Rupert Murdoch's pornography profiteering
Reported by Chrish - February 12, 2006
Once again hypocrisy rears its ugly head at chez Rupert and we learn that while he panders to the sexual repressors in America for power and profit on FNC, he caters to the randy and voyeuristic across the pond on sister station BSkyB.
From The Business OnLine:
Rupert Murdoch, the born-again Christian who chairs media giant News Corporation, has been secretly building a stable of wholly-owned pornographic channels for his BSkyB subsidiary. The Business has learnt that BSkyB now owns and operates its own pornographic channels – the 18+ Movies selection – after years of hosting third-party content only.Historically BSkyB, under its licence agreement, had no choice but to host every channel that won permission from the industry regulator Ofcom. The regulator agrees a fixed fee for the use of the platform by third parties. But BSkyB has been secretly expanding its activities in the growing business of pornographic television with its wholly owned 18+ Movies offering. The company has also been entering into partnerships with companies that broadcast pornographic television channels on BSkyB, such as Sport XXX Babes, XXX Housewive and Playboy.
BSkYB has agreed retail distribution agreements with these companies. With Playboy, for instance, BSkyB now not only hosts the channel but sells its service, and collects and shares in the revenues from Playboy customers.
For years the Murdoch press has labelled rival newspaper baron Richard Desmond a pornographer in articles charting his business which has included pornographic magazines and TV channels. Desmond, who owns the Daily Express and OK magazine, will view Murdoch’s expansion in this field as hypocrisy.
BSkyB has been reorganising its pornographic offering. By the end of this month it will have completed the roll-out of a new adult section on its electronic programme guide. It is currently available in some parts of the country.
This will separate channels such as Turn On TV, Xplicit XXX and Adult Nightly from the same category as The God Channel, Teachers TV and The Gospel Channel. Previously all have been grouped in the same Specialist category but the new electronic programme guide (EPG) will have separate sections for Religion, Adult and Specialist.
A BSkyB spokesman said: “All channels with an Ofcom licence are entitled to broadcast on the satellite platform irrespective of any retail agreement with Sky. Sky gives customers control over their TV service – they can choose to remove all listings for adult channels or restrict access using a pin number as they wish.”
Comment: Cavuto's frequent ventures into daytime soft porn may be his way of stroking the boss' secret vice.
Thanks to reader Krusty for the heads up.
