Murdoch’s 12 ‘Gifts’ to the World

Salon has an article on 12 things the Murdoch has done to make the world a poorer place for you and me:

1. He has transformed world politics for the worse: It was George W. Bush’s first cousin (John Ellis), working as head of Murdoch’s Fox News election night “decision desk,” who, during the Florida voting uncertainties, called the election for Bush and set off a chain reaction from other media.
2. He has ridiculed and raised doubts about global catastrophes, and about science itself, while elevating absurd theories and hyping minor matters.
3. He has undermined liberty: His outlets led the drumbeat for restriction or elimination of certain fundamental rights, … while at the same time … fueling panic justifying the buildup of the national surveillance state.
4. He has turned the public against the press.
5. He has simultaneously propagandized for “the law” and compromised it.
6. He has undermined essential rules about propriety in the news business, degrading ethical walls put in place through long tradition.
7. He has propagandized for many of society’s worst instincts.
8. He has until now effectively neutralized many would-be critics in journalism.
9. He has relentlessly applied a double standard: Long a vilifier of others as communist sympathizers, he has created a pragmatic, but cynical partnership with the Chinese communist party dictators that has benefited him financially without helping (in fact, in some ways hindering) the prospects of democracy and freedom in that country.
10. He has dumbed down the news business and hence the public.
11. He has used his wealth regularly to stave off businesses and individuals that his company has illegally damaged.
12. His campaign contributions and the public support of his media organizations have persuaded politicians to override laws against media monopolies. And with each successive step, his growing dominance made the following step in building an empire easier to achieve