On my way to the mountains this weekend, I heard an NPR Weekend Edition piece about Rupert Murdoch’s influence in the UK and the closing of News of the World (NOW), the 168-year-old weekly newspaper that published its last edition yesterday.
What’s troubling (although not surprising) is how quickly politicians ran away from Murdoch after wanting to curry favor for so long. The piece notes that the past five prime ministers courted Murdoch to get elected and to stay in office.
They all want his blessing when it suits their own needs. But when it doesn’t, they move away quickly and chastise and vilify as they move away.
What hypocrites. I blame the politicians more than Murdoch. At least his is a constant vision – improve the bottom line and make money. He and James Murdoch saw (quite accurately) NOW had self-destructed and, as a result, would tarnish the Murdoch brand and affect their ability to generate revenue.
The best move? Shut it down since it has lost all credibility … if such a tabloid has such credibility.
What’s also disturbing is that politicians also saw a need to curry favor in order to avoid becoming targets for the next scandal. By doing so they give Murdoch the power and influence … they shouldn’t.
UK Prime Minister David Cameron notes that politicians put themselves in a relationship that “became too close, too cozy. We were all in this world of wanting the support of newspaper groups and, yes, even broadcasting organizations.”
Even though they moved away quickly, any intelligent voter can see that they were more than cozy for a time. Public figures are better off focusing their energies on serving the good of their constituents rather than their own self-interests. Focus more on what you stand for rather than what others think or who you must cozy up to.
Have clear ideas and visions. Foster a willingness to debate and discuss such ideas in an intelligent manner. Be true to yourself and such favor is unnecessary. That way, they stop giving power and influence to people and organizations that don’t deserve it.
Happy to hear what you think. Do we lack leaders who can think for themselves? How do we encourage leaders to be true to themselves and not look to curry favor? Is there room for this in the current political climate where making extreme declarations is chosen over encouraging dialog?
