Perhaps paradigms are shifting in both Australia and the US and the Murdochs don't understand what is happening.
I just saw a Fox Business host ask Republican Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin to refute Democrat charges that Trump's budget will cut Medicaid and Social Security. This guy, who doesn't give a good goddam about either, trust me, said "This bill is about tax cuts for the rich, and that's all it is."
The host had no idea what to do. A Republican voting against the Republican President's budget because he accurately described it as nothing but a giveaway to the rich while doing absolutely nothing to reduce the national debt or calm the bond markets.
A similar thing happened when Sen. Josh Harley of Missouri told Fox that if Republicans are the party of the working class now, then they can't be cutting Medicaid.
MAGA doesn't care what Rupert Murdoch thinks. Apparently, a lot fewer Australians do now than used to. I do hope that sticks in the old bastard's craw.
"I just saw a Fox Business host ask Republican Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin to refute Democrat charges that Trump's budget will cut Medicaid and Social Security. This guy, who doesn't give a good goddam about either, trust me, said 'This bill is about tax cuts for the rich, and that's all it is.'
"The host had no idea what to do."
So that explains the 1.6 magnitude quake reported in my area the other day...
Maybe I have misunderstood the preferential voting process, so it's probably that I have it muddled up.
I was under the impression that in seats where there is are many parties, which invariably there are, preference (2) picks up other candidates that had low votes. So preference (2) could then get more votes than (1) after counting all votes.
In marginal seats if labour was (2) and greens was (1) and liberal was say (5) , votes (5) would go to vote (2)
Maybe it's my way of justifying why greens lost in many seats, but overall they did very well. 😂
No, Ive got you now. I can’t see your original message now, or my reply to o you. It’s an issue I have in the app when I click replies from my notifications. It’s clucky.
It was a few hours ago and I can’t remember exactly which bit wasn’t making sense to me. But, what you said here makes sense, but I’ve forgotten the context now anyway 😵💫. No stress, when I get home, I look on my computer. 🤣
I can say James this is an absolutely spot on analysis. Thank you for this! Sky News in the UK is far far better than the BBC these days and they both get caught in these ridiculous 'Royal Dead Cat' story loops where every single minute for days covers one story only (usually a Royal story) but Sky News seems to have hoovered up a lot of the reporters made redundant by various papers and ITV this year (AI downsizing/Trump budget cuts) so it is definitely more 'balanced' than it was in the Tory years. Though it did make 7 high profile sports reporters redundant itself.
But actually I’m not completely surprised. They way they pulled Radio from most streaming platforms and pushed listeners on to their own BBC Sounds app it’s following a trend.
I’ll read the linked article in a moment, thanks for the information, I’m surprised this is the first I’ve heard of it. Much appreciated.
I’m not sure if you know, and as I didn’t mention it in the article (which I probably should have). Sky News in the UK is no longer a Murdoch owned company, unlike Sky News in Australia. In the UK they sold it off back in 2018 as part of the 21st Century Fox sale. Now Sky News UK is a wholly‑owned subsidiary of Comcast (the owners of NBCUniversal).
[“It took so many seats it looked like it had robbed an IKEA and carried out the lot in bulk” (and then some…). The cup of priceless similes runneth over, pour on!]
“Yes, the Murdoch Empire is losing its grip — not because it wants to, but because its usual tricks aren’t working quite like they used to.”
Okay, you wouldn't be so cruel, so sadistic, as to be toying with us, would you...? I mean, April Fool’s Day was two months ago… If this does bear out, might there, could there, would there be some reason to hope the same might be said of the Hydra-headed Hasbara juggernaut without which the genocidal entity could exist? (Fittingly enough, the Lernean Hydra slain by Hercules as one of his twelve labors inhabited a murky swamp.)
There’s a lyric from a Hoagy Carmichael song that goes “Oh, I hope in my heart that it’s so, in spite of how little we know.”
I’m not too sure about America yet, or even the UK, but desire for a more equitable discourse seems to slowly be gaining. In the case of the UK, too early to know, but politically if JC does pull of a new party, I’m more hopeful. Otherwise, I feel UK votes could still just move to new oddball outfits. America? I think more time is needed. Not great, you don’t have that luxury.
There is a part of me, a very small part of me that still feels that Dutton and his gang did this on purpose, they wanted labour to win, that is why the LNP were so outlandish towards the end. Especially when Albo said he had a warm conversation with Trump. I still feel we have been psychologically played. Murdoch press did their bit and spread the outlandish LNP this helping to vote Greens out, by scaring the population about what could happen....
I don’t quite follow or understand quite what you mean.
The greens loose seats was a logistical issue, they got the votes, but the spread was to broad and not quite enough in the right places to get them over the line. All up, taking geography out the equation, they did specifically well. Can you explain what you mean from Dutton’s perspective a bit more. I’m not fully understanding what you meant.
Perhaps paradigms are shifting in both Australia and the US and the Murdochs don't understand what is happening.
I just saw a Fox Business host ask Republican Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin to refute Democrat charges that Trump's budget will cut Medicaid and Social Security. This guy, who doesn't give a good goddam about either, trust me, said "This bill is about tax cuts for the rich, and that's all it is."
The host had no idea what to do. A Republican voting against the Republican President's budget because he accurately described it as nothing but a giveaway to the rich while doing absolutely nothing to reduce the national debt or calm the bond markets.
A similar thing happened when Sen. Josh Harley of Missouri told Fox that if Republicans are the party of the working class now, then they can't be cutting Medicaid.
MAGA doesn't care what Rupert Murdoch thinks. Apparently, a lot fewer Australians do now than used to. I do hope that sticks in the old bastard's craw.
"I just saw a Fox Business host ask Republican Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin to refute Democrat charges that Trump's budget will cut Medicaid and Social Security. This guy, who doesn't give a good goddam about either, trust me, said 'This bill is about tax cuts for the rich, and that's all it is.'
"The host had no idea what to do."
So that explains the 1.6 magnitude quake reported in my area the other day...
Check this out.
https://substack.com/@unmaskingproject2025/note/p-164915133?r=52tpf
Maybe I have misunderstood the preferential voting process, so it's probably that I have it muddled up.
I was under the impression that in seats where there is are many parties, which invariably there are, preference (2) picks up other candidates that had low votes. So preference (2) could then get more votes than (1) after counting all votes.
In marginal seats if labour was (2) and greens was (1) and liberal was say (5) , votes (5) would go to vote (2)
Maybe it's my way of justifying why greens lost in many seats, but overall they did very well. 😂
Hope I have not confused you even more.
No, Ive got you now. I can’t see your original message now, or my reply to o you. It’s an issue I have in the app when I click replies from my notifications. It’s clucky.
It was a few hours ago and I can’t remember exactly which bit wasn’t making sense to me. But, what you said here makes sense, but I’ve forgotten the context now anyway 😵💫. No stress, when I get home, I look on my computer. 🤣
Thanks for clarifying.
I can say James this is an absolutely spot on analysis. Thank you for this! Sky News in the UK is far far better than the BBC these days and they both get caught in these ridiculous 'Royal Dead Cat' story loops where every single minute for days covers one story only (usually a Royal story) but Sky News seems to have hoovered up a lot of the reporters made redundant by various papers and ITV this year (AI downsizing/Trump budget cuts) so it is definitely more 'balanced' than it was in the Tory years. Though it did make 7 high profile sports reporters redundant itself.
https://pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/journalism-job-cuts-2025-tracked/
Good news for Adam Curtis, he’ll be on the main Platform now! 😂
Shit, no.
But actually I’m not completely surprised. They way they pulled Radio from most streaming platforms and pushed listeners on to their own BBC Sounds app it’s following a trend.
I’ll read the linked article in a moment, thanks for the information, I’m surprised this is the first I’ve heard of it. Much appreciated.
They've kind of kept it quiet - don't want to scare the old folks and the Tories ;o)
Cheers, appreciated!
I’m not sure if you know, and as I didn’t mention it in the article (which I probably should have). Sky News in the UK is no longer a Murdoch owned company, unlike Sky News in Australia. In the UK they sold it off back in 2018 as part of the 21st Century Fox sale. Now Sky News UK is a wholly‑owned subsidiary of Comcast (the owners of NBCUniversal).
I did not know that. See? I <3 Substack because we learn something new every day :o) Speaks volumes for the improvements then.
Did you know the BBC announced last month it is shutting down by 2030? It will move to an online only/pay box service.
Good.
BBC plans to shut down broadcast channels and move to internet-only programmes, says DG
Broadcast switch-off means BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Three and BBC Four could be found under a single internet-only BBC 'brand'
https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/bbc-plans-close-broadcast-tv-channels-internet-only-programmes-dg-2014229
i news is paywalled - if you can't read it try this link?
This is The Guardian's coverage of the same story
https://guardian.pressreader.com/article/281685438880135
I was able to read it somehow.
Hi James - its a bit of a Russian Roulette with that publication but I’m glad you read it OK :o)
[“It took so many seats it looked like it had robbed an IKEA and carried out the lot in bulk” (and then some…). The cup of priceless similes runneth over, pour on!]
“Yes, the Murdoch Empire is losing its grip — not because it wants to, but because its usual tricks aren’t working quite like they used to.”
Okay, you wouldn't be so cruel, so sadistic, as to be toying with us, would you...? I mean, April Fool’s Day was two months ago… If this does bear out, might there, could there, would there be some reason to hope the same might be said of the Hydra-headed Hasbara juggernaut without which the genocidal entity could exist? (Fittingly enough, the Lernean Hydra slain by Hercules as one of his twelve labors inhabited a murky swamp.)
There’s a lyric from a Hoagy Carmichael song that goes “Oh, I hope in my heart that it’s so, in spite of how little we know.”
Any light you could shine that it might be so?
I’m not too sure about America yet, or even the UK, but desire for a more equitable discourse seems to slowly be gaining. In the case of the UK, too early to know, but politically if JC does pull of a new party, I’m more hopeful. Otherwise, I feel UK votes could still just move to new oddball outfits. America? I think more time is needed. Not great, you don’t have that luxury.
"I’m not too sure about America yet..."
Yeah, it's a roll of the (loaded) dice...
In marginal seats ☝️
There is a part of me, a very small part of me that still feels that Dutton and his gang did this on purpose, they wanted labour to win, that is why the LNP were so outlandish towards the end. Especially when Albo said he had a warm conversation with Trump. I still feel we have been psychologically played. Murdoch press did their bit and spread the outlandish LNP this helping to vote Greens out, by scaring the population about what could happen....
I don’t quite follow or understand quite what you mean.
The greens loose seats was a logistical issue, they got the votes, but the spread was to broad and not quite enough in the right places to get them over the line. All up, taking geography out the equation, they did specifically well. Can you explain what you mean from Dutton’s perspective a bit more. I’m not fully understanding what you meant.