Rupert Murdoch has fueled polarization of society, Barack Obama says

[marmar]

(Guardian UK) The former US president Barack Obama has suggested that Rupert Murdoch’s media empire has led to greater polarisation in western societies through news coverage designed to “make people angry and resentful”.

Speaking to a capacity crowd of about 9,000 people at Sydney’s Aware Super Theatre on Tuesday night, Obama mixed childhood memories of transiting through Australia as a child with pointed observations about the current political discourse and the rise of China.

Asked by Australia’s former foreign minister and moderator, Julie Bishop, about the history of bipartisanship in the US political system, Obama reflected on the largely Anglo-American male makeup of senators and representatives at the time he was elected to the US Senate in 2004, and on the divisions that have persisted since.

....(snip)....

“There’s one other factor that’s led to this polarisation. This is global, this is not unique to the United States, and that is the shifts in the media and the story that is told to people. And there’s a guy you may be familiar with, first name Rupert, who was responsible for a lot of this …

“But really he perfected what is a broader trend, which is the advent of cable [television], talk radio and then social media. The dissolution of the monopoly of a few arbiters of the news and journalistic standards that came out of the post-world war two era.” ..........(more)

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/mar/29/rupert-murdoch-has-fuelled-polarisation-of-society-barack-obama-says

[Skittles]

1. NO SHIT

he has also proven how many easily-manipulated racist ASSHOLES live in America

[The Unmitigated Gall]

2. Hell, Barack...

Fux nooz fueled the demonization of your entire presidency.

[ancianita]

3. From Clinton onward.

[AdamGG]

6. From Clinton onward, meaning...

since Fox 'News' came on the air onward.

EDIT: That cartoon is great. I've already stolen it and posted it somewhere else.

[ancianita]

8. Sure. As the cartoon shows. I'm noting that Fox wasn't around in Carter days

when 3 channels were still the norm on TV's.

[choie]

4. Wow what a revelation.

n/t

[Initech]

5. I've been saying this since Bush V. Gore!

Fox News is dangerous for this country. It ruins everything it touches!

[dchill]

7. Thanks for opening my eyes.

[ancianita]

9. Just posted for fun. We all know this. I just liked the cartoons' running gun theme.

[Zorro]

10. And Moloch revels in the destructive power he has

He enjoys being able to wreck societies and governments.

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

11. I don't understand old rich man spending their later years trying to make others live their views

[Duppers]

12. No surprise here.

Malcolm Nance wrote the great book on this over 3 years ago.