I have already plugged this paper once, but I am finding it so much better than anything else out there that I feel I should do it again. This is one of their latest articles which is about Rinehart, although it is more about her political influence and the lack of strong disclosure laws in Australia than her fledgling media empire:

http://www.theglobalmail.org/feature/rineharts-reach/295/

On 20 June 2012 09:52, Peter Ross <Peter.Ross@bogen.in-berlin.de> wrote:
Hi all,

we are living in a country who's press landscape is described (and
experienced by me) as a prison experiment:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/sep/01/australia-climate-scientists

"Australia has unwittingly become a social experiment. A ruthless
experiment on the fate of a society when a single media conglomerate,
Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, owns 167 newspapers and controls around 70% of
the printed media market."

"That is what happens when a media conglomerate and their allies go out of
control and escape accountability. The result is a society poised to
embark on a Stanford prison experiment."

Well, if Rinehart virtually takes over Fairfax

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/business/companies/gina-rinehart-is-entitled-to-turn-fairfax-into-mining-gazette-conroy/story-fndfr3g3-1226400725349
(Murdoch's Sydney newspaper)

"She is also asking for the right to make significant editorial decisions
such as the ability to hire and fire editors."

.. we have actually the choice to read Murdoch's "News" or Rinehart's.

That's it. If you put it in "party terms" 100% Liberal supporters (with a
touch of One Nation in it, see Bolt & Co).

Before I came here, I was used to choose between various German newspapers
who appeared to be run independently, and considered it as being at the
heart of a working democracy.

I wonder whether there is any concern and opposition amongst Australians
related to that here? Do you all consider it as normal to live in a gold
rush were few get mega-rich and buying up the society?

To be honest, I don't care so much about who is runing a country in a way
as it pleases them, whether there are Chinese Communists or Australian
miners.

If we don't have the freedom of free expression it isn't a democracy.
free press is part of it.

I wonder what to do at this point. I consider it as a tipping-point in the
development of this country - and I don't like where it is heading to.

Regards
Peter
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