Our Conversation with Malcolm Turnbull on “Rupert Murdoch’s War on Democracy and Climate” - VIDEO
Former Australian Prime Minister shared his insights on Rupert Murdoch and the NewsCorp media empire. Video, highlights and action steps!
On October 16, 2024 the Media and Democracy Project was honored to host PM Malcolm Turnbull for a lively discussion about the harms of Rupert Murdoch and his media empire on minds, democracies around the world and the climate crisis. Nearly 200 people joined the Zoom event. Feedback from attendees was resoundingly favorable with 99% of attendees leaving positive comments (some are listed below).
Please be inspired by this conversation to engage in the action steps you can take that we list below including our bipartisan citizen’s effort to deny the Murdoch’s/Fox a broadcast license for a local TV station they own via FoxPetition.Com.
Join us via Zoom November 20, 8pm ET for our NEXT SPECIAL EVENT (and more on Murdoch): “How media moguls abuse their power, manipulate the truth and distort democracy” with journalist and publisher Eric Beecher. Sign up here: tiny.cc/ebeecher Read/listen to his extraordinary new book: “The Men Who Killed The News". The inside story of media Moguls (such as Rupert Murdoch, Elon Musk, William Randolph Hearst) wield their immense power - at the expense of democracies.
You can watch a recording of the event with PM Turnbull here:
SEVERAL HIGHLIGHTS :
On MAD’s petition at the FCC to deny the Murdoch’s and Fox a local broadcast TV station license:
PM Turnbull: I just want to applaud the initiative that you've taken regarding Murdoch. I think it's a very valid endeavor, and I think you've got the evidence there in black and white. I mean, this is a situation where they knowingly spread falsehoods and they can't say it's just an allegation. ...So if fitness and propriety to hold a broadcasting license is an issue, Murdoch has a lot to answer. So it's a very, very legitimate line of attack. Absolutely.
On Rupert Murdoch and Fox’s impact on climate crisis:
PM Turnbull: Fox and Murdoch more broadly has been the, I would say the loudest single voice of climate nihilism in the English speaking world.
On Rupert Murdoch and Fox’s harm to democracies:
PM Turnbull: …this hyper-partisanship and anger-tainment, normalization of lying, that is so much a part of the Fox agenda and the Murdoch agenda, and they're not the only people responsible for it, but it has done gigantic damage to this democracy in the United States where I'm here at the moment with you guys, but it also threatens democracies elsewhere, whether it's the UK where they have substantial media assets or in my country, Australia.
On why political and thought leaders in the United States do not speak the way PM Turnbull does with clarity of the harms of Murdoch and the Murdoch Empire?
PM Turnbull: Well, the reason they don't, and very few practicing politicians do, I mean I did on occasions, but the reality is that whether it's in the United States or Australia, Murdoch's media is very substantial, very vindictive, and they will run a vendetta.
YOUR NEXT STEPS AND ACTIONS
#1 Sign our Citizen's Petition to Deny the Murdoch’s and Fox re-licensing of local TV station/s: FoxPetition.Com The Media and Democracy Project bi-partisan citizen’s effort to hold the Murdoch’s accountable for knowingly broadcasting lies about the 2020 election to their audience.
#2 Sign up for our NEXT SPECIAL EVENT (and more on Murdoch) November 20, 8pm ET “How media moguls abuse their power, manipulate the truth and distort democracy” with journalist and publisher Eric Beecher. Sign up here: tiny.cc/ebeecher Read/listen to his extraordinary new book: “The Men Who Killed The News".
#3 Listen to PM Turnbull’s Podcast “Defending Democracy with Malcolm Turnbull”
#4 Review slides from the 10/16/24 event
#5 Read and share our blog post by Brian Hansbury "We’re Demanding That Newsrooms Improve Their 2024 Election Coverage"
#6 Please donate to help us fight for a better informed America: https://www.mediaanddemocracyproject.org/donate
#7 JOIN US! Be a media and democracy activist: Attend our next working group event 11/18/24 MAD Monday
#8 Follow and boost our work on socials:
Twitter/X @MAD_Democracy @FixMediaNow
Mastodon @MAD_democracy
Bluesky @mediaanddemocracy.bsky.social
Please reach out with questions, feedback or to collaborate or support our work: info@MediaAndDemocracyProject.Org
BONUS audience feedback on the event:
“Brilliant session. Prime Minister Turnbull was incredibly insightful and engaging! Thank you!!”
“Excellent conversation with former Australian Prime Minister Turnbull, who shared an insider's perspective regarding Murdoch's insidious influence across the English-speaking world”.
“Excellent meeting - I appreciate Malcolm Turnbull & Media and Democracy for the work they do upholding democracy.”
“I found Malcolm Turnbull’s insight and experience with Rupert Murdoch and Fox News enlightening. I only wish more of our citizens could have heard it. We must do something to educate our fellow citizens so that they don’tt fall prey to the lies and disinformation spread on Fox “News”. Maybe if enough people knew what the real deal was, there would be legislation to prevent them from infecting our population with dangerous rhetoric.”
“I not only significantly increased my knowledge about the Murdoch Media current status and efforts to bring it to account, but I truly enjoyed 'meeting' Malcolm Turnbull. I have a soft spot for all things Aussie and it was really fun to 'meet' one of its former PMs. And his info was insightful. Last, I knew next to nothing about your organization - I'm glad you are there and doing such important and great work. Thanks”
“Outstanding meeting. So grateful you were able to set it up, and he was able to speak to us.”
“Really interesting to hear the Australian Prime Minister - intelligent, full of integrity, with a global perspective. I hung on his every word and am glad we have him as a strong ally.”
"Terrific. I was impressed by and grateful for the clear stand of Prime Minister Turnbull against dishonest media and its threat to democracies.”
“I love Malcolm Turnbull! He is clear and cogent. As an Australian living in the United States for 40 years, I long for the clarity and gentlemanly courtesy of politicians like him.”