Rep. Maxine Waters [D-CA]: 'You scare the hell out of me'...

Reuters ^

[ConservativeMan55]

Murdoch defends DirecTV deal at U.S. House hearing Thu May 8, 2003 02:52 PM ET By Peter Kaplan WASHINGTON, May 8 (Reuters) - News Corp. Ltd. Chairman Rupert Murdoch on Thursday parried criticism from Democratic lawmakers of his company's bid to buy U.S. satellite provider DirecTV and basked in praise from Republicans enamored with his conservative cable news channel.

Murdoch dismissed suggestions by some Democrats and consumer advocates that News Corp. NCP.AX NWS.N could use its vast array of TV programming as a weapon against DirecTV's satellite and cable competitors.

"Neither News Corp. nor DirecTV has any incentive to engage in anti-competitive behavior," the Australian-born Murdoch told the House Judiciary Committee.

The media conglomerate announced last month that it is planning to buy a controlling stake in DirecTV's parent company, Hughes Electronics Corp. GMH.N , for $6.6 billion in stock and cash from automaker General Motors Corp. GM.N

For News Corp., DirecTV and its 11.3 million subscribers would provide a big U.S. platform to distribute the news and sports channels it owns, and complement its extensive satellite operations in Europe and Asia.

But the deal must get approval from the Federal Communications Commission and the Justice Department's antitrust division. Some consumer groups have raised questions about how it would affect competition.

At Thursday's hearing, Murdoch renewed past promises that News Corp. would make key programming like sports and local broadcast stations available to competitors like EchoStar Communications Corp. DISH.O or cable companies at a reasonable cost.

SPARRING OVER POLITICS

Rep. Rick Boucher, a Virginia Democrat, asked Murdoch to promise that News Corp. would abide by the promise even if the FCC drops the open access rules that it imposes on cable operators.

Boucher also asked for a pledge that News Corp. would not charge competitors for the rights to carry the signals of the hundreds of local over-the-air broadcast stations that it owns around the United States.

But Murdoch turned down both ideas, saying they would put the company at a disadvantage.

Murdoch argued that it wouldn't make sense for News Corp. to withhold programming from DirecTV rivals because that would be too damaging to News Corp.'s core business.

Satellite rival EchoStar edged out Murdoch in 2001 when it reached a $30 billion deal with Hughes. But regulators scuttled the deal a year later, citing concerns that the merger would harm competition.

Some other Democrats expressed fears that the deal would accelerate consolidation of the U.S. media and cut back the diversity of news outlets.

A few of the Democrats complained about the conservative tone of News Corp.'s Fox News Channel, the No. 1 cable news network, and accused it of being a "cheerleader" for the Bush administration.

"Maybe we should make a lot more noise than we're making," California Democrat Maxine Waters told Murdoch. "You scare the hell out of me."

Murdoch countered that Fox News featured liberal as well as conservative commentators. He said Fox had succeeded in the market by differentiating itself from other cable news shows.

Most of the Republicans on the committee agreed with Murdoch, and they had little but praise for him, his cable news program and the DirecTV deal.

"If my wife doesn't get a good dose of Fox News every morning, she gets pretty grumpy," said Judiciary committee chairman James Sensenbrenner, a Republican from Wisconsin.

[Cicero]

So, if Murdoch buys DirecTV there might actually be some competition. Is that a matter of antitrust concern?

Liberals are furious because they only control 95% of the news. They want the other 5% represented by Fox, talk radio, and a few odd newspapers (such as half of the Wall Street Journal).

The thing is, it's harder to bury the news or lie about it unless you control 100%.

[bruinbirdman]

ECHOSTAR (DISH, Nasdaq)

NEWS CORP (NWS, NYSE)

yitbos

[FrankRizzo890]

No, no, no, no! It's my favorite Fred Sanford quote.

"I could stick your face in some dough, and make gorilla cookies"

[rwfromkansas]

what's the point....

[Recovering_Democrat]

That point alone sells it for me. Mr. Murdoch, I will welcome you into my home anytime.

[Don Carlos]

Bingo, umgud! Its the electorate that put these fools in office and keep them there that are truly scary. And it goes way beyond LaLa land. How in the world can anyone see what these fools do every day, and still vote to return them? Beyond me!

Regards,

Carlos

[jaycee]

What Murdock should have told Maxine is "You are so full of hell, there is no one who could scare all of it out of you, Bi!$h!!!!!

[lilylangtree]

"Maybe we should make a lot more noise than we're making," California Democrat Maxine Waters told Murdoch. "You scare the hell out of me."

Don't know the man but I like him already.

[varon]

California Democrat Maxine Waters told Murdoch. "You scare the hell out of me."

The feeling is mutual, Maxine, the feeling is mutual.

[Grampa Dave]

She is a Klingon!

[blam]

"What was that about the flag we planted on Mars?"

That was the other idiot Sheila Jackson-Lee of Houston.

[reagan_fanatic]

"You scare the hell outta me.."


Ditto.

[Psalm118]

If they wanted a serious debate they should've paid airline seats for French executives at Canal Plus.

Of course nobody knows or cares, raht cheer.

[ErnBatavia]

We can't forget Geraldine Jones..."You better cut that out!"

[marktwain]

Liberals are furious because they only control 95% of the news. They want the other 5% represented by Fox, talk radio, and a few odd newspapers (such as half of the Wall Street Journal).

You hit it on the head. If you control 99% of the media, the other 1% is not too important. But when you control only 95% of the media, so that most people can see an altermative, and judge for themselves who is lying, you are in big trouble.

[ladyinred]

That's okay Maxie, you scare the hell out of me too! Now you know how it feels. (what a liar she is!)

[Northern Yankee]

Which is the bigger pile fo manure?...

Do I get time to think about this one?

Amazing how the truth hurts, and scares the hell out of liberal democrats like ole Maxine.

[SevenofNine]

OHHHH NO Maxine it not that you scare of Rupert Murdoch personally I think you scare Rupe he is Aussie he don't scare easily come on dude party with Crodcille Hunter Steve Irwin that known fact LOL!

[bart99]

"A few of the Democrats complained about the conservative tone of News Corp.'s Fox News Channel, the No. 1 cable news network, and accused it of being a "cheerleader" for the Bush administration.

"Maybe we should make a lot more noise than we're making," California Democrat Maxine Waters told Murdoch. "You scare the hell out of me."

---

You mean this hearing is an issue because some Dems think Fox is too successful?? Oh my God!!!! And to think these are OUR elected officials. *sigh*

[ozzymandus]

A Free Press scares the hell out of most fascists. Go start a riot, maxine.