Sun Nation website's dirty trick is a direct attempt by Rupert Murdoch to curb democracy
For a newspaper so confident in the virtues of David Cameron and the ‘weakness’ of Ed Miliband, the Sun goes out of its way to lean on the scales.
Yesterday the Sun’s online election guide, Sun Nation, ran a story telling readers to switch channels during Miliband’s interview in last night’s ‘Battle for Number Ten’ programme, shown on Sky News and Channel 4.
The website, which has portrayed the Labour front bench as zombies, encouraged readers to ‘use their TV time better’, suggesting five other things they could watch instead of the leader of the Labour party.
Two of the suggestions were on channels part or wholly owned by Sun proprietor Rupert Murdoch.
The first was live premier league darts on Sky Sports 1, while number five was reruns of the cartoon Family Guy on Murdoch’s Fox TV. The others were the film Alien on SYFY, a documentary about the Incas on BBC Four, and reality show Geordie Shore on Viva.
While there are some soft references to David Cameron, the piece is quite explicitly telling readers not to watch the section of the programme with Ed Miliband. (Sub-heading: ‘Don’t watch Ed, watch this.’)
In other words, the country’s best selling newspaper suggested readers watch the prime minister’s interview, then turn over when the leader of the opposition comes on – preferably to a channel part-owned by Rupert Murdoch.
This would presumably leave the Sun able to tell readers its own version of what happened after they flipped channels. Which is exactly what it did. The second front page story today, ‘Ed shredded on migrants’, picks out as a key moment ‘squirming’ Miliband’s refusal to provide a maximum number for immigration. (David Cameron gave a number in 2010 – and then missed it by 200,000.)
Rupert Murdoch is apparently willing to lose ratings for the Sky News debate programme, despite owning 39 per cent of Sky TV, for party political reasons. (This might be of interest to the people who own the other 61 per cent.)
Or perhaps the people running Sun Nation are simply acting on their own initiative, but in keeping with the general wishes of the proprietor. Either way, Mr Murdoch still bears responsibility for such low behaviour, with his newspaper trying to prevent the public from seeing both party leaders and making an informed decision on how to vote.
This latest dirty trick ought to be recognised as a direct intervention by a right-wing businessman in British democracy.
Adam Barnett is a staff writer at Left Foot Forward. Follow him on Twitter
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65 Responses to “The Sun told readers to turn to Sky Sports during Miliband interview”
Guest
“Well done *anything contrary to what the article says*”
I’d bet you think Clarkson was in the right as well.
Selohesra
He was doing Miliband a favour – he appeared on verge of tears after being Paxo’d – a few prerehearsed (but still mangled) soundbites did not cover for a man hopelessly out of his depth
littleoddsandpieces
ALL MEDIA IS DENYING THE POOR THE VOTE
All national press and TV news are not
giving coverage to the parties of the poor,
when the poor now outnumber all other voters in Tory and
Lib Dem marginals throughout the UK, but espoecially in England.
WHO ARE THE POOR?
97 per cent of benefit goes to working poor and poor pensioners.
Universal Credit will hit part time workers and deny Pension Credit to poor pensioners.
11 million disabled, including the 40 per cent of those over 50s, facing cuts and taxation of those benefits.
The Carers of the disabled and the elderly in their homes – Carer’s Allowance to be restricted by Tories to those eligible for Universal Credit, meaning 40 per cent of claimants would lose the benefit.
Universal Credit will absorb housing benefit and council tax support, deny pension credit, and make sancitons permanent by Hardship Payments become recoverable loans, directly deductable from future benefit or wages by court action.
PARTIES OF THE POOR ONLY WAY
TO GET MAJORITY GOVERNMENT
BY MULTI PARTY COALITION
By the poor not knowing of the existence of the parties the poor,
this has disenfranchised the tens of millions of the poor.
When only the parties of the poor can deliver democracy and majority government this year or for the forseeable future.
SECOND GENERAL ELECTON
TORY / LABOUR COALITION
This election on Thursday 7 May will fail, as voters will not turn out.
Second general electon predicted this year, will deliver the end of democracy and only government and no opposition in UK parliament.
PARTIES OF THE POOR
THE POOR NOW OUTNUMBER ALL OTHER VOTERS
– TRADE UNIONIST AND SOCIALIST COALITION (TUSC)
Running 125 MP candidates and
1000 candidates in the 6000 council elections
on Thursday 7 May.
Getting nil coverage in national press or TV news.
– MEBYON KERNOW
Cornwall has single figure majorities for the sitting Tory and Lib Dem marginals.
Mebyon Kernow running in all Cornwall voting areas but the Cornish do not know this party exists.
– CLASS WAR
Double Dole and pension.
Would get the youth vote, especially in London.
SOCIALIST GB
1 Green MP in Brighton Pavillions
But several voting areas in Brighton area.
Brighton Kemptown
Socialist GB candidate
Jacqueline Shodeke.
Brighton Kempton:
Claimant Count 9,360
Tory majority 1,328
MULTI PARTY COALIITION IN THIS VOTE OR STARVE ELECTION
OF SOCIALIST GB / TUSC / CLASS WAR / MEBYON KERNOW / LABOUR / SNP / PLAID CYMRU
Only way to shut the Tories out of power by reducing Tory MPs and Lib Dem MPs, by the parties of the poor winning in those marginals, especially in England.
LOGOS / LINKS / HOW ENSURE REGISTERED TO VOTE
http://www.anastasia-england.me.uk
Dana Smith
I think you must have taken the s*ns advice and watched something else. I would say you certainly didn’t watch Mr. Miliband, because it was exactly the opposite of what you have just written. But hey ho, if it makes you feel better to make things up, who am I to criticise?
Shazza
Well the BBC acts as the party political broadcasting service on behalf of the Labour Party.