AUDIO: Murdoch says News Corp. donations were in interest of "shareholders and the country"

[democracy1st]

Responding to shareholder questions regarding News Corp.'s controversial $1 million contributions to the Chamber of Commerce and the Republican Governors Association, Rupert Murdoch said the donations were "unusual" and "in the interest of our shareholders and the country." Murdoch also said that it is "in the interest of the country and of all the shareholders ... that there be a fair amount of change in Washington."

According to Murdoch and the board of directors -- who took questions from shareholders during the News Corp. annual meeting in New York this morning -- the payments were reviewed by the general counsel. Sir Roderick Eddington, chairman of the audit committee, said he understood shareholders' calls for transparency and Murdoch indicated the company would consider some type of disclosure.

Murdoch also indicated that shareholders would not be engaged in selecting recipients of donations, and that if shareholders disagreed with directors' decisions, "you have the right to vote us off the board."

When asked specifically about his widely reported comment that News Corp.'s donation to the RGA was a result of his friendship with former Fox News employee and current GOP gubernatorial candidate John Kasich, Murdoch said "I didn't say it had nothing to do with News. Corp. I did make a foolish throwaway line saying -- I was trying to -- candidate Kasich who used to work for us for a number of years."

Eddington told a representative from the Nathan Cummings Foundation -- which sent a letter to the board of directors earlier this week calling for full disclosure of News Corp.'s political contributions -- that their proposal would be reviewed and that News Corp. would "act expeditiously."


Listen:
http://mediamatters.org/blog/201010150017





Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation Donates Again To The Republican Governors Association: $250,000


In June, Fox News’ parent company News Corporation gave a $1 million donation to the Republican Governors Association. This evening, IRS disclosures reveal that News Corporation gave another check, time for $250,000, bringing his total donation amount to $1,250,000. Other donors include Bill Koch, who donated $100,000, Swift Boat-funder Bob Perry, who gave $3.5 million, and right-wing casino billionaire Sheldon Adelson, who gave $1 million to the Republican campaign group.

http://thinkprogress.org/2010/10/15/news-corp-republican/

[Historic NY]

1. "Fair & Balanced", my ass.

[malaise]

2. I'd arrest his sorry ass for treason

Shut down the fucking station and then deport him since once he's committed a crime deportation follows.

[Angry Dragon]

3. He is an American citizen since 1985

[Canuckistanian]

4. Didn't the shareholders OBJECT to the donations?

If I were a shareholder, I'd be pissed, too. If I wanted to donate to a political cause, I'd do it directly.

Political donations are unnecessary expenditures and could affect my dividends.

[felix_numinous]

5. Propaganda abuses our freedom of speech

by masquerading as truth. This game of pretending to broadcast the news is undermining the safety of innocent citizens, and making us all less free. We are not free with crazy nutbags loose on the street.

[democracy1st]

6. well said!