The Murdoch Boys and the Future of Fox News

Journalist Michael Wolff, who has written extensively about Fox News, wrote about James Murdoch on April 20, 2017:
It would be hard to imagine how James could have been regarded with more contempt by many of the people at Fox News. James was rather exhibit No. 1 of the liberal elite entitlement that Fox had so profitably programmed against.

Peter Barry Chowka

. . . "James and Lachlan Murdoch are married to high profile professional women – both of whom are widely reported to be on the far left side of the political spectrum. James’s wife Kathryn was a marketing executive and is now a dedicated environmental activist. At the Web site of the foundation that she co-founded with her husband, Kathryn Murdoch’s profile notes: “Between 2007-2011, Ms. Murdoch served as Director of Strategy & Communications for the Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI) where she also managed CCI’s partnership with Microsoft in the development of a global greenhouse gas emissions tracking software.” She is also a trustee of the Environmental Defense Fund. Confirming Kathryn Murdoch’s left wing credentials, her personal Twitter account features frequent tweets like the one she posted on June 4, 2017: “I don't believe in Donald Trump. Will that make him go away?”

. . . 

"Michael Wolff weighed in again on April 20, 2017: The ouster of Roger Ailes in 2016 and Bill O’Reilly on April 19, 2017, he wrote, “means most of all that James [Murdoch] is in charge. And, most immediately, this means that Fox News, that constant irritant in James’ view of himself as a progressive and visionary television executive, will begin to change. Virtually overnight.' ”

. . . 

"In terms of what might emerge if Fox News continues to falter, there are indications in a number of recent articles that people with large amounts of money to invest are eyeing the possibility of creating a new conservative news channel to challenge Fox News. Meanwhile, alternatives like One America News Network, available on some satellite TV systems and via Roku, are gaining subscribers. Sinclair Broadcast Group, which owns or operates 170 local television stations, most of them outside of the major media markets, recently completed a deal to buy Tribune Media, which would add Tribune’s 42 broadcast TV stations in 33 major markets to Sinclair’s portfolio. Sinclair currently provides Full Measure, a weekly news program to its affiliates, anchored by former CBS News correspondent Sharyl Attkisson who is one of the best investigative journalists in the country. NPR reported that in the expansion of Sinclair “There are what could be the stirrings of plans for a national platform – such as a cable television station. . . Speculation has centered on possible conversion of Tribune's WGN America as a possible conservative news and opinion channel.' ”

Peter Barry Chowka is a veteran journalist who writes about national politics, media, popular culture, and health care. His bio with links to many of his writings can be accessed here.

Democrats' long knives for Hillary starting to be unsheathed

Thomas Lifson

. . . "Media friends already warn Democrats of the dangers of a "destructive blame game" – because Republicans are the only ones who are supposed to be riven by internal factional conflict.  But Van Jones leaves no doubt that big money is at stake, and the left-race coalition is tired of the Clintons and their hogging.

"This is only going to get more entertaining.  Face it: an existential threat faces the Clinton Machine.  If Hillary is out of the game, future prospects for the hangers-on depend on Chelsea.  Turning her into a successful politician (or anything else) will be a herculean labor.  She has a lot of items on her C.V., but like Barack Obama, they seem to be titles without notable accomplishments attached to them.  Her sole visible work on NBC was an outright embarrassment and sparked resentment among the ranks of working journalists, none of whom could imagine getting such an opportunity with so few qualifications.

"The death throes of the Clinton Machine will not end quickly or mercifully."

Duke Process of Law

Mike Adams

"Duke is the most fundamentally racist and sexist university in America. If you don’t believe me just ask Paul Griffiths – an Oxford educated now­ former Professor at Duke Divinity School (DDS). Just last semester, Griffiths, who is white, expressed opposition to a Racial Equity Institute “diversity” program that was being pushed by one of his so­-called colleagues. Expressing his opposition to the program resulted in a charge of racial and sexual harassment by a white colleague named Thea Portier­ Young. Rather than face a kangaroo court that refused to provide him documentation of relevant evidence in advance of his hearing, Griffiths resigned his tenured position.

"To be sure, the decision of Griffiths to resign rather than fight has been met with sharp criticism. But critics of Griffiths seem to have forgotten what happens to people at Duke when unsupported charges are leveled against them. Lest we forget what history has taught us, let us review the actions of the campus community at Duke University beginning over a decade ago in the wake of the Duke lacrosse scandal.

"After a lying criminal named [Crystal Mangum] accused two, then three, then four, then five, then six, then twenty white lacrosse players of raping her she finally settled on a version of events in which she was raped by three white lacrosse players. Later, she was unable to identify any of them from a comprehensive set of photos of players then on the team. By this point, it was clear she was lying. The campus should have come to the defense of the falsely accused students. But what happened next? Here are some highlights: " . . .
Continue reading...