YUMMY Scott Tenorman tears UPDATE: "Rupert Murdoch faces angry investors"

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Friday, Oct 21, 2011 1:00 PM Pacific Daylight Time
Rupert Murdoch faces angry investors
News Corp's annual shareholder's meeting could end with a series of embarrassing votes for the powerful media mogul VIDEO
By Alex Pareene

http://www.salon.com/2011/10/21/rupert_murdoch_faces_angry_investers/



Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation is holding its annual shareholder meeting in Los Angeles. And a vocal group of News Corp shareholders are a bit peeved at the media conglomerate’s performance recently. The performance that has upset them the most: all the phone-hacking and police-bribery followed by a lengthy coverup that has been rapidly unraveling this year.

The rebellious shareholders include British MP Tom Watson, who was personally lied to by James Murdoch at a Parliamentary hearing, and various pension funds. Also present: The secretary of the ethical investment advisory group of the Church of England. The Church would like Murdoch removed as director of the company.

The Guardian is delightfully live-blogging the meeting, which is handy, because News Corp banned all cameras and recording devises. Audio of the meeting was streaming on the News Corp corporate site for investors or those willing to claim to be investors on a registration page, but its just ended while they hold their shareholder votes. As he took questions, Murdoch sounded much more involved and feisty than he did in his confused appearance before Parliament earlier this summer. “I’d hate to call you a liar, but I know exactly how you’re going to vote,” he said to a hostile questioner who claimed to have not yet made up his mind.

Watson rehashed the various criminal complaints against News Corp and added allegations of computer hacking. Others complained about Murdoch’s management of the corporation as a sort of personal fiefdom, with nepotism rampant. One guy wanted to talk about animals rights for a while.

[sibelian]

1. Ahhhhhhh.... the juice is running sweet and clear.

I take great pleasure in the knowledge that this blow falls on him now, at the end of his life, to extinguish whatever pleasure he might have derived in retirement from the memory of his acheivements...

[gratuitous]

2. News Corp banned all cameras and recording devices

Hmmmm. Now, why in the world am I so cynical as to wonder why they might have done that? And my cynicism doesn't end there! Why do I have the inescapable feeling that despite the "ban" on cameras and recording devices, there will be some fortuitous circumstance under which tapes of Rupert's greatest hits in defending his misfeasance will somehow make their way out of the meeting hall to be played and replayed for the edification of News Corp media outlet viewers?