Thread by @MrKRudd

We see #MurdochsPetitionPanic becoming even more frantic. They appear to be settling on a strategy — personally smear anyone who supports a Royal Commission, rather than face reality of Murdoch’s toxic brand after a decade of abusing monopoly power. Anything to avoid scrutiny.

Something new to #MurdochsPetitionPanic is the broadening of the campaign by co-opting other media. Audio from Thursday’s festival of whinging Murdoch editors was leaked to Fairfax as a warning to others they too will be smeared for publicly backing a #MurdochRoyalCommission.

These kinds of character assassinations are a huge part of Murdoch’s strategy for seeing off threats to his business interests. How many people have been smeared on the front pages for daring to question the validity of Murdoch’s monopoly? Murdoch rules by a climate of fear.

Murdoch even has an anonymous columnist, “the Mocker”, a keyboard warrior who’s sole responsibility is to menace his fellow Australians. How on earth can the Liberal Government justify paying the Murdoch media $40 million in taxpayer subsidies when they publish such drivel?

Bottom line: all the Murdoch spin-doctoring in the world won’t alter the fact that the Murdoch brand is now mud in the eyes of the Australian public. Not because of my campaign, but because of their arrogant abuse of their monopoly power over a decade plus.

The next step to establishing a #MurdochRoyalCommision is the Senate’s Media Diversity Inquiry. They want to hear from people all over Australia about how the media is serving (or not serving) their communities.

Make your submission online at MurdochRoyalCommission.com