15 February 2012 — Bahrain crackdown: Tactics & weapons imported from UK — RT
Pictures of a crackdown by heavily armed police on protesters in Bahrain appear to be similar to many others during the Arab Spring. This time the weapons, as well as the tactics, have been imported from the UK.
2 September 2011 — New Left Project
I have written elsewhere that the aftermath of the phone hacking scandal and the establishment of the Leveson Inquiry, ‘is a hugely significant moment both for the British media and for British democracy’ and that ‘the spell of media power is facing its most serious challenge to date’. Given that official inquiries rarely generate genuinely radical proposals and we have seen no evidence that press proprietors and media executives are willing to give up their privileged positions, was this simply wishful thinking? The evidence, I would suggest, is mixed.
1 September 2011 — Media Lens
From the allegedly liberal left to Murdoch’s hard right, the media spectrum continues to shine green for ‘go’ on the Libyan war. An Independent on Sunday (IoS) editorial on August 28 observes: Continue reading
19 July 2011
An interesting document and worth plowing through.
From the document’s introduction:
Background
1. In 2005-06, the Metropolitan Police investigated claims that a private investigator, Mr Glenn Mulcaire, had been employed by News International to hack into the Voicemail accounts of certain prominent people, including members of the Royal Household in November 2005, in particular to obtain information on them. This case led to the prosecution and subsequent imprisonment of Mr Mulcaire and Mr Clive Goodman, the royal correspondent for the News of the World. The charges brought against Messrs Mulcaire and Goodman cited a limited number of people whose phones were alleged to have been hacked. However, papers taken from Mr Mulcaire in the course of the investigation indicated that journalists —not necessarily all from the same newspaper — had asked him to obtain information on a number of other people: it was not always clear who the subjects of the inquiries were (a number were identified only by initials or a forename), nor whether the request involved hacking or some other means of obtaining information.
28 July, 2011 — Belfast Telegraph
Socialist journalist explains how the assault on newspaper unions helped pave the way for the scandal engulfing Rupert Murdoch’s media empire.
Strikers and their supporters march against Murdoch's union-busting
NINETEEN-YEAR-OLD Michael Delaney died after being run over by a truck in east London on a Saturday night in January 1987. An inquest jury found that he had been a victim of unlawful killing. But nobody has ever been prosecuted.
Michael had been among trade unionists picketing the News International plant at Wapping against the sacking of more than 5,000 workers and the de-recognition of unions. The dispute lasted almost a year.
25 July 2011 — williambowles.info
25 July 2011
What’s New: Sleaze of the world
Socialist Project Today at 09:00
Good riddance to bad rubbish. That’s what many in Britain are saying after the shutdown of the notorious tabloid News of the World following revelations about how low the Rupert Murdoch-owned paper sank in its drive for salacious scoops.
23 July 2011 — Mathaba
Famed journalist George Seldes (1890 – 1995) condemned press prostitutes in books like ‘Lords of the Press,’ denouncing their corruption, suppression of truth, and news censorship before television reached large audiences, saying:
‘The most sacred cow of the press is the press itself – the most powerful force against the general welfare of the majority of the people.’
23 July 2011 — williambowles.info
Hacking In Brief: 23/07/2011
The Independent – Media RSS Feed Today at Midnight
News Corp executive ‘leaked Cable story’
Ian Burrell
Kroll, the global corporate investigations company, has named a top News Corp executive as the strong suspect in ‘orchestrating’ the leak of a tape which led to the downfall of Business Secretary Vince Cable, who claimed he had ‘declared war’ on Rupert Murdoch.
23 July 2011
For well over a century the British state has relied on its professional civil service (known as the Establishment and for reasons I hope that become apparent) to maintain the status quo and whilst the state has had to make concessions over time (eg, universal suffrage, legalize trade unions and eventually establish the ‘welfare state’) the Establishment’s primary function is to preserve the rule of Capital, regardless of the party in power. Thus continuity is preserved through the role of a permanent and unelected elite run by the ‘Whitehall Mandarins’.
22 July 2011 – RT
As the scandal over voicemail and phone-hacking by the Murdoch media empire rages, public and political fury has focused on ruthless tabloids out of control. But some say in this day and age, the whole concept of privacy is falling apart.
News International chairman James Murdoch has been accused of trying to mislead British MPs by saying he was unaware of the true extent of phone-hacking by reporters. His testimony was challenged by two former executives, Colin Myler and Tom Crone, who say Murdoch was informed three years ago that the illegal practice went beyond just one rogue journalist.
22 July 2011 – RT
As the scandal over voicemail and phone-hacking by the Murdoch media empire rages, public and political fury has focused on ruthless tabloids out of control. But some say in this day and age, the whole concept of privacy is falling apart.
News International chairman James Murdoch has been accused of trying to mislead British MPs by saying he was unaware of the true extent of phone-hacking by reporters. His testimony was challenged by two former executives, Colin Myler and Tom Crone, who say Murdoch was informed three years ago that the illegal practice went beyond just one rogue journalist.
22 July 20111 — wsws.org
David Cameron: Yet another shameless liar and poseur. The system does not produce any other kind.
21 July 2011 — williambowles.info
James Murdoch evidence questioned
BBC News Today at 20:27
News International chairman James Murdoch’s evidence to MPs on phone hacking is called into question by two former company executives.
21 July 2011 — Al-Jazeera
A phone-hacking scandal is exposing shady ties between the UK’s political elite and a right-wing media baron.
18 July 2011 — Raw Story
A former producer with Fox News claimed in a lengthy essay gaining new traction this week that the conservative television station has a ‘Brain Room’ in its New York headquarters, which enables employees to view private telephone records with ease.
18 July 2011 — Raw Story
A former producer with Fox News claimed in a lengthy essay gaining new traction this week that the conservative television station has a ‘Brain Room’ in its New York headquarters, which enables employees to view private telephone records with ease.
21 July 2011 — The Independent
Cameron admits he may have discussed controversial deal
David Cameron admitted that he may have discussed the bid by News Corp for full control of BSkyB during his 27 meetings with Murdoch executives since last year’s election. Downing Street had previously insisted that the £8bn takeover was not mentioned.
21 July 2011 — RT
The London-based team investigating phone-hacking by journalists at News Corp has been expanded from 45 to 60 police officers and staff. The scandal now haunts not only the Murdochs, but also PM David Cameron, with chances of his resignation rising.
Meanwhile Russian billionaire Aleksandr Lebedev says he may be interested in relaunching Rupert Murdoch’s scandalous News of the World tabloid. He already owns other two British papers – the London Evening Standard and the Independent.
21 July 2011 — RT
The London-based team investigating phone-hacking by journalists at News Corp has been expanded from 45 to 60 police officers and staff. The scandal now haunts not only the Murdochs, but also PM David Cameron, with chances of his resignation rising.
Meanwhile Russian billionaire Aleksandr Lebedev says he may be interested in relaunching Rupert Murdoch’s scandalous News of the World tabloid. He already owns other two British papers – the London Evening Standard and the Independent.
20 July 2011 — RT
British Prime Minister David Cameron has had to defend himself over his close connections to the embattled Rupert Murdoch media empire before MPs, as he answered tough questions during Wednesday’s session in the House of Commons.
Addressing the house about the phone hacking scandal, Cameron defended his former employee Andy Coulson, saying he should be considered ‘innocent until proven guilty.’ But if Coulson has lied, Cameron said, he should be prosecuted.
The New Dark Age 
