The Murdoch Empire Scandal & Public Trust in Media Professor Eric Freedman Vytautas Magnus University October 18, 2012

Media Power & the Powerful Power of the media in a variety of countries and political systems. Conflicts between those with political & economic power on one side and those with less power or no power on the other side. Impacts of changing communication technologies Role of the press in bringing events to light, helping set the public agenda for discussion & action by citizens & policymakers. Newsmakers, news gatherers & news consumers.

Issues to Consider What relationships are ethically acceptable between the media & the politicians or government officials they cover? How should multinational media organizations handle differences in ethical standards from country to country? And should ethical standards vary among countries?

Rupert Murdoch 24 th most powerful person in the world: Forbes magazine

News Corporation “At a time when the U.S. has been weighed down by its slowest recovery since the Great Depression, when Europe’s currency threatens its union and, I might add when our critics flood the field with stories that refuse to move beyond the misdeeds at two of our papers in Britain, I am delighted to report something about News Corporation you might not know from the headlines: In 2012, for the second year in a row, we have brought our stockholders double-digit growth in total segment operating income.” Letter from Rupert Murdoch, 2012 Annual Report

Partial Holdings: News Corp. United States Fox Television (including Fox TV, Fox News, Fox Business, Fox Sports,) 20th Century Fox Wall Street Journal -- New York Post Dow Jones -- HarperCollins United Kingdom The Sun -- The Times News of the World (until 2011) Europe SKY Italia -- Sky Deutschland -- FOXTEL Australia The Australian -- The Courier-Mail The Daily Telegraph -- The Mercury Others Russian radio stations Russia Nashe & Best FM National Geographic Channel Americanidol.com

British coverage of News of the World closing

Milly Dowler

James Murdoch

Rebecca Brooks

Andy Coulson

David Cameron 10 th most powerful person in the world: Forbes

Sir Paul Stephenson

Rupert Murdoch Live

Parliamentary inquiry Inquiry into media & Met Police Civil lawsuits Shareholder lawsuits U.K. criminal investigations U.S. criminal investigation Legal problems for Rupert Murdoch, corporations, associates, press, police & politicians

CO N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 VILNIUS SIPDIS E.O : DECL: 09/12/2017 TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, ECON, KCOR, LH, HT1 SUBJECT: LITHUANIAS CORRUPT MEDIA HURTS EVERYONE, INCLUDING U.S. BUSINESSES Classified By: CDA Damian Leader for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 1. (C) SUMMARY. Some media outlets in Lithuania, newspapers especially, extort politicians and businessmen using rewards of positive coverage and the threat of negative coverage. Media corruption damages media credibility, undermines Lithuania’s democratic institutions, and intimidates politicians, businesses, and civil society. It also hurts U.S. businesses, who are less apt to "play the game" than their local counterparts. End summary. Context: Picture is bleak, regulation weak

Vitas Tomkus Takes on 15min

Code of Journalistic Principles: Belgium 1. Freedom of the press 2. The facts 3. Distinction between information and comment 4. Respect for the diversity of opinions 5. Respect for human dignity 6. Presentation of violence 7. Correction of erroneous information 8. Protection of sources of information 9. Secrecy 10. Human rights 11. Independence 12. Advertisements Adopted by the Belgian Association of Newspaper Publishers, the General Association of Professional Journalists of Belgium and the National Federation of the Information Newsletters in 1982.

Press Complaints Commissions & Self- Regulation

Press Councils

Internal Complaint Review System The Australian Broadcasting Corporation invites and welcomes your feedback. To the ABC please fill in this form and a member of Audience and Consumer Affairs will process your . ABC Audience & Consumer Affairs does not respond to anonymous correspondence. If you would like a response to your please fill in your full name and a valid address. All s, including anonymous s, are noted by ABC Audience & Consumer Affairs and conveyed to the relevant program area.