Do you pay close attention to who owns the news you consume, and what their agenda is?
The Echo is locally owned and operated and has been since its inception in 1986. The Echo’s agenda has been constant throughout those years, and its motto is to ‘afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted’ (Finley Peter Dunne 1867–1936).
It appears a somewhat rare position to take for modern-day media, but The Echo can do so because it is a small independent entity.
In the past decade or more, diversity in the media landscape has been contracting, and at a rapid rate.
There is a real danger when concentrated corporate media aligns itself with an extreme political agenda. History is littered with such examples, which don’t end well.
A long essay that outlines this danger is the recently released federal Senate report into Media Diversity in Australia.
The 304 page document comprehensively examines how our media ended up where it is, and offers some useful suggestions to improve the sector through, (cough), diversity.
Notwithstanding the ABC and SBS public broadcasters, Australia has only three national-scale commercial media voices, according to the Centre for Advancing Journalism (page 81).
US-based News Corporation (Murdoch) controls ‘about two-thirds of metropolitan daily newspaper circulation, including monopolies in Brisbane, Adelaide, Hobart and Darwin; regional daily monopolies in a range of cities, including Cairns and Townsville; substantial chains of suburban and rural newspapers; [and] the only subscription television news service, Sky News – which also operates as a free-to-air channel in regional areas’.
Nine Entertainment owns the Nine television network, and the previous Fairfax mastheads The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Financial Review. In Western Australia, Kerry Stokes seems to have a fairly strong hold on the state’s news (print and TV) with Seven West Media Ltd.
According to IBISWorld, Newspaper publishing in Australia (August 2021, page 8), the percentage share of industry revenue puts Newscorp way ahead of the pack at 52.5 per cent, then Nine Entertainment (17.6 per cent), Australian Community Media, owned equally by Antony Catalano and Alex Waislitz (10.3 per cent), Seven West Media (6.5 per cent) and then other (13.1).
In short, Murdoch’s News Corp has been allowed to expand its already considerable influence in Australia under Liberal-National governments. It’s no secret they share similar ideologies and promote the same worldview: Punish the vulnerable, stifle public debate and exploit whatever you can for personal gain.
The Senate report admits that reform ‘will be no easy task’, and suggests a ‘dedicated judicial inquiry with the powers of a royal commission’.
It continues, ‘This kind of inquiry would have the power to compel witnesses to give evidence, and would have the capacity, resourcing and expertise to undertake a more thorough investigation than a Parliamentary committee is able to do’.
In a world where justice actually existed, and Julian Assange wasn’t locked up for reporting government crimes, this would be a good place to start.
Hans Lovejoy, editor
It appears that Murdoch owns National Geographic.
Thats why we don’t see the amazing achievements of China, like the bullet train through the mountains and across the massive gorges through Laos and now heading to Bangkok.
He would rather spread rumors saying China will rob Laos.
China says *why should we argue with children”.
Murdoch’s fetish to own most of us says a lot about ‘a need to control.’
What I want to know is – who in Hell allowed this ‘power of one’ in the
first place. Chicken Little? Perhaps.
Chicken little politicians allowed Rupert his media monopoly in aust. Always fawning over him, visiting is New York bolt-hole cap in hand……
The Echo is just as bad as the Rupert Murdoch empire. Just because you’re small doesn’t mean you’re honest. The truth can only be found on social media. Thousands of the greatest minds such as myself come together to piece everything together. People that believe in evidence have no faith in God. The only good thing about this rag is that you use the right codewords to bash the Illuminati.
With Respect Han’s the echo has saturated
The pages of the echo with Murdoch
This Murdoch that for decades !! just put your impartial hat on for a minute , the hypocrisy of the left is Overwhelming and the Murdoch press including Sky call this out!!.. shutdown what you don’t want to hear and thats excatly
What the left want , truth hurts Hans …
Is that Democracy? you mention the ABC
Why are they conservative free Hans ?
The majority of the country voted the conservatives in at the last election did they not .. the ABC are paid for by taxpayer’s
They are a power unto themselves with agendas .. yet when the Murdoch media have agendas you lot go into Meltdown!!
All news outlets , press , media , journalists
Should be impartial and should always
Report from the centre with no activist
Agendas .. including the Murdoch press
and the ECHO hans ..anyway those are my opinions if you dont like those i have others… Incidentally Hans Merry Christmas & a safe healthy New year..