Politicians aren't scared of Murdoch; they're scared of a world without him

People assume that politicians are simply terrified of Rupert Murdoch. But chiefly they have allowed and encouraged the rise of the Murdoch empire because it protects them from authentic, principled, unpredictable journalism

By Open democracy

/ 12 Jul 2011

A blueprint for a democratic media system

Dan Hind’s most recent book, The Return of the Public, argues that only direct participation in editorial decision-making by the public will allow us to understand the social world. Here he explains how a democratic media system would work in practice

By Dan Hind

/ 12 Jul 2011

Hackgate and the Communications Review: two separate planets?

When the government launched its ongoing review of the UK communications sector, 'ethics' was not judged as part of its remit. Yet the hacking scandal has exposed the need for both the content and structure of British media to be radically re-thought

By Des Freedman

/ 11 Jul 2011

Cameron on Murdoch: how his language reveals the crisis in British democracy

British Prime Minister David Cameron gave a press conference on the scandal of Murdoch's tabloid hacking and suborning the police. In it he produced a new definition of democracy. What does it signify?

By Anthony Barnett

/ 11 Jul 2011

Murdochgate and the News: we need to reframe media and the public interest

'Murdochgate' is caused by an underlying crisis in the media and the production of news

By Natalie Fenton

/ 10 Jul 2011

Murdochgate, the Cameron project and the Crisis of the British State

The hacking scandal deepens an ongoing crisis of the British state and spells the end of the Prime Minister's attempt to mash one-nation conservatism and neo-liberalism.

By Gerry Hassan

/ 9 Jul 2011

News International - ruthless, without conscience or morality

The speech given to the House of Commons in the emergency debate on the hacking scandal by the Labour MP for West Bromwich East.

By Open democracy

/ 8 Jul 2011

Is shutting the News of the World and a public inquiry enough?: We want your answers

We want your answers to this Open Question: David Cameron has called for a public inquiry into the hacking scandal at the British tabloid News of the World, which has announced its closure. Is this an adequate response to a scandal that implicates the Murdochs, the British political class and the

By Open democracy

/ 8 Jul 2011

Hack-gate: the latest cultural contradiction of British conservatism?

The Murdoch-owned British Sunday tabloid, 'News of the World', has sunk deeper into an ongoing hacking scandal. Given that the right-wing tabloid press is a bastion of the British conservative establishment, how will the scandal affect the character of UK conservatism?

By William Davies

/ 7 Jul 2011

The Murdochs are not fit and proper people

It's a "truly dreadful situation" declares the UK's Prime Minister on learning of the latest revelation of the outrageous lawlessness of the Murdoch empire. The response should go further than criticism of journalists and editors, it is the proprietors, Murdoch senior and son, who should be held t

By Anthony Barnett

/ 5 Jul 2011

The start of a pan-British debate on the union?

Is a serious, pan-British debate starting on the future of the union and the rise of the SNP in Scotland? Yesterday's BBC Newsnight finally showed that the Westminster media bubble is capable of engaging with the national question

By Gerry Hassan

/ 5 Jul 2011

Unions, why not harness the power of the media?

In the first half of the 20th century, the unions communicated through a vibrant culture of radical newspapers.Unions today should harness the power of the media once more, not only to reach mass audiences, but in order to debate openly with members and critics

By Open democracy

/ 25 Jun 2011

Power and the Media