Kevin Rudd’s call for a royal commission into Murdoch’s Australian media empire has received 230,000 signatures in five days
Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd wants Parliament to investigate whether Rupert Murdoch has too much power in Australia.
Murdoch owns huge chunks of the media in the U.S. and the United Kingdom, but nowhere else in the world does he control a larger proportion of news outlets than in Australia: News Corp, Murdoch’s company, controls two-thirds of daily newspaper circulation, including the Daily Telegraph and the Herald Sun. It also runs Sky News Australia.
Understanding the story
What is Kevin Rudd calling for exactly?
Do experts agree there is a problem with media diversity in Australia?
Will the Federal Government actually listen to the petition?
What is Kevin Rudd calling for exactly?
On Friday, Rudd launched a petition calling for a Royal Commission to ensure a “strong, diverse Australian news media”.
Rudd says News Corp was a key reason for his downfall in politics. So too does Malcolm Turnbull, who accuses the media organisation of attempting to help replace him with Peter Dutton in the 2018 leadership spill that saw Scott Morrison become Prime Minister.
Rudd also accuses Murdoch, a climate change sceptic, of holding back climate action in Australia, as well as fueling racist tensions.
“We are especially concerned that Australia’s print media is overwhelmingly controlled by News Corporation, founded by Fox News billionaire Rupert Murdoch, with around two-thirds of daily newspaper readership. This power is routinely used to attack opponents in business and politics by blending editorial opinion with news reporting. Australians who hold contrary views have felt intimidated into silence. These facts chill free speech and undermine public debate.”
Kevin Rudd on Friday.
Do experts agree there is a problem with media diversity in Australia?
Experts say Australian media has followed the global trend of blurring the line between opinion and hard news. Combined with the rise of social media and the decline of print media, norms against misinformation have crumbled.
Some experts go further, arguing that Murdoch has used those trends in news media to consolidate his influence over politics, allowing him to unfairly help topple leaders and change governments.
But they’re split on whether a royal commission would help.
“The benefit of a royal commission would be to lay bare the nature of the interactions between the elected politicians and the unelected Rupert Murdoch… It would enable the public to assess just how extensive Murdoch’s influence is.”
Denis Muller, Senior Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne’s Centre for Advancing Journalism.
“A key to the success of any inquiry into Murdoch’s influence on our democracy… would be the willingness of politicians to speak honestly of their dealings. What could a royal commission achieve? It is impossible to see any legislation improving the situation.”
Rodney Tiffen, professor in government and international relations at the University of Sydney.
Will the Federal Government actually listen to the petition?
Probably not.
There’s no requirement for the Federal Government to do anything in response to an official petition, no matter how many signatures.
Anthony Albanese, the current Labour leader, has already distanced himself from the idea - so the chances of an inquiry are low.
The petition closes on November 4.