Let’s have a reality check here.

Employees of News of the World broke the law. Charges have been laid.

MORE SERIOUSLY, police officers accepted bribes. I say “more seriously” because, really, you expect villains to try and bribe the constabulary. But you now have to ask the question:

IF POLICE ARE TAKING BRIBES FROM NEWS CORPORATION WHO ELSE’S MONEY ARE THEY TAKING?

What other deals are being done with law breakers?

That’s why the fact of police corruption is more important than News Corporation’s crimes much as we may love to hate Rupert Murdoch.

But is Rupert Murdoch really the arch-villain of the world?

--Nobody compels you to lend your eyeballs and eardrums to Murdoch’s media. People CHOOSE to read his newspapers, watch his TV stations and listen to his radio stations. You may not like it but many give their money to Murdoch voluntarily.

--Unlike the “too big to fail” (TBTF) banksers*, Murdoch has not trashed the global economy.

--Some News Corporation employees aside, nobody lost their jobs, their livelihoods and their homes because of News Corporation. This is in marked contrast to the consequences of the banksters’* antics.

--News Corporation has never received bailouts running into hundred of billions and trillions of dollars.

--Nobody died.

If you want to see real villains look at the TBTF banksters and their misdeeds. WHY IS THERE NO INVESTIGATION OF THEIR SHENANIGANS?

The REAL story should not be the misdeeds of Murdoch.

It should be the misdeeds of Wall Street and European banksters.

Why haven’t the banksters been hauled before parliament and forced to answer questions? Yes there was a brief US Congressional enquiry but no in depth probe. In Europe the banksters seem to be immune.

The scandal is NOT Murdoch.

The scandal is the free ride given the banksters.

*bankster = banker + gangster

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jul/21/phone-hacking-scandal-live-coverage
I have been reading British news papers.
And posting links.
For two reasons, first my fears about Murdock owned things, all of them, controlling my country's fate.
And in horror, true horror, that it is far worse than even I have thought for 45 years.
A further matter that has to be highlighted,Abbott/Murdock press/ and sundry fellow travelers are saying we do not need to look closer at this.
In the case of my party ALP, it may well be fear, Murdock's dislike for us, and an Aussie fair go, is already extreme, call them to account? danger there.
An issue arises, in posts here some say such as I am blind to? Fairfax press?
FAIR that part of the name, compared with Murdock's is unchallengeable surely.
How can we Australians let our political biases,we all have them blind us to the fact others run our country?
Conservatives, this morning Turnbull offers you truth/electoral victory and yet he is being dragged down by your side?
Abbott watch this space, is going to be entangled in this press barbed wire and now is the time to dump him.
Whispers soon will become shouts Australia will be seen as part of this mess all too soon.

It's all very well to point the finger at the Media owners and managers but journalists were the willing minions carrying out the dirty work. It seems to me media commentators all to often overlook this facet.

It is an aspect the British enquiries are taking very seriously.

After listening to the broadcast of the Parliamentary questioning of David Cameron this week it became very apparent the movement of journalists into political spinmeisters and vice versa and how politicians and journalists have, to use the parliamentary term, 'sucked up' to each other to gain either publicity and stories is a major focus of enquiry.

It is the transfer of ethics, or lack of them, between Government and Journalist practice, that is the major area of concern.

It is apparent the British public are tired of the spinmiesters and their tactics just as much as they are all sickened by the journalistic immoral and illegal 'hacking'. What seems to be of concern is how far the journalistic inspired criminality and corruption extends into political offices and what it is that affords much of the pointedly and obviously favourable (Political Party or individual Member) media content.

Once/if, this is ever reported upon in Australia I doubt many politicians, any spinmiester or ABC employee or many of the press and tv commentators in this country will welcome such aspects of any enquiry in Australia.

They will all run for cover.

Yes business as usual has always been the way things work, but perhaps some minor changes will occur.

Media Lens at http://medialens.org has been reporting on this phenomena.

Rupert is of course a key and integral player in the now worldwide right-wing noise-machine and the right-wing stink tanks that essentially create and manipulate the "news". And of course the owner of the Wall Street Journal.

The connections of which are described here:

http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/lynde-and-harry-bradley-foundation

As such he is very closely connected to, and a principal mouthpiece for all the captains of commerce and industry that rule America, and thus by extension much of the rest of the world. Their activities are described in great detail here: http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com

Their applied politics are also described in The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein.Including the invasion of Iraq, which was perhaps the single largest organized theft (in the shortest possible time) of a nation's resources. All backed up the "force of law" as put in place by Paul Bremer.

Well said, John.

Too many strident voices have been parroting similar distortions of the truth.

The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity
-Yeats

Why was there so little criticism of the decision to invade Iraq?
Why do people who have sincere doubts get pushed aside when one or two nations decide to go to war for questionable purposes?

We need more doubters and people who ask awkward questions.
And why do we get a united voice from the shock jocks, the Murdoch press and Tony Abbott? That smells bad.

Thanks for such a searching article. And thanks too for the Guardian's relentless pushing of the questionable antics of police, politicians and press.

belly, I can only take so much of the sanctimonious sneering and preaching .. your precious Age was caught red handed hacking emails http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/age-poll-story-relied-on-hacked-emails/story-e6frg6nf-1226095577892 but since it wasn't reported in the Age, you wouldn't know .. and of course, they protect you from harmful things that might make you doubt their message (which is pure and true!)

News limited has not been caught doing any phone or email hacking in Australia .. so surely, they are an Australian pariah?

So put your Murdoch hatred aside, what John is saying is something you have completely missed .. all the media do things like this, and all of them shriek horror at others, right up till they are caught themselves.

Someone said it, this is schadenfreude so thick you could carve it, and you appear to have a full bowl of it mate.

On Turnbull, no you misunderstand conservatives completely, as most ALP voters do, since you have no opinion outside what they tell you.

Turnsbull's message is that he is different, not a team player and like Rudd valiantly hopes he will be leader again one day .. the only people who seem to like him, are rusted on ALP voters, who saw him in their own reflection.

Abbott is toasting the ALP, like him or not as an ALP voter, we don't care - the bottom line is, we, the Coalition voters like him and that's all that matters.

You like Turnbull because he knows exactly what to pitch at you, we don't like him because he is duplicitous and tries to play both sides of the fence .. we can see that, but clearly it fools the stupid minions of the ALP.

At least in the Liberal Party, you can speak your mind .. can you do that in the ALP? Or has Juliar got a lockdown on everyone?

Who do you think is running Australia, please, no links to ho hom's conspiracy sites, no one bothers.. it's like reading the Age, predictable garbage.

Amicus, Can you really speak your mind in the Liberal party?

How come NOT one single member of the coalition ever published or uttered a dissenting opinion re Howard's decision to be a member of the coalition of the killing via the illegal invasion of Iraq.

Especially as it was completely obvious at the time (and now proven in hind-sight) that it was all based on lies, lies, and more lies.

Well said Amicus.

You do not need to be a Murdoch fan to find the The self-righteousness of his accusers nauseating.

And then there's this little gem.

Piers Morgan's Paper Used Phone Hacking: Former Daily Mirror Journalist

See: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/21/piers-morgan-phone-hackin_n_906120.html

>>CNN host and former tabloid editor Piers Morgan has vehemently denied having any knowledge of phone hacking during his time at two British red-tops, but a former Daily Mirror journalist now claims that phone hacking happened during Morgan's editorship of the paper.

[...]

Hipwell alleged that the Daily Mirror targeted the voice mailboxes of the Spice Girls, among others. He said that a colleague even deleted a voicemail message from one of the singers’ phones to stop a rival on the Sun from hearing it. He also pointed to a 2002 story about an affair between Ulrika Jonsson and Sven-Goran Eriksson that he said was based on intercepted voicemails. The article generated speculation about Morgan's knowledge of the story's source. (Fawkes claimed last week that Morgan knew the story was obtained illegally.)>>

So not only was the Mirror hacking, they knew the Sun was doing it as well.

amicus/Steven do I challenge your understanding, your honesty? or is it the ability to see the truth.
Look at my post history, then at yours.
You will find maybe 15 threads I STARTED insulting my party or some in it.
100 threads others started that saw me LAUNCH in to my side.
Unlike your selves, totally!,I know my side needs to improve, nearly as much as yours.
Fellas, I truly honestly question you both, surely no person from any party can not see the awful truth Murdock's press is under the gun no way around it this time it is over .
At the end, after justice is served your comments here will make outstandingly funny reading, but tragically Proof in politics truth is the first victim.
I think it is time gentlemen to visit England's press, see in that country at least truth matters.
And for others? go to todays Australian, take a travel bag, those some need when flying, you will need it.
A dreadful proof our press needs help.

Belly,

Now you are being unfair.

I am not a Murdoch fan. I need no convincing that his media outlets purvey trash. I especially find Andrew Bolt's references to "warmists" irritating.

If readers wise up to the garbage they get in the media - not only the Murdoch media - I shall celebrate.

But in the mean time I find the self-righteousness slimy and the one thing I do not want to see is CENSORSHIP in any shape, manner or form. If people CHOOSE to take their cue from the Murdoch media so be it.

Censorship, however it is framed and by any name, is a cure worse than the disease.

Stevenlmeyer to a degree is right.If you want to know why Murdoch is being targeted see this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-OfVkka1Yk This was shown last yr in Nov.
You see Ruppert has been allowing snippets of 911 truth on his shows and he also lets people like Judge Napolitano preach freedom and the importance of the US Constitution.Napolitano also backs Ron Paul who wants to end the US Federal Reserve.

Ruppert in my view is being taught a lesson.Sean Hoare was scared for his life and stated that tapping of phones was widespread and common knowledge for years.Why now? Dominic Strass Kahn of the IMF was set up.This is showing us that there is division amongst the elites.Some are getting cold feet.They do not want a nuke war with China or Russia.With the public uprisings,they are also afraid to their own people.

Sean Hoare in my view was killed as an example."Kill the chicken to scare the monkeys" Attributed to Mao Zedong.

The pie in the face in my view was also contrived.Every person in that room would have been searched and their background checked.Wendi Deng reacted immediately with no delay for shock or thinking.Who benefits? News Corp shares went up as a result of Dengs' actions.

Murdoch is no saint.He is pragmatic and can see that the banksters are taking us to the path of disaster.

If Judge Napolitanos' show disappears from Fox or the AE 911 truth ads get banned,then we will know the banksers have won.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/23/world/europe/23murdoch.html
If it bis true, if Murdock is being targeted, if he has done nothing wrong.
Then the conspiracy is world wide, and the poor fellow is getting it from every side.
This link, links to a news paper known to be one of the worlds best.
In maybe two years, it may take that long, we will see a picture some refuse to see now.
I am left to wounder,true, at first look the Internet has opened the world to a whole new togetherness.
We can find much to be happy with bought about my this medium.
But too, in the strangest way, it gives a place for the strangest views/people to find an audience.
Arjay, your hunt for new conspiracy's, your entrenched habit of telling those that rebut your claims they are blind, amuses me.
Here in the ever increasing evidence of power control privilege and lawlessness in the Murdock giant, you walk on the bones of the biggest unfolding conspiracy of our life time.
And look not at it but feebly try? to defend it.

Belly, they are hatching new scenarios every day.Why do you think they have think tanks?

Re Oslo bombing.Norway has decided to pull out of Libya and weaken the the NATO Alliance.Why would Qadaffi or some Muslim Terrorist attack behaviour which benefits them?

When a terrorist attack happens,always see who benefits and the logic behing the attack.Don't forget to look at Geraldo Rivera's show.This is on Fox and it is conpiracy fact. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-OfVkka1Yk

Morning arjay, ever heard of the Australian saying mad as a cut snake?
I am not likely to watch FOX if I did it would be for entertainment not information.
Please consider that post,who is inferring it is an Islamic bombing?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/8655106/Im-starting-to-think-that-the-Left-might-actually-be-right.html
Maybe no so left, with a chance of a new way for reporting news coming it may well be the center that is right.
These links say something else about us.
They come from a press we have not seen for a very long time in Australia.
One free to and trying to, uncover wrongs that make us all, no matter our politics,victims.

http://www.smh.com.au/national/murdoch-wants-lachlan-to-buy-australian-papers-20110723-1hu6i.html
Our country,70% of its news services,toys in the hands of one family.
Power Privilege, control?
We one day soon will understand the impact the true harm, Democracy suffers in such hands.
As politicians act both infamously as they understand they are requested to.
And even more of note, in fear of falling out with that power.
We elect politicians, not to do our will but to stand before such as this story talks of,and be held accountable, to them not us.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jul/23/news-international-liberal-democrats-bskyb
Of all the links I have posted this one tells in just a few words the story of my life time view of this firms actions.
Here in Australian over 70% of our Medea is owned by them, you just will not see in print or in any Medea, this type of reporting here.
For the very reasons given here.
The real control/power/ability to buy favor and more power is this threat.
It was in the First generation of this Empire it is still.
Self interest.
Just two words, yet until this country finds its way past them, those words hide evidence we are not in control of our own fate.
Do we, rich or poor? think power/money/influence has a right, more right than us, to rule over us?
Would we think that if it was a noted left leaning Company trading in our future past and present.
Is wrong behavior right if it is from the right but wrong if it is a product of the left?

Belly,Murdoch is just another puppet.Rothschilds ,JP Morgan ,Loeb Bros,Rockefeller are the real power brokers.Murdoch has dared to challenge their authority.This is why he been publicly embarrassed.Just like Dominique Strauss Khan.

http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/2806462.html
Yet another slant on the issue.
Yet every link ,from England America or here leaves me reminded, for some the Murdock power meant different things.
Yesterday I saw a man I admire, he was not too interested in investigations in to this matter.
For him, the Murdock Medea may be a push bike, he hopes to ride.
Some stay silent in fear, some do seeking rewards, some are unable to be seen , some do not want to be.
Now Arjay.
Well you went in hard in the dreadful murders in Norway, got it wrong, nothing unusual there.
And continue your search for conspiracy's, wandering all over under and in side the biggest one unmasked in our lifetime.
I do hope, truly, you find time to read other than your current stuff.
These links, all of them, could be a start.
Consider this, a Kingdom can be built on giving favor, in return you get much more than you gave.
Power and control blindness both knowing/ uncaring/ paid for/ self interested blindness.

At that time Belly I did not know about the gunman.They initially were only giving news about the bombing.Some tried to blame Gaddafi and some in the media were hinting at Al Qaeda but as I said why would Gaddafi attack a country that is helping him?

We now learn that phone hacking is wide spread done by other news papers.Why was Murdoch targeted? Here it is again,this probably one of the reasons he is being targeted Belly. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-OfVkka1Yk

There is no way that one man could have killed so many people alone with a gun and planned/executed that bomb attack.In my view there had to be others.

Looks like you are trying to bury my posts in your multiple postings Belly.

Arjay sorry bloke no.
In fact no intention to insult but your posts are quite a reality check.
Every time I read one I remind myself my lifetime habit ,keeping an open mind researching issues, is worth while.
You actually have done it again, leaping from a high place to the conclusion this once, your term, Muslim is now part of a group.
Find reality life is too short.

Like an itch, or something that just will not go away.
We all do it,post then ask why did I say that?
Or why did I not say this?
You have been that itch Arjay this time,for two hours.
You have so very many conspiracy's 9/11 to Mars and back.
But o you under stand?
In your last two posts here in this thread, you get it so wrong!
That nothing you ever say can be taken without remembering it.

Belly,you need to talk to Kevin Bracken.He has more courage and insight than all your Labor whores.