In Response to "In Defense of Rupert Murdoch"

In today's NY Times, Roger Cohen has written an interesting, contrarian article.  Unfortunately, he seems to miss the main point - Rupert Murdoch has been engaged in an destructive and largely successful campaign to damage our democratic institutions:

• NewsCorp in America functions as a propaganda machine for corporate interests and the Republican party.  Political candidates are given paid positions at Fox News, giving them free advertising and a clear media advantage.  These candidates, as they achieve office, serve the interests of their corporate masters, including Rupert Murdoch, further shifting power from "the people" to corporate interests.
  
• The impact of Fox News on civil discourse has been corrosive to our democracy.  Yes, screaming at your audience, promoting lies that would make Goebbels proud, and shouting down contrary voices certainly sells.  But, Murdoch has made it acceptable to scream and shout and abuse those with other viewpoints.  Good entertainment?  Perhaps.  But it is destructive of reasoned discourse.  Of course, charged media claims have long been a staple of American political culture; but NewsCorp has brought it to a new level  . . .  and it is hurting our ability to have a civil society.  Contrary to Glen Beck, "compromise" is not a dirty word - it is the very essence of a working democracy.  Our democracy works only when diverse interests can come together to work out the rules by which we live together.  No compromise; no lasting democracy.
  
• Murdoch and his media outlets routinely decry creeping socialism and big brother government. It turns out they are right - there really is a hugely powerful interest spying us, violating our privacy and civil rights, bribing law enforcement, blackmailing elected officials and publicly bludgeoning those opposed to its interests.  I am not describing big government, of course, but NewsCorp in Great Britain.  And, given their overall track record, we should certainly be looking closely at their conduct here in the U.S.  

How can a democracy survive - much less thrive - where a corporate power can ruthlessly debase its institutions?  It can't.  And that's why Mr. Cohen's defense of Rupert Murdoch is wrong-headed and more than a little bit scary.