 2012; Maisie McCabe, “Liberty Global Hires Tom Mockridge to Run Virgin Media,” MediaWeek, May 8, 2013.
Page 293 Rebekah Brooks was set to face trial: Lisa Carroll, “Rebekah Brooks Trial to Start in September at Old Bailey,” Guardian, June 7, 2013.
Page 293 Labour MP Tom Watson wrote a book: Watson and Hickman, Dial M for Murdoch.
Page 293 Louise Mensch resigned her seat: “Louise Mensch to Quit as an MP, Triggering Corby By-election,” BBC News, August 6, 2012.
Page 293 James Harding . . . left the paper: Peter Jukes, “Bad Times at The Times: James Harding Steps Down,” Daily Beast, December 13, 2012; Ben Webster, “Harding to Stand Down as Editor of The Times,” Times of London, December 13, 2012; “James Harding Named as Director of BBC News,” BBC News, April 16, 2013.
Page 294 Murdoch thought getting beaten was: Rupert Murdoch, testimony to Leveson Inquiry, April 25, 2012, morning session.
Page 294 Gerard Baker . . . succeeded Thomson: “Gerard Baker Named Top Editor for Dow Jones, Wall Street Journal,” Dow Jones press release, December 3, 2012.
Page 294 the chairman doused his new editor: From Twitter feed photo of Kathryn Lurie, an online editor at the Wall Street Journal, December 3, 2012.
Page 294 anticipated Baker’s tenure . . . a light touch: Six current Journal editors and reporters, interview by author.
Page 294 former Time magazine managing editor Walter Isaacson: Author’s email exchange with Walter Isaacson; author’s interview with Wall Street Journal senior editor.
Page 295 my mum’s ninety, Murdoch would say: Former senior News Corp official, interview by author.
Page 295 mourners packed St. Paul’s: This account is informed by press reports, including Andrew Rule, “An Exceptional Life Celebrated,” Herald Sun, December 19, 2012; and Karl Quinn, “A Life of Strong Love and Quiet Generosity,” The Age, December 19, 2012.
Page 295 “Today I wish to speak to the extraordinary accomplishments”: “Dame Elisabeth: A Life Lived Always in Full Bloom,” eulogy by Rupert Murdoch, republished in the Melbourne Herald Sun, December 19, 2012. All quotes pulled from transcript and checked against video of the event.
Page 297 an oil painting on a bronze background: Former senior News Corp newspaper editor, interview by author.
Page 298 Brooks was spotted in Australia: Amanda Perthen, “The Sun Shines on Rebekah . . . for Now: Ex-tabloid Editor Sips Beer on Sydney Yacht with the Murdochs Ahead of Trial,” Daily Mail, April 13, 2013.
Page 298 features desk . . . had taken more time for police to penetrate: Mark Stephens, interview by author. Stephens is an attorney for many cell phone hacking victims and was, himself, the victim of cell phone hacking.
Page 298 the company agreed to pay $135 million: News Corporation Derivative Litigation Settlement, April 22, 2013.
Page 299 “do it all over again”: Darren Davidson, “‘Chance to Do It All Over Again,’ Rupert Murdoch Says of Company’s Historic Split,” Australian, May 30, 2013.
Page 299 filed for divorce: Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, “Rupert Murdoch Files for Divorce,” Financial Times, June 13, 2013.
Page 299 he did not care to learn more: Former News Corp executive, interview by author.
Page 299 an aide to Tony Blair felt compelled to deny: Stuart Kemp, “Rupert Murdoch Divorce: Tony Blair’s Spokesperson Denies Rumors of Affair with Tony Blair,” Hollywood Reporter, June 14, 2013.
Page 299 News International and News Limited vanished: “News International renamed News UK,” News UK press release, June 26, 2013; “News Ltd set for a name change,” Australian Associated Press, as posted on SBS.com.au, June 26, 2013.
Page 299 Murdoch has never convincingly shown any capacity for self-reflection: Four former News Corp executives, interviews by author.
INDEX
ABC (American Broadcasting Company), 58, 78, 108, 113, 168
ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), 18, 100–101, 295
ABC Insiders television program, 101
Adams, J. Christian, 85
ADL. See Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith
Afghanistan, 62–63, 65, 137–138, 251
African Americans, 87, 102–103, 117, 247
The Age newspaper, 11, 15, 22, 100–101
Ailes, Roger
compares NP
R executives to Nazis, 113–115
creates Fox News niche news channel, 47, 54–59
encounter with author, 68–69
and Gen. David Petraeus, 250–252
gives Juan Williams $2 million contract after termination by NPR, 111–114
global warming stance ambiguous, 96–97
marginalizes Lachlan Murdoch, 144, 282
profiled, 73–74
receives contract extension through age 77, 260–261
shapes Fox News politically, 252–259
Akerman, Piers, 101
Akers, Sue, 245
Allan, Col
accused of racism, 47–48, 49
accused of receiving freebies to influence coverage, 44–45
as editor in chief of New York Post, 44, 121, 123
American Idol television program, 136
Amplify (Joel Klein’s education division of New News Corp), 278, 280, 281
Anderson, Jack, 56–57
Anderson, Matthew, 156, 160
Angelo, Jesse
creates digital tablet publication The Daily, 279
as J. Murdoch’s close friend, 145
as New York Post city editor, publisher, editor, 45, 291, 294
Antaeus, 9
Anthony, Casey, 168
Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith (ADL), 116–117
Anti-Semitism, 73, 112, 115–116
Arango, Tim, 44, 72–73
Archer, Jeffrey, 170
Arnold, Harry, 25
Arnold, Tom, 168–169
Associated Press (AP), 64, 75, 215, 249
Atomic mushroom cloud image on anti-Obama story, 86
Attard, Monica, 17–18, 100
Australia
dominated by Murdoch’s media conglomerate, 16–23
history of News Ltd, 10, 14–15, 17–19
News LTD’s coverage of climate change, 89–96
politicians grant Murdoch concessions, 14–15
Australian Financial Review (AFR), 18, 271–272
The Australian newspaper (the Oz)
aggressively opposes climate change regulation, taxation, 90–91, 93–95
established by R. Murdoch as first national daily, 13
mission statement, 19–20
political stance and influence, 21–23
shapes opinion, exacts toll on dissenters, 15, 17
Avatar movie, 93, 279
Ayres, William, 75–76
Bacon, Wendy, research on climate change coverage, 94–100
Baier, Bret
as chief political anchor for Fox News, 64, 80–81
covers Williams firing by NPR, 111
on Obama’s reelection, 261, 263
Romney interview, 253
Bailouts and stimulus spending of US government, 78–79, 82
Baker, Gerard, 218–221, 223, 294
Baltimore Sun, 61–62, 64, 102–104
Barboza, David, 289–290
Barnes, Fred, 97
Barry, Paul, 17, 18
Bauder, David, 63–64
Baxter, Greg, 99
BBC
assailed by J. Murdoch for unaccountability, 149
E. Murdoch rebuts J. Murdoch’s positions, 283–284
investigates questionable practices by News Corp’s NDS, 271
opposes News Corp takeover of BSkyB, 154
Panorama and Australian Financial Review investigative reporting, 271–272
policy on paying sources for information, 167
as R. Murdoch’s enemy, 28, 122, 141–142
Savile pedophile scandal, 284–286
BBC licensing fee and subsidies, 141, 149, 153, 155, 276, 284
Beck, Glenn
anti-Semitism of remarks alleged, 115–116
features Shirley Sherrod, 87
hired by Fox News, 78–79
removed from Fox News by Ailes, 248–250
Beckel, Bob, 59, 250
Beckham, David, 170
Beeby, Sue, 162
Benghazi consulate attack on September 11, 2012, 254–255
Bertin, Gabby, 161, 181
Big Head DC, 71
Bin Laden, Osama, 61–62
Black, Conrad, 123
Blackmail, 31, 170, 207
Blair, Jayson, 189
Blair, Tony
close to Murdochs, 139
flies to island to court R. Murdoch, 14–15, 187, 274
Iraq invasion supported by R. Murdoch, 44
seeks to manage, not confront, newspapers, 166
supported, directed by, by R. Murdoch, 150, 274, 275–276
Wendy Deng Murdoch affair denied, 299
Bloomberg, Michael, 256
Bloomberg financial news services and Bloomberg TV, 58, 82, 210, 279
Blumenstein, Rebecca, 215, 289, 294
Bolt, Andrew, 100
Booker, Patricia. See Murdoch, Patricia Booker
Bono, Chaz, 86
Boston Herald, 41, 196
Branson, Richard, 142, 293
Brauchli, Marcus, 210–211, 214
Bray, Thomas, 213
Breitbart, Andrew, and Breitbart News, 85, 87, 260
Briganti, Irena, 60, 64–66, 71, 106–107
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). See BBC
British Satellite Broadcasting merges with Sky TV, 142–143
Broadsheet newspapers, 26–27
Brooks, Charlie, 186–187, 200–201, 269, 293
Brooks, Rebekah
arrested for hacking and corruption, 200
as CEO of News International, 4, 151–152, 178–179, 189
News of the World editor, 34–37, 190–191
pays police for information, 165–166
protected, supported by, R. Murdoch, 188–190, 192
resignation called for in wake of hacking scandal, 180, 184, 192
resigns from News International, 198
Sarah Brown friendship, 150, 186, 194
set to stand trial for hacking, bribing officials, 293
shuts down News of the World, 183–184, 190–191
Brown, Gordon
accuses Murdoch papers of lawbreaking, 194
blagged by journalists to obtain information illegally, 194, 244
courts R. Murdoch, 274
loses Murdoch’s backing, 130, 150–152
Brown, Sarah, 150, 186, 194
Browning, E.S., 213
Bryant, Chris, 36, 165–166
BSkyB satellite TV service
chairman J. Murdoch, resigns during scandal, 146–147, 272
controls British movies, sport, 152
formed through merger with British Satellite Broadcasting, 143
News Corp withdraws bid for takeover in wake of hacking scandals, 193
proposed takeover by News Corp reviewed by Cable and OfCom, 136, 149–163, 272, 277
public opinion turns in wake of hacking scandal, 179, 181
Bush, George H.W., 54, 60, 148, 259
Bush, George W., 61, 105, 108
Bush, Jeb, 61
Cable, Vince, adjudicates BSkyB deal, 153, 156, 158–159, 163, 267
Calder, Iain, 168–169
Cameron, David
flies to Greek island to court R. Murdoch, 274
forewarned of Coulson by Guardian news executives, 130, 131, 151, 162
friendship with Rebekah and Charlie Brooks, 186–187, 269–270
and hacking scandal, 137–138, 179–180
involved in Murdoch’s BSkyB takeover, 152, 157, 159, 179
and Leveson Inquiry, 244, 288
mischief created by papers of R. Murdoch, 270
socializes with Murdochs while hacking scandal develops, 176, 177
supported by R. Murdoch, 123–124, 150
withdraws support from News International, 191–194
Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, 28, 193
Carbon emissions tax, 90, 93–94, 98, 100
Carbon farm proposed in Australia, 135
Carey, Chase
chief operating officer of News Corp/21st Century Fox, 149, 193, 272, 292
as possible preferred successor over J. Murdoch, 207, 237–238
runs Fox entertainment and television, 299
Carr, David, 73, 219
Cavuto, Neil, 65, 265
Chafets, Zev, 259, 263
Chandler, Ken, 40–44
Chapman, Jonathan, 238
Charles, Prince of Wales, 28, 193
Charlie Rose Show television program, 147
Chenoweth, Neil, 271
Cherie Blair, 139, 186
Chernin, Peter, 44, 144, 282
Chessell, James, 21–22
Chicago Sun-Times, 41, 196
China
R. Murdoch attempts to expand business interests, 49, 146
retaliates against WSJ for Bo Xilai scoops, 289–290
WSJ bureau staff encouraged by R. Murdoch, 216–217
WSJ reporters, 210, 212, 219
Chipping Norton, 152, 186
Chisholm, Sam, 143
Christie, Chris, and Hurricane Sandy, 255–256
Church, Charlotte, 139, 286
Church of England, 241, 285
Citizen Kane movie, 298
CityFile website, 49
Clegg, Nick, 130, 155
Clemente, Michael, 84, 263
Clifford, Max, 125, 160, 206
Climate change. See Global climate change
Clinton, Bill, 44, 46, 54, 58
Clinton, Hillary, 46–47, 69
Clinton Foundation, 92
CNBC, 54, 62, 72, 228
CNN
climate change coverage studied, 97
controversial journalists fired, 112
feed dropped by Murdoch, 53
Fox News’s put-downs, 66
polls about misinformation, 87–88
ratings vs. Fox’s ratings vs. MSNBC, 66, 69–74, 77
and Supreme Court health care decision, 254
Coffee, John, 208
Colmes, Alan, 56, 78, 247
Coogan, Steve, 139–140
Cops television program, 52
Cortes, Francisco, 247
Cote, Denise, 58
Coulson, Andrew
and Cameron, 130, 151–152, 160, 162
compared to Brooks, 36–37
linked to hacking, pay offs to police, arrested, 129–131, 162, 166, 171, 176, 180
resigns from News of the World, 121–122
set to stand trial for hacking, bribing officials, 293
Coulter, Ann, 218
Crone, Tom
on Gordon Taylor hacking settlement, 125–127, 245
as News of the World lawyer, 122
testimony before UK Parliament deemed misleading, 238–239, 277