“Fair and balanced” is the slogan used by Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch’s far-right propaganda channel Fox News in the USA
Our Media Glass House analysts are always amazed at how the self-applied description persists even after the Murdochs settled the Dominion voting machines’ defamation case by paying huge wads of cash and effectively confessing that Fox deliberately lied to its audience to support Donald Trump’s fake claims about the “stolen” 2020 presidential election.
The same generic “fair and balanced” description is used by News Crap Australia – somehow without blushing – about its multiple outlets here in Australia.
But are they really all that F&B when it comes to big issues like the voice for First Nations to federal parliament?
Our Media Glass House researchers decided to take a random snapshot of one Murdoch outlet to see if the slogan stood up.
They perused the online website of the national broadshit The Australian late last night looking for items about the Voice. There they found five items.
One was a news story repackaging anti-voice claims by two ex-PMs John Howard and Tony Abbott – both noted for their News Crap-like talent for keeping a straight face when making outrageous, false, race-baiting, dog whistling, right-wing claims. If you disagree go to your window and check if your backyard and Hills hoist are off limits to you thanks to the Mabo decision and subsequent native title claims.
Our MGH teams also found three opinion pieces on The Oz’s website by different in-house or outside commentators all attacking the voice proposal.
On the pro-voice side of the ledger sat Chris Kenny who has been pretty much the sole voice for the voice in the corridors of The Oz and Sky News.
Without undertaking a lengthy analysis of its total coverage over past months, our MGH teams reckon a four-to-one editorial slant against the Voice is probably on the money when it comes to The Oz’s overall coverage of the referendum campaign.
“Fair and balanced” indeed.
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