Monday's 'Dispatches' (Channel 4) presented by everyone's favourite One Nation Tory, Peter Oborne, looked at 'How Murdoch Ran Britain' and it didn't make for easy viewing. News International's unethical and allegedly criminal activities have been the subject of a torrent of revelations. Murdoch's grip on the English political establishment seems incredible now, only a few short weeks since the scandal started getting (for Murdoch) out of control. A by now familiar cast of commentators (including Lance Price, Michael Wolff, Alan Rusbridger, Claire Enders - a real heroine - Hugh Grant and - pantomime villain Paul McMullan) covered all the angles. The Dirty Digger's use intimidatory tactics to browbeat and bully politicians had been going on for decades; Tom Watson, Labour MP and phone-hacking campaigner, said that 'dozens' of MPs were intimidated and threatened over the years. The all-too-close relationship between the Met and the 'News of the World' was highlighted; there was a revolving door between News International and Scotland Yard ('thetvreviewguy ' will never tire of Andy Hayman's 'Good God No! Absolutely Not!' moment, which was given another welcome airing). John Major refused to 'cosy up' to Murdoch and he was lambasted with personal abuse throughout his, admittedly, calamitous premiership. Rebecca Brooks, Rupert and James Murdoch were bullies and like all bullies, their power crumbled once stood up to. The Murdoch family may well survive to fight another day; they are, after all, richer than Croesus and still big media players. But, as Oborne pointed out, instead of social, business and political lodestars for the British political class, they've become pariahs. 'Dispatches' was a superb piece of investigative reporting, editing, presentation and production. We all like a morality tale and 'thetvreviewguy' hopes, that in this one, the bad guys get their comeuppance in the end.
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