2023-02-28
New evidence in the Dominion defamation lawsuit against Fox News has revealed Rupert Murdoch acknowledged his Fox News hosts had endorsed the falsehood that the 2020 election was stolen from Donald Trump.
Greens spokesperson for Communications and Chair of the Senate Inquiry into Media Diversity, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:
“Murdoch has acknowledged his network was platforming lies when it came to allegations of voter fraud. He clearly did nothing to stop it because he feared losing Trump supporters as viewers. The Murdoch empire has never cared about public interest journalism, truth or democracy, they are solely concerned with power and profits.
“Just like the phone hacking scandal, these latest revelations about internal communications at Fox News have put on full display the disturbing culture inside the Murdoch corporation. Governments and media regulators around the world need to take a good hard look at the stronghold the Murdoch’s have over our news.
“Here in Australia, it’s time for a Royal Commission to get to the bottom of the lies they spread and the power they wield over our democracy and our lives. We have seen the influence of the Murdoch-controlled News Corp on elections in Australia, and around the world, time and time again. It’s been more than two years since half a million Australians signed a petition calling for a Royal Commission into the Murdoch media empire.
“With today’s revelations, the Labor Government can no longer ignore the calls for a Royal Commission.”