Andrew Bolt - is he a credible journalist?

[Gozu]

"I am told-but am not able to verify":

What do you do when your powerful media company has been caught out, you know, hacking the phones of murder victims (including, for example, a 13 year old whose messages they apparently deleted), and you need to give your faithful acolytes something, anything, so they don’t give up on you completely? You get your more shameless hacks to peddle vague denials.

Here’s News Ltd’s Andrew Bolt this morning, with some spectacularly pissweak excuse-making and blame-shifting:

http://blogs.crikey.com.au/purepoison/2 ... to-verify/

[dedja]

you have to give it him ... at least he's loyal to his master

[redandblack]

He now has two masters.

Rupert Murdoch for his paper job.

Gina Reinhart, Australia's richest person, for his TV job.

I'm sure he'll be even-handed, though.

[mick]

Pretty clear 54% (two party preferred) on here think Andrew is a brilliant journalist, **** he'll be in the shit when we get a Liberal government, nothing to write about? Why can't we write **** and shyt on here?

[dedja]

Where did you pull that number from Mick?

[mick]

Dunno mate only 46% hate him, gotta stop drinking on Sunday afternoons, but he will be phucked if the government changes.

[redandblack]

On those figures, mick, no wonder you can't accept that Tony lost the election

At least Andrew wins the 'Sucking up to Mr Murdoch" award for saying that he's been told - but can't verify - that the phone hacking stories aren't true.

Journalism at its finest

[Sky Pilot]

On those figures, mick, no wonder you can't accept that Tony lost the election

At least Andrew wins the 'Sucking up to Mr Murdoch" award for saying that [b]he's been told - but can't verify - that the phone hacking stories aren't true.
Journalism at its finest

[/b]
Did the Boltmeister really say that? I'm appalled he's my hero!

[redandblack]

Afraid so, SP.

Twice.

I'll try to find a link.

[Sky Pilot]

Afraid so, SP.

Twice.

I'll try to find a link.

I'll look at it in the morning. Hate to be rude but I have to go and prepare for a "power breakfast" in the morning. I hate that term. Everyone in the room will have an iPad - or PC tablet - except me so I guess I am gonna have to bite the bullet soon.

[redandblack]

No worries, we'll follow it up tomorrow.

[Gozu]

“Is News becoming embarrassed by what’s made News great?”:

A News Ltd associate editor, defending News Of The World and lamenting its closure, asks:

Is News becoming embarrassed by what’s made News great?

…Is the News empire at risk of selling out the Murdoch spirit that has helped to democratise the press and challenge the smug group-think of the Left? Is Fox News next?

Ah yes, News Ltd. Famous for “democratising” the press and not in any way using media power to bully governments into giving the proprietor what he wants at the expense of ordinary voters.

Let’s hope shutting down the News of the World doesn’t make News Ltd less like News of the World was.

If it reassures our friend at Southbank: we doubt it will.

ELSEWHERE: Have you been oppressed by the smug group-think of the Left and don’t have your own column published by the biggest media conglomerate in the country to whinge hilariously about it? We gather that The Australian’s Media Diarist wants to hear from you.

http://blogs.crikey.com.au/purepoison/2 ... ews-great/

[Gozu]

Andrew Bolt on the calls for an independent inquiry into News Ltd in Australia after the stuff they've been getting up to overseas:

"Ethical journalists everywhere welcome inquiry into media ethics in Australia":

Naturally, enthusiastic employees of Mr Hartigan, supporters of ethical media all, immediately recognised the value in an independent inquiry just to check that the self-regulation really was working, as we all know it is, without a shadow of doubt.

I am shocked to hear the leader of a major political party propose something so dangerous, so threatening to free speech. And to do this within an hour of some in the Canberra press gallery virtually demanding of Gillard advice on how to help her…

Do not doubt just what Brown has in mind as he cynically exploits the scandal that’s engulfed the Murdoch-owned News of the World in Britain to muffle conservative media outlets and journalists, and rig the debate more in the favor of the Left…

In a healthier age, these suggestions would be seen as the far-fetched demands of a closet totalitarian. But Brown is powerful, Gillard is desperate and despises the Murdoch papers who’ve questioned her policies, and the “elite’ media has rarely been so supine.

Worse, News has stained its reputation and is weaker than it’s been in years to defend itself.

And, of course, those famous defenders of free speech have gone only too silent since the rise of this Labor Government. No one knows that better than me.

http://blogs.crikey.com.au/purepoison/2 ... australia/

[redandblack]

It's hard not to agree with him.

He's been totally muzzled and is down to regular commentary every day through the high circulation Herald Sun, syndicated to most States, his own blog and his own television show, courtesy of Gina Reinhart, as well as numerous appearances on various TV shows.

Oh, I forgot he's got his own radio show, too.

And all because some might think his employer, News Ltd, might not be squeaky clean.

He lost the plot long ago.

[straight talker]

i think you all have it wrong about bolt he is not a journo he is an opinionist thats all. one thing he does do is his homework and whenever he brings things up he has the facts to back up his argument. has made many a person look very silly because of this and it just so happens to be mostly labor government people the worst government in Australian history by a long way.

[Gozu]

i think you all have it wrong about bolt he is not a journo he is an opinionist thats all. one thing he does do is his homework and whenever he brings things up he has the facts to back up his argument. has made many a person look very silly because of this and it just so happens to be mostly labor government people the worst government in Australian history by a long way.

lol The guy has been caught out peddling his so-called "facts" numerous times mate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Bolt

Ever seen the dodgy graphs he uses to try and support his anti-science denialist view on climate change?

Bolt isn't an idiot but what he does know is he knows his audience very well and knows they're not exactly the sharpest tools in the shed and take whatever he says (or more implies these days due to losing big money on that defamation case) uncritically. He's also been caught out a few times linking to past posts from himself as "evidence" too.

The most hilarious thing about Bolt aside from being a far-right extremist is how often the guy goes on about being "suppressed" or some sort of "victim" much like you hear from the far-right about white people supposedly becoming a minority and overrun despite him having perhaps the biggest soapbox in the country of all. The guy essentially gets paid a lot of money to be a shock jock in print.

[cripple]

There must be a new post necessary every month or so that spruiks Bolts facts and he can support his side of any argument truthfully. Even Hughesy has been able to catch him out on the 7PM project before about his facts, does tend to fudge the truth quite often.

[straight talker]

id dought very much he smudges the truth as much as our pathetic green/labor government thats for sure. how can they bring this carbon tax in yet give companies like coal mining,lead and zinc smelting,power stations and such huge compensation isnt this defeating the purpose of the whole thing? They are telling the people they are going to charge the big polluters yet they are giving the companies huge compensation. Take the lead/zinc smelting business Nyrstar they are one of the heaviest polluters in the world and they are still allowed to pollute the place like never before,especially in tasmania where the government are not going to charge them a lot at all. do you want to know why? Because the government needed wilkies support and where do you think he comes from? TASMANIA..........

[straight talker]

i think you all have it wrong about bolt he is not a journo he is an opinionist thats all. one thing he does do is his homework and whenever he brings things up he has the facts to back up his argument. has made many a person look very silly because of this and it just so happens to be mostly labor government people the worst government in Australian history by a long way.

lol The guy has been caught out peddling his so-called "facts" numerous times mate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Bolt

Ever seen the dodgy graphs he uses to try and support his anti-science denialist view on climate change?

Bolt isn't an idiot but what he does know is he knows his audience very well and knows they're not exactly the sharpest tools in the shed and take whatever he says (or more implies these days due to losing big money on that defamation case) uncritically. He's also been caught out a few times linking to past posts from himself as "evidence" too.

The most hilarious thing about Bolt aside from being a far-right extremist is how often the guy goes on about being "suppressed" or some sort of "victim" much like you hear from the far-right about white people supposedly becoming a minority and overrun despite him having perhaps the biggest soapbox in the country of all. The guy essentially gets paid a lot of money to be a shock jock in print.

gosh if thats all you have got on bolt i would be shattered if we wanted to check the truth and lies of the current members of our government we could print a novel.. LIKE NO CARBON TAX UNDER MY GOVERNMENT..

[redandblack]

I think my favourite Bolt piece was when he said Rudd should resign for asking the Japanese Govt Minister about whether their nuclear facilities would be a problem.

Disgraceful, he thundered, how rude can you be to a country that's just suffered an earthquake.

Next day - Fukushima.

He didn't mention it much after that