Understandably miffed at suggestions that he might have been suborned by Rupert or Jamie, Family Firstâs Steve Fielding took to the op-ed pages of Thursday’s Age to defend himself against the smear that he had been âduchessedâ? into voting for the changes to the media ownership laws:
Concern over media ownership is almost a mantra, and the link between ownership and media diversity is taken for granted. We believe this assumption needs to be demonstrated. Are we concerned about greater media concentration because it will boost the profits of media barons? No. The concern about ownership is based on the assumption that ownership is the dominant factor that determines content and editorial priorities.
But Family First believes the real concern ought to be on the concentration of ideology â the concentration of ideas. Where is the evidence that owners dictate the ideas that are published or broadcast and how often they do it?
Naively, we might suppose that if Rupert, as the owner of News Limited, has the power to hire and fire the CEO, heâs more likely to choose a CEO who, for the most part, sees the news business his way rather than someone who doesnât. And that this will continue down the line, with the CEO appointing editors whose ideas on whatâs news and what isnât agree with his and so on. Giving Rupert quite a lot of influence on the ideology of News Limited. But:
The reality is that the media are businesses and need to be profitable to surviveâ¦
Senator Fieldingâs analysis makes it clear that this is the imperative that drives media proprietors. They are concerned, first and foremost, with running a profitable business. They act, as Marx said, as the personification of capital:
As the conscious bearer of [the movement of capital] the bearer of money becomes a capitalist. His person, or rather his pocket, is the point from which the money starts, and to which it returns ⦠it is only in so far as the appropriation of ever more wealth in the abstract is the sole driving force behind his operations that he functions as a capitalist i.e. as capital personified and endowed with a will.
(Marx, Capital Chapter 4: The General Formula for Capital)
So further media concentration â driven purely by the forces of capitalist accumulation is inevitable. This is a worry for Family First, but not a big worry:
But does fewer owners and perhaps fewer journalists mean less diverse ideas or merely fewer people promoting the same philosophical or cultural outlook? The argument that ownership is the sole determinant of ideas is simplistic. It is much more complicated.
So if media owners are not preoccupied by content and running editorial lines, who does determine what ideas are promoted? Increasingly it comes down to individual journalists, of opinion editors, of editorial writers, of section editors, of columnists, of the editors of the nation’s letters pages.
What determines the ideas of the individual journalists and editors? Here again we find a hole in Fieldingâs explicit analysis but, taking our cue from his analysis of the motives of media proprietors, we know where to find the answer:
â¦donât wrangle with us so long as you apply, to our intended abolition of bourgeois property, the standard of your bourgeois notions of freedom, culture, law etc. Your very ideas are but the outgrowth of the conditions of your bourgeois production and bourgeois property, just as your jurisprudence is but the will of your class made into a law for all, a will whose essential character and direction are determined by the economic conditions of your class.
(Marx & Engels, Manifesto of the Communist Party)
In other words, if diversity of opinion is missing in the media, the fault lies not with the proprietors â for whom the media changes represent merely an opportunity for more capital accumulation â but with the petit-bourgeois journalists and editors who use the media to promote their own class interests. The so called âFourth Estateâ? or commentariat.
Family Firstâs constituency is beyond the reach of their propaganda. Because of this, they havenât been gulled into identifying with the class interests of the commentariat:
Debates in parliament about who owns what in the media simply do not feature in the day-to-day lives of the Australians we represent. More and more families are not reading newspapers and cannot afford them.
(Senator Fielding in Parliament)
More and more, this new class is growing in size and power, beyond the reach or ken of the commentariat. A spectre is haunting Australiaâ¦
“We believe this assumption needs to be demonstrated. Are we concerned about greater media concentration because it will boost the profits of media barons? No. The concern about ownership is based on the assumption that ownership is the dominant factor that determines content and editorial priorities.”
Fucking tosser. Live in Perth for a while and have your breakfast served up with a putrid copy of the West Australian every morning and see what it’s like.
It’s a lovely piece isn’t it? Wherein senator Fielding demonstrates his commitment to god, the family and willingness to turn himself into the Whore of Babylon in a few short sentences.
hmmm, this is a bit out of left field, but I can clearly demonstrate the difference between the ‘cultural’ and ‘industry’ extremes of the cultural industry. There is a difference between a magazine editor who does their job extrememly well and sells a lot of magazines (Gummo’s capitalist) and a magazine editor who is more inclined to seek out or experiment with different cultural forms. It happened with Street Machine in the mid-1980s. I use it in my PhD. The editor who was very good at selling magazines cultivated a reactionary nationalist masculinity organised around the spectacle of the V8. The other editor was much more open to alternative performance technologies (turbos, Japanese performance cars, etc). This may seem rather quaint, if not irrelevant, until you realise that 20 % of Australia is (currently) V8 country…
The missing masses of Fielding’s constituency should be considered in terms of populations individuated by other means. The ‘magazine’ format (of magazines, tv, radio, or internet) is always organised around capturing the relation between a world and a population according to its special interest. There are multiple worlds (in the athropological sense) and Fielding inhabits one of them. ‘General interest’ of Who magazine or something is a special interest. Tabloid newspapers are of the ‘magazine’ format even if they are delivering what would’ve been called ‘news’ at one pooint. He will only arc up when his constituency’s ‘special interests’ are threatened for the media outlets that collectively individuate his constituency literally individuates his constituency. It is a synergy, one which has only been strengthened with this legislation.
So Family First doesn’t reference your beloved Marx! Oh dear! Of course marxism has had several failed shots at organising the masses, including through the control of a propagandised press, but has ended up being most effective by being watered down and operating through the very democratic and capitalist systems it derides.
Yeah thats your reall problem.
Not that they are up to some sort up revolution.
You’re pissed that they DON’T have a marxist revolutionary agenda.
That this is leftist projection seems clear enough.
The only families Family First assisted by voting for the media law changes were those of Murdoch and Packer.
I think Fielding is naive and out of his depth with the sharks in parliament.
Worse – I think he absolutely isn’t, but is happy for people to think he is. He has some of Harridine’s old staff working for him, and they know how the Senate, and politics, works.
Anna,
Isn’t that just good political strategy? You’d hate for a senator to not know how these things work.
Actually Birdy, I’m an absolute monarchist – that’s why I keep a copy of Debrett’s Correct Form about the place. I’m also a member of the Church of JC and the LDS – hence The Book of Mormon, a Catholic (Lives of the Saints and a fairly traditional Anglican (RSV New Testament, Hymns Ancient and Modern) an Existentialist (Being and Time, Being and Nothingness) and a bit of a Randroid (For the New Intellectual).
Just felt like listing a few more of the many Gummos, for your further infuriation, that’s all.
And damn it people, just how absurd do I have to make a post before you’ll stop taking it seriously?
Yes, FaceLift. What I have a problem with is what looks like a deliberate attempt to look naive and simple while doing deals and exploiting his luck as someone who got less than 2% of the vote.
Surely no-one honestly believes it didn’t have a lot to do with an election coming up next year and a need for positive (and frequent) coverage of
PackerFamily First?Based on your recent book reviews, I think we need to include raging misogynist in there as well, Comrade.
Fielding has been stung by accusations from his anti-pokie machine supporters that he’s just undermined their cause. PBL had its AGM yesterday:
http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2006/s1774502.htm
I wonder what the free market thinks of Jamie Packer’s performance at the AGM. It didn’t sound like a dispassionate discussion of PBL’s profit and loss statement.
Packer vigorously defended his “dear friend” Alan Jones:
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/james-backs-dear-friend-jones/2006/10/26/1161749258899.html
He also discussed what a good PM his dad thought John Howard was:
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20652703-2702,00.html
I suppose none of this influences Channel Nine?
That’s a fair cop, Anna, but misguided stereotyping’s to blame. I’d also like to have possession of Mary Whitehouse’s Whatever Happened to Sex, Derrida’s Archaeology of the Frivolous and the collected works of Saki taken into account.
Perhaps one piece of evidence for the power of media barons is the willingness of a meretricious shill like Stephen Fielding to embarrass himself by writing this kind of arrant nonsense in order to assure said barons of his fealty.
Actually, Anna, I’m not sure what’s happening behind the scenes, but, on a related subject, I am concerned about the way in which bigger global companies are squeezing out smaller businesses. You can see this at the moment with the way groups like Woolworths and Coles are manipulating fuel businesses. I’d like to see some kind of pressure put on Government to find ways to curb monopolistic control.
Well I don’t think FF is your party then, judging by Fielding’s op ed.
And you all thought I was dead.
In that case I want my kidney back you ugly fat bastard.
Where’s my Bondi Beach room with a view?
You’ll have to take that up with the young fella luv.
I agree Anna…but i think he might of bitten off more than he can chew w/ this deal. Kim is right to bring up the gambling connection. Strange decisions like this have been made in back rooms before. If Fielding flinches in the near future it could be curtains for the lad. “I’ve an offer you can’t refuse”…:(
I despair for Australia now the gambling thugs are squaring off & making political deals. This is real Hong Kong, Las Vegas stuff…yuk!
If only young Packer would see the LIGHT.
Global warming is a reality!
What’s that character Bolt’s phone number?
They deliver my West Australian 1ft into the driveway,and still no fucker will steal it.I use to take it to the dunny to read,now i wipe my arse with it.
After my current contract runs out, i will buy proper dunny paper again$1.00 to wipe your arse is a bit rich.
Reading between the lines you’d get the impression Phill types would be happy to have their particular boutique little paper preferences, delivered to their door for $5.00 or $6.00 a copy which is bulldust of course and why he continuallly pays his $1.00 for the one size fits all, compromise rag he does now. Basically he’s happier moaning about the lack of his preferred content than actually paying market rates for it. He and millions of others.
If yoall reckon you can knock out better meeja than the current lot, then go for it luvvies. FF is merely helping to facilitate that.
Definitely one for the letters page Phill. You know, the one near the features section with all the exposes about Bunnings.
And you obviously haven’t read the Waste, obs
The waste that’s a new one!You know i didn’t think that any media outlet of any description could be more bias than Fox News,but The Waste leaves them for dead.And it’s the same old bollicks,by the same old journos, with no bollicks.Of course our local radio aint much better(commercial)once you take out the footy and the buy and sell programs,you are left with a sort of three stooges approach one at a time.We get Curly in the morning,shemp at lunch time,and Larry in the evening it’s a real hoot.A controversial issue would be the color of the premiers bollicks after his morning swim at Scarborough beach.
Oh yes, the ads. Pages and pages full of ads with the odd news article squeezed in somewhere as a bit of an afterthought.
Ads you gotta be shittin me/I thought that was the news.But the letters to the editor is the real kicker,Fred Snerdly writes them all and puts trendy names to them e.g. Fred Snerdly.
That wouldn’t be the Fred Snerdly from Marangaroo would it?
You forgot those old faithful contributers Ernest Della and Don Jackson, oh and the Retired Inspector Kevin Moran who has some Strange Laura Norder ideas.
And we all know 6PR stands for 6 Perth Rednecks and featuring Howard “Alan Jones is My Hero” Sattler. Even Bob Maumill has gone to the Dark Side, no doubt brought into line by Declan Kelly.
Only decent show on PR is Steve Gordon’s The Way We Were on Sunday Night where he looks at various aspects of social history.
Just to reinforce the point I was making before.
What sort of lookout do we have when we cross our fingers/cast spells/pray/beg/ask questions at shareholder meetings/etc… to get Packer and Murdoch to run a line that pleases us?
It would be fun and funny if Murdoch turned against Howard. His new Al Gore affiliations are interesting enough – if only for the discomfort his minions in Oz are feeling.
But note that the “terrible drought” and “climate change” only came onto the political agenda when Murdoch decreed it would be so.
Much as I enjoy the RWDBs’ confusion and alarm over Rupert’s left turn, it can’t be good for democracy when one man sets the agenda…
Fielding is a useful fool.
That’s about the best that can be said for him.
Should we be so gauche as to mention the crappy website?
Avant la droite, Christine!
Ahh, The West’s you beaut Website, looks like a rip off of Perth Now without the wit. And we must remember that Kerry Stoke’s buying into the West is a worry what with Ch 7 being the Top Rating TV Station in this town, will this mean that Reece Whitby will be doing alternate editorials with Paul Murray ?
And will Inside Cover be an extension of Today Tonight ?
Don’t you love WA Media, a Two papers who are on a race to the bottom to be more tabloid and a commercial talk station who loves staging Rallys For Justice (I note Sattler’s last one against Child Abuse only attracted 300 people, despite the radio ads).
Youse should all move to Brisbane. The weather and the band scene and the licensing laws are all better.
Just sayin…
Actually our Licencing Laws are being liberalised to match the 21st Centruary, and amazingly some members of the Libs actually wanted to maintain the Status Quo.
hmm, the link didn’t work,
Trying again http://www.google.com.au/search?num=100&hl=en&safe=off&q=LIquor Reforms Perth&meta=cr=countryAU
Bugger, here is the long link.
http://www.google.com.au/search?num=100&hl=en&safe=off&q=LIquor Reforms Perth&meta=cr=countryAU
Perhaps your linking laws also need attention?
Info on Liquor Reforms here in WA here
Seriously, I was in Perth for the first time (and so far last) in 2004.
No shopping on Sundays.
Almost zero pubs and bars.
I don’t know how you all stand it!
Damn,
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,20549148-2761,00.html
I can never get the links thig working
Sheesh!
Does the opposition leader want Anna, Kate and Kim to go into bars?
I’m not convinced you have a happening town yet!
Refeerendum re Extended Trading Hours was held as part of the last State Election and the No Lobby (basically IGA and the so called “Independent Strores” Ran a VERY successful Scare Camnpaign and it got defeated.
Basically only stores employing less than 10 staff members can open on Sundays as well as shops in the “Tourist Precints” of Perth, Fremantle and Mandurah can open on Sundays and Public Holidays.
Amazingly, The Libs support the Status Quo, so much for “Free Enterprise”.
Riiiiiiight, the IGA campaign: Sunday trading=imminent social collapse. It was quite swish wasn’t it?
People might go to the IGA on Sunday with a hangover and drink 3 Red Bulls in a row – spending their last ten bucks. Madness and social decay beckon!
Yep, John Cummins, Owner of Dewson’s – Upmarket Yupiie small supermarkets, basically wanted to keep the Sunday/night trade to themselves.
At least with the Liquor reforms ALL liquor Stores can open on Sunday, and Bars and cafes can serve liquor without a meal, despite the efforts of Dan Sullivan trying to railroad the Liberal Party Room. Paul Omedei showed balls by supporting the changes.
Oh and add the Waste to the chorus of doomsayers.
No it wouldn’t Kim…it would be predictable. You see…the lizard lays in the sun & thinks out the new plan day by day…sends the occasional note after some stimulant…the ego booster…the mind cruise.
He looks down upon the CENTRE of the Financial EARTH…like a small time gangster…combined w/ the UNTOUCHABLES…& sees the storms in the distance…& thinks…knows…he can beat them. Cause everywhere are the potential enemies…the need for him to be a HERO.
He’s our BATMAN.
But he forgets to speak…
and so he uses others to speak for him…Blair…one of his faves…the UNTOLD story.
But who are they?…the ones he manipulates, the tunnel crawlers, the ants that cross below…the sound makers…
TGIS….
No longer seventeen
That wouldn’t be the Fred Snerdly from Marangaroo would it?
Yes,Fred Snerdly he’s everywhere but nowhere!
“Actually our Licencing Laws are being liberalised to match the 21st Centruary, and amazingly some members of the Libs actually wanted to maintain the Status Quo.”
You fucked that up Fred,in fact some of the Libs wanted to join Status Quo!
Imagine that conservatives in a rock band how quaint.
“Oh and add the Waste to the chorus of doomsayers.”
Yeah, that’d be right. Wesfarmers not in the bottleshop game.
Yea lets have all the shops open24/7,just as long as i don’t have to work in them.Oh but wait i have a PHd in philosophy,let me see what’s available for me,F.A.Ummm.Bring back fucking King George./Queen Victoria mayhaps, no matter.
Hello from downtown Beechboro,agree with you re the worst Australian,ever noticed how much stuff it lifts from other papers and no attribution,re 6pr Howards a bit of a joke I like Maumil even rung him a few times been cut off once but that was my fault.
The morning mob are pretty hopeless as I dont consider AFL the be all and end all of my existance,we seem to be going to get DS thank christ,thoug shopping hours is at the moment beyond the pail,christ knows why,still its not that long ago we had roster petrol stations remember the fun of looking for petrol after 6.
But we are still a bit of a backwater and I dont know how you can change it
Hey guys, lay off the West, it’s Perth’s finest newspaper! And Kim, maybe we’re a little backward over here but trust me, our weather shits on Brisbane’s. Unless, that is, you actually enjoy dripping with sweat.
Anyway. . .so Fielding wants evidence of owners influencing content? Does the fuckwit think it was mere coincidence that all of Murdoch’s 170 newspapers worldwide cheered on the Iraq War?
Gummo, I have to make this comment.
Of course. Only not-for-profits aren’t into making profit!