Murdoch by Numbers

The Independent has a wrap-up of conservative media magnate Rupert Murdoch’s recent appearance on The Charlie Rose Show, in which he discussed politics, his influence via his empire of newspapers and media channels (including Fox), and the bitter inheritance squabble between his “six children of his three marriages.”

How much political power does he wield personally? "It is overstated. We can do things to help set the agenda, starting debates going in newspapers, having investigations by Fox News."

It’s overstated…but one man has the ability to “help set the agenda.” Should that really be understated? For crying out loud, there are people in this country who have trouble making their single fucking vote count, and here’s a guy who can drive the country’s agenda because his media conglomerate is so vast and powerful. That’s a big problem.

As to that agenda, he had some thoughts about who would make a nice president for the US (John McCain), and laid out his positions on abortion and gay marriage:

"I'm not on the extreme right on abortion, in terms of a [US] constitutional amendment. I think everyone's against abortion." Who should decide when an abortion should take place? "Individual states and individual people."

The only way to ensure that individual people can decide when an abortion should take place is by keeping it legal in every state, but don’t let my logic get in your way, Rupert.

As for gay marriage: "I believe it is wrong. I'm considered homophobic and crazy about these things and old fashioned. But I think that the family - father, mother, children - is fundamental to our civilisation."

Blech. By the way, I love how being a straight, married couple isn’t even enough to qualify you as a “family” by social conservatives’ definition anymore if you don’t have children. Deliberately childless straight couples aren’t families according to them any more than gay couples, including gay couples with kids, or, evidently, single parent households of any sexual orientation. Unless your house is replete with mommy, daddy, and babies, you’re just some kind of family-wannabe, I guess.