Well, Murdoch Does Own Lots Of Things

Filed in archive Announcements on July 17, 2006

from TVPredictions.com

Does Rupert Murdoch's directtv own a U.S. Senator? asks TVPredictions.com. The Web site notes that Alaska Republican Ted Stevens is pushing "for an anti-cable TV provision after being showered with oddly timed campaign contributions from Murdoch employees."

Stevens, chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, is pushing legislation that would require cable TV operators to carry all digital TV signals from local stations, known as "must-carry." Stevens has not explained why he supports the legislation, but TVPredictions says that 10 percent of Stevens' individual campaign contributions in the current election cycle have come from employees of companies owned by the media magnate.

Citing Federal Election Commission records, it notes that "of the 38 total Murdoch employees who have donated to Stevens, 27 of them have not contributed to any other candidate in this election cycle; most of the remaining 11 have donated to liberal Democrats"--while Stevens is a conservative Republican.