One of Murdoch's minions goes after the ABC & accidentally shoots Sky News, a subsidiary of News Corp

Sometimes even in these dark times the news cycle throws up a quiet giggle.

In the Murdoch-Morrison War on the ABC, Australia's public broadcaster......

First salvo

L'l Scotty Morrison routinely swats away a journalist during a doorstop on 29 June 2020:

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, you’ve spoken about the need for tax reform out the back of this crisis. Will you consider taking to the next election either an increase in the GST or a broadening of the base of the GST in order to get rid of and decrease other taxes or is that something you would rule out? 

PRIME MINISTER: Well, what I'm focused on at the moment is the decisions the Government has to make in relation to JobSeeker and JobKeeper and they’re important decisions as we move to the next phase post September. And I've got to say, Andrew, that's where my attention is right now.

JOURNALIST: So it’s something you might consider down the track? 

 PRIME MINISTER: No, Andrew, I'm not going to let you put words in my mouth. I've said what I've said. You know, we're focused on the questions that Australians are most interested in at the moment. And that is, frankly, the next phase beyond JobSeeker and JobKeeper. There is still a lot of work to do there and that's what we're focused on now. 

JOURNALIST: Were you concerned… 

PRIME MINISTER: No, it's not a one on one today, Andrew, there's many other journalists here. I'm happy to give you another one later.

Supporting salvo

News Corp's own NCA Newswire decides this exchange is a perfect opportunity to take another potshot at the ABC:

However there is one small problem with this 'news' report.

Return fire from opposing trenches

And that small problem was at matter of identity:

It would appear that News Corp mixed up Andrew Clennell a political editor over at its own subsidiary, Sky News Australia with an ABC political editor Andrew Probyn.

Thus managing to bring down one of its own media soldiers in a volley of friendly fire.

In future skirmishes perhaps Murdoch's troops could check mugshots before firing off a round - the Andrews are easy to tell apart.

Kingston vs The Australian propaganda sheet

 

News Limited's The Australian newspaper gets caught distorting known facts – again.

 

The Australian 8 January 2013:

 

 

Margot Kingston 8 January 2013:

 

Just to keep the record straight in the face of Opposition Leader Tony Abbott's claim that these new allegations reflect on Australian Prime Minister Gillard's judgement (but apparently not on his own judgement or that of former Prime Minister Howard), herewith timeline information taken from the Parliament of Australia biography of the Hon. Peter Neil Slipper:

Elected to the House of Representatives for Fisher, Queensland, 1984 for the National Party of Australia. Defeated 1987.

Re-elected for the Liberal Party of Australia 1993, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2007 and 2010.

Liberal-Nationals Coalition Government Whip from 11.7.97 to 18.10.98.

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance and Administration (Coalition Ministers John Fahey & Nick Minchin) from 21.10.98 to 26.10.04.

Acting Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister John Howard from 14.3.02 to 7.10.03.

Member, Liberal Party 1989-2008; Member, Liberal National Party of Queensland 2008-11.

Alternate Representative, Liberal Party State Executive (Qld) 1990-92.

Vice-Chairman, Liberal Party Sunshine Coast Zone 1990-92.

Membership Development Officer, Liberal Party Sunshine Coast Zone 1990-92.

Branch Vice-Chairman, Liberal Party 1991-92.

Delegate, Liberal Party and Liberal National Party State Conventions (Qld) 1990-2011.

Became an Independent MP from 24.11.2011.

On 7 January 2013 the Australian Federal Police served the legal representative of Mr Peter Slipper MP with a summons in relation to three offences of Dishonestly Causing a Risk of a Loss to the Commonwealth pursuant to section 135.1(5) Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth).

The same day The Sydney Morning Herald reported:

 

It is understood they relate to three Comcar trips in 2010, in which Mr Slipper - who was then a Coalition MP - travelled beyond the allowed Canberra region. The trips are understood amount to about $900.

Fairfax's move to dumb down its reporting is working

Fairfax, publisher of The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Australian Financial Review, has been dismantling its senior (experienced) staff and opting for fewer, newer, fresh faced staff (who are obviously cheaper) in its bid to cut costs but as can be seen below cutting costs results in cutting corners. Gilard!

Image displayed 7.00am Sunday 19 June 2011.

And, like the Murdoch publications, Fairfax plans to put some of its online content behind a paywall. Heaven help its readers!