Why I am rooting for News Corp. to fail

http://www.ojr.org/ojr/people/robert/201107/1993/

July 15, 2011
Why I am rooting for News Corp. to fail
Written by Robert Niles

I'll fess up: I'm rooting for the phone hacking scandal to be the downfall of News Corp.
I don't take lightly a desire to see a company fail, especially one that employs thousands of people who, in turn, support families and communities. But the list of News Corporation's sins against journalism, and society, is long, even if one overlooks the repugnant phone hacking. Instead of speaking truth to power, News Corp. tries bending truth to power.

Allow me again to state that I have no problem with political advocacy by news organizations or even by individual journalists, so long as that advocacy is the final point in a journey that begins with reporting and discovery of truth. I have a problem with political advocacy in journalism only when it represents the first step in the process, dictating the reporting and presentation of information to an audience.

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The abuse of power is an issue than can unite liberals and conservatives, and progressives and libertarians, within the journalism industry. I was inspired to write today by Howard Owens, who tweeted earlier this week: "There's an aspect of the News Corp. scandal not being discussed -- that bigness leads to things like this."

For those of you who don't know Howard, I don't think he would dispute my characterizing him as a strong libertarian, and someone with whom I disagree on a great many political issues. But I believe that he and I agree on this one: Size breeds power - and power corrupts.

I would extend that thought: Power in journalism corrupts the truth, too.

Size and power become symbiotic, especially when an organization (or a bank account) grows beyond a certain tipping point. News Corp. long ago past that point, in both Britain and the United States. News Corp.'s ability to command fear and favor from elected officials stripped its leadership and employees of fear of consequence for breaking the law. So, it appears in Britain and possibly in the United States, they did.

If someone's not afraid of breaking the law, do you really believe that the ethics of responsible journalism and truthful news reporting are going to bind such people, either? Of course not. Anyone who dismisses the law for power will dismiss the truth to preserve their power, too.

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