Aussie senator: News Corp offered me favorable coverage if I killed legislation it didn't like

A former Australian senator has accused News Corp -- Rupert Murdoch's media empire -- of offering to give him favorable coverage in exchange for his vote in against media legislation that would curtail the company's profits and influence. Former senator Bill O'Chee submitted a nine-page statement detailing his allegations to Australian police, who are investigating the claims.

O'Chee, a former senator for the state of Queensland with a track record of voting against his National party's wishes, alleged the executive told him that while voting against the digital TV legislation would be criticised, "we will take care of you".
The executive "also told me we would have a 'special relationship', where I would have editorial support from News Corp's newspapers, not only with respect to the … legislation but for 'any other issues' too," O'Chee reportedly told police in his statement.
"I believed that (he) was clearly implying that News Corp would run news stories or editorial content concerning any issue I wanted if I was to cross the floor and oppose the …legislation."

Murdoch's News Corp accused of trying to bribe Australian senator

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MORE: australia • corporatism • corruption • crime • media theory • newscorp • notw • politics

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What does it take for a corporation to be declared corrupt and dissolved?

Roop is doing us all a service by repeatedly demonstrating the pure transnational lawlessness of big media.
http://noctilucent-studios.blogspot.com/ Noctilucent Studios

….and I am sure this was the ONLY time NewsCorp EVER,EVER made such an offer.
adonai

Worth pointing out that he lost his seat the following year too.
- Guest
  
  Worth pointing out he’s mentioning this now.
kekko

I’m sorry, it’s 12:03 AM here. For a moment I thought the headline said “Aussie senator: News Corp offered me favorable coverage if I killed LEGISLATOR it didn’t like”

Bad brain, bad brain!

edit: legistator–>legislator. Double fail for my brain!
- robotnik
  
  Funny brain, funny brain!
Repurposed

Bill’s just annoyed that no money changed hands. Then it would be ‘lobbying’.
Stooge

Given that it took the senator 13 years to figure out that it was a criminal matter and notify the police, it must have been an exceptionally subtle offer.
- dxx
  
  It was extremely subtle. That is, until News Corp presumably stopped paying him off. Then, I imagine, he was able to notice it pretty easily.
http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/42THFKXIPMJHQBIH6OPI4RVIDY Thebes

Corporatism is a rot upon supposedly free societies.