Heh. I remember when it was Rupert Murdoch that the Democrats all hated…
A former chairman of the Federal Communications Commission said rules limiting common ownership of newspapers and television stations in the same market should be gutted — even if it clears the way for media mogul Rupert Murdoch to control more news outlets including the Los Angeles Times.
Reed Hundt, Democratic chairman of the FCC during much of the Clinton administration and a self-confessed progressive, said in a speech Wednesday at UCLA that the long-standing rule is “perverse” and needs to be thrown out.
…but when the alternative is those scccaaaaaaarrrrryyy Koch brothers, well, hide your daughters and your failing news dailies! Personally, I hope to heck that progressives continue to freak out hysterically (take that any way that you like) over the idea that a pair of fairly innocuous billionaire libertarians might dare buy an existing paper or six; based on this response to the aforementioned hysteria, they’re starting to annoy the aforementioned billionaire libertarians. Annoyed billionaires tend to do things to rectify that particular emotional state.
I wonder, though: what really concerns progressives? Is it the idea that somebody might buy their into their little ideological Media club? Or is it that the Koch brothers will insist that their papers make money? – Because it’s one thing to have a politically-slanted newspaper. It’s quite another to have that slant be rewarded by market forces…
Moe Lane
I always enjoy responses from the Koch’s attorneys/spokespeople. Imagine them in a Buckley-esque voice. Detached and yet amused–so entertaining.
But Moe, this is eeevillll … The Los Angeles Times could be run by ideologues!
Moe, you’re a little behind. The Koch’s don’t want to buy the Los Angeles Times. Buying one little paper is beneath them.
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They want to buy the entire Tribune Company.
True, but the LA Fishwrap (I think it’s Patterico who first called it that) has a special place in my heart. 🙂