Andrew Dodd and Matthew Ricketson - Getting Murdoched
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What is the purpose of the book *Getting Murdoch'd* and why does it matter?
Bujiri Gamarrawa, everyone. Welcome. My name is Craig Madden. I'm a proud Bundjalung Gadigal man from the Eora Nation. Gadigal land is the land on which we gather today. This land is Gadigal. We pay our respects to our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander elders, past, present and emerging. the keepers of wisdom and knowledge. Our storytellers who have kept our continued connections to culture and country for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on this land for thousands of years. We also acknowledge our ancestors who watch over us as we walk upon these sacred lands. To our visitors from across all our ancestral lands, Welcome, welcome, welcome.
Hello, I'm David Gawne from Sydney's Glee Books. Welcome to Glee Talks, a series of some of our most interesting and popular conversations from Sydney's finest literary events program. For decades, Rupert Murdoch's global media empire has shaped political landscapes, influenced elections and fuelled public opinion. But behind the headlines lies a darker story of targeted campaigns, smear tactics and relentless attacks on those who don't fit the Murdoch mould. From queer communities and women's rights advocates to progressive politicians, human rights defenders, and even conservatives deemed not right enough, getting Murdoch'd exposes how dissent is silenced and reputations destroyed. Drawing on insider accounts, investigative research and case studies spanning Australia, the UK and the US, Andrew Dodd and Matthew Rickardson speak with journalist Anne Davies about how News Corp turns disagreement into a declaration of war.
Okay, well, welcome everyone. First of all, I'd like a show of hands. Anybody here been Murdoch'd? And just before you put your hands up, our authors describe it as being targeted or editorially attacked when one's ideas or deeds do not accord with a media proprietor's programs or publications. So, anybody here experience the Ross of news? Okay. Well, if you're writing the sequel, get their names and you'll be able to get some more material. And the rest of you, it's just not yet. As a person who's written about News Corp on and off during my professional career, I've had a couple of brushes with them, though I would consider them pretty minor compared to some described in this book. But here's one of mine.
So during COVID-19, we did daily press conferences, Gladys Berejiklian. And we were allowed to pull our masks down to ask questions. She left a bit early and we all pulled down our masks and yelled questions. And then I turned and said to one of my colleagues, some comment about Gladys. And at that moment, the Telegraph videotaped me with my mask around here. Um, so it went up by the time I got back to the office, everyone walked in and everyone went, oh my God, Anne, you forgot to put your mask back on. I reckon I had it off for 30 seconds. Anyway. I was just mortified. I remember that terrible feeling. I went into the editor's office. I apologised. And she looked at me and she said, that's not news, Anne.
That's gotcha moment. It's a minor Murdoch-ing. She didn't use those words. That's your patent phrase.
How does News Corp use targeted campaigns to silence dissenting voices?
I just remember how terrible I felt. There are far more serious examples of this in this excellent book, Getting Murdoch. Many academics have written about the power of News Corp because of its reach. And as most of this audience would know, News Corp controls two-thirds of the titles in this country. And it also has Sky News as part of its stable, which of course is a very influential 24-hour news service. The studies have mainly looked at things like how this monopoly power is wielded in cities like Brisbane or Adelaide, where there is only one monopoly publication and the only other voice is the ABC. But this is a really different analysis. It looks at the nuts and bolts of how news weaponises its reporting against individuals and views that don't fit with its own corporate worldview.
which is often Rupert Murdoch's view. It analyses the impact on ordinary people and famous people as well. And it also looks at the impact on civil discourse and on politics across three continents.
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Chapters
5 chapters
1
What is the purpose of the book *Getting Murdoch'd* and why does it matter?
0:03–4:23
2
How does News Corp use targeted campaigns to silence dissenting voices?
4:23–12:43
3
What are the most striking case studies of individuals ‘Murdoch‑ed’ in the book?
12:43–22:25
4
How did News Corp’s coverage affect the climate‑change debate in Australia?
22:25–32:55
5
What role did the Leveson Inquiry play in exposing News Corp’s practices?
32:55–42:13