Murdoch: Big Media's Clout Waning

by George Szalai - The Hollywood Reporter, http://www.adweek.com/aw/national/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003538365

In a January 26, 2007 article on the AdWeek website, George Szalia of The Hollywood Reporter wrote:Big media companies and governments ultimately cannot stop or reverse their reduced agenda-setting power brought about by the Internet and digital media, but must learn to embrace change as an opportunity, a panel at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, said Friday. Media conglomerates have less influence amid the continued explosion of news sites, blogs and podcasts, News Corp. chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch said in the session moderated by Charlie Rose. "It's so pluralistic," Murdoch said. "We all have less power, much less." Not only are there more outlets for news and opinion thanks to the Internet, but traditional media are also "put right immediately" these days when making mistakes, he said, citing last year's CBS News affair surrounding allegations against President George Bush. Similarly, News Corp.'s leader said "government now has to be much more open" because of the Web and suggested, along with Gordon Brown, chancellor of the exchequer and the possible future prime minister of the U.K., that nations should try to view the situation as an opportunity...

Click here to read Szalia's article in its entirety on the AdWeek website.