# Should Fox be Required to Reveal its Conflict of Interest? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 19, 2010, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-fox-be-required-to-reveal-its-conflict-of-interest/550772 "2010-08-19T18:47:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![markdash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@markdash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markdash)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-fox-be-required-to-reveal-its-conflict-of-interest/550772/21 "2010-08-19T19:25:18Z")
I don’t know how you could possibly draw the line, but it seems less ethically shady for a company to give money to both parties, even if it gives twice as much to one party as the other. That sort of donation sounds more like “we’re trying to gain some benefit here (fewer restrictions on business? etc.), and we’re going to donate to both parties to cover our asses.” A donation to only one party sounds like “we want this party to win.” ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-fox-be-required-to-reveal-its-conflict-of-interest/550772/22 "2010-08-19T19:30:19Z")
> [@Kyrie\_Eleison](#): > > > [@Czarcasm](#): > > > > Did either corporation give to the Republicans as well? > > Come now, for parity’s sake, you must also strive to determine how much Newscorp gave to Democrats. Chortle. So does the “chortle” mean you expect to find little or no contributions? Or you expect to find the contributions to the GOP outweighing those to the Dems by, say, 2:1? Like we find with GE (NBC) and Disney (ABC), but in the other direction? ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-fox-be-required-to-reveal-its-conflict-of-interest/550772/23 "2010-08-19T19:32:43Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > > [@Czarcasm](#): > > > > Did either corporation give to the Republicans as well? > > Walt Disney, in 2008, gave Republicans $348,858. And it gave Democrats $1,066,125. > > GE gave Republicans $1,167,584 in 2008, when it gave Democrats $2,241,527. > > And of course News Corp gave to the Democrats as well. As I noted corporations tend to donate to who they think the winners will be. If you want to be fair with your cites note what GE and Disney did in 2004: GE in 2004 ([cite](http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/lookup2.php?strID=C00024869&cycle=2004)): > [@](#): > > Contributions from this PAC to federal candidates (list recipients) > (36% to Democrats, 64% to Republicans) Disney in 2004 ([cite](http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/lookup2.php?strID=C00197749&cycle=2004)): > [@](#): > > Contributions from this PAC to federal candidates (list recipients) > (51% to Democrats, 49% to Republicans) As you can see they seem to bend the way the wind is blowing. 2008 was a no-brainer the Republicans would take a bath so corporations bet heavy on Dems. They were right and it paid off for them. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-fox-be-required-to-reveal-its-conflict-of-interest/550772/24 "2010-08-19T19:32:52Z")
> [@markdash](#): > > I don’t know how you could possibly draw the line, but it seems less ethically shady for a company to give money to both parties, even if it gives twice as much to one party as the other. > > That sort of donation sounds more like “we’re trying to gain some benefit here (fewer restrictions on business? etc.), and we’re going to donate to both parties to cover our asses.” A donation to only one party sounds like “we want this party to win.” OK, so in your view, this: MegaCorp gives $2,000,000 to Democrats and $1,000,000 to Republicans is fine, but this: MegaCorp gives $1,000,000 to Democrats and $0 to Republicans is not? One should trigger disclosures about bias, but the other should not? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-fox-be-required-to-reveal-its-conflict-of-interest/550772/25 "2010-08-19T19:33:07Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > > [@Kyrie\_Eleison](#): > > > > Come now, for parity’s sake, you must also strive to determine how much Newscorp gave to Democrats. Chortle. > > So does the “chortle” mean you expect to find little or no contributions? Or you expect to find the contributions to the GOP outweighing those to the Dems by, say, 2:1? > > Like we find with GE (NBC) and Disney (ABC), but in the other direction? I’d rather not assume either way, so what _did_ Newscorp give to the Democrats? ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-fox-be-required-to-reveal-its-conflict-of-interest/550772/26 "2010-08-19T19:34:12Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > As you can see they seem to bend the way the wind is blowing. 2008 was a no-brainer the Republicans would take a bath so corporations bet heavy on Dems. They were right and it paid off for them. Oh, absolutely. But did the 2008 donations trigger the need for those corporations to disclose their bias during their news stories? ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-fox-be-required-to-reveal-its-conflict-of-interest/550772/27 "2010-08-19T19:37:14Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > > [@Czarcasm](#): > > > > Did either corporation give to the Republicans as well? > > Walt Disney, in 2008, gave Republicans $348,858. And it gave Democrats $1,066,125. > > GE gave Republicans $1,167,584 in 2008, when it gave Democrats $2,241,527. > > And of course News Corp gave to the Democrats as well. I’m guessing you got those numbers from OpenSecrets? As far as I can tell that is a conglomeration of all individual donations (i.e., employees of GE). Is that correct? Do you know of any way to break down which parts of that are from the company itself… and am I wrong in stating that before the recent Supreme Court ruling the company itself _couldn’t_ make the type of donation directly to the parties that News Corp just made? [http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=D000000125](http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=D000000125) Also, somewhat interesting to notice the totals from 1990-2010 for GE: Dems, 51%, Reps, 48%. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-fox-be-required-to-reveal-its-conflict-of-interest/550772/28 "2010-08-19T19:41:59Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > > [@Bricker](#): > > > > Walt Disney, in 2008, gave Republicans $348,858. And it gave Democrats $1,066,125. > > > > GE gave Republicans $1,167,584 in 2008, when it gave Democrats $2,241,527. > > > > And of course News Corp gave to the Democrats as well. > > I’m guessing you got those numbers from OpenSecrets? As far as I can tell that is a conglomeration of all individual donations (i.e., employees of GE). Is that correct? > > Do you know of any way to break down which parts of that are from the company itself… and am I wrong in stating that before the recent Supreme Court ruling the company itself _couldn’t_ make the type of donation directly to the parties that News Corp just made? > > [http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=D000000125](http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=D000000125) > > Also, somewhat interesting to notice the totals from 1990-2010 for GE: Dems, 51%, Reps, 48%. Well, that certainly changes things, **Bricker**. Would you happen to know what the GE and Walt Disney gave to the Democrats and Republicans _as corporations?_ ---
**Author:** ![Kyrie\_Eleison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kyrie_eleison/32/7682_2.png) [@Kyrie\_Eleison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyrie_Eleison)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-fox-be-required-to-reveal-its-conflict-of-interest/550772/29 "2010-08-19T19:44:19Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > So does the “chortle” mean you expect to find little or no contributions? Or you expect to find the contributions to the GOP outweighing those to the Dems by, say, 2:1? > > Like we find with GE (NBC) and Disney (ABC), but in the other direction? My guess? The ratio of Newscorp’s Republican to Democrat contributions will be comparable to, but still higher than, the reciprocal ratio for both GE and Disney. Side bet: I’d also expect to see that, over the years, GE’s and Disney’s contributions varied a lot more according to which party was in power than did Newscorp’s. The chortle was an ill-defined, and perhaps unwarranted, personal response to a combination of the notion of Newscorp financing the Democrats and the unmentioned assumption that any such contributions weren’t worth noting. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-fox-be-required-to-reveal-its-conflict-of-interest/550772/30 "2010-08-19T19:45:01Z")
My second post has a link to a CNN story with information about how money the _political action committees_ of Time Warner, News Corp., and so on gave to the two parties. That should be distinct from donations by employees. ---
**Author:** ![Sateryn76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Sateryn76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sateryn76)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-fox-be-required-to-reveal-its-conflict-of-interest/550772/31 "2010-08-19T19:47:16Z")
> [@Kyrie\_Eleison](#): > > > [@Bricker](#): > > > > So does the “chortle” mean you expect to find little or no contributions? Or you expect to find the contributions to the GOP outweighing those to the Dems by, say, 2:1? > > > > Like we find with GE (NBC) and Disney (ABC), but in the other direction? > > My guess? The ratio of Newscorp’s Republican to Democrat contributions will be comparable to, but still higher than, the reciprocal ratio for both GE and Disney. Side bet: I’d also expect to see that, over the years, GE’s and Disney’s contributions varied a lot more according to which party was in power than did Newscorp’s. > > The chortle was an ill-defined, and perhaps unwarranted, personal response to a combination of the notion of Newscorp financing the Democrats and the unmentioned assumption that any such contributions weren’t worth noting. Well, we need a little more than “guesses” to make a debate. Sorry about that ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-fox-be-required-to-reveal-its-conflict-of-interest/550772/32 "2010-08-19T19:52:00Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I’d rather not assume either way, so what _did_ Newscorp give to the Democrats? Of course. Much better to get all the facts first, and then figure out what your principled position should be. Anyone can see that. In 2008, [Newscorp gave](http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/lookup2.php?strID=C00330019&cycle=2008) a TOTAL of $242,850; 53% to Democrats, 47% to Republicans. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-fox-be-required-to-reveal-its-conflict-of-interest/550772/33 "2010-08-19T19:53:13Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > My second post has a link to a CNN story with information about how money the _political action committees_ of Time Warner, News Corp., and so on gave to the two parties. That should be distinct from donations by employees. From the site you provided > [@](#): > > Data collected by CQ Moneyline shows that News Corporation, through its political action committee, has contributed over $105,500 to Democratic candidates in the 2010 election cycle, while donating $74,700 to Republicans during the same time period. News Corporation’s PAC has also donated $7,500 to Democratic-affiliated leadership PACs and $14,500 to GOP-related PACs. News Corporation, owned by Rupert Murdoch, has also given a total of $45,000 to other Democratic and Republican committees. > > On the Democratic side, that includes $30,000 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and $15,000 to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. As for Republicans, News Corporation donated $30,000 to the National Republican Congressional Committee and $15,000 to the National Republican Senatorial Committee > [@](#): > > General Electric, which owns NBC, has also made substantial political contributions in the 2010 election cycle. For example, GE donated $688,900 to Democrats through its PAC this election cycle compared to $410,100 to Republicans. The company has also given $75,500 to Democratic-affiliated leadership PACs and $74,500 to Republican-affiliated leadership PACs. > > Meanwhile, GE has donated $237,000 to the Democratic Governors Association and $205,000 to the Republican Governors Association. > [@](#): > > And Disney, the parent company of ABC, has given $110,500 to Democratic candidates and $95,000 to Republicans through its PAC. It has also donated $16,000 to Democratic-affiliated leadership PACs and $20,000 to Republican-affiliated committees. Disney has also given $11,000 to Democratic Party PACs and $20,000 to Republican Party PACs ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-fox-be-required-to-reveal-its-conflict-of-interest/550772/34 "2010-08-19T19:55:29Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > I’m guessing you got those numbers from OpenSecrets? Yes. > [@](#): > > As far as I can tell that is a conglomeration of all individual donations (i.e., employees of GE). Is that correct? No. It lists the PAC contributions. > [@](#): > > Do you know of any way to break down which parts of that are from the company itself… See my link above. > [@](#): > > and am I wrong in stating that before the recent Supreme Court ruling the company itself _couldn’t_ make the type of donation directly to the parties that News Corp just made? Depends on when “before” is. > [@](#): > > Also, somewhat interesting to notice the totals from 1990-2010 for GE: Dems, 51%, Reps, 48%. Sure. And News Corp’s totals: 54 percent of its donations to Democrats and 46 percent to Republicans. Chortle. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-fox-be-required-to-reveal-its-conflict-of-interest/550772/35 "2010-08-19T19:56:11Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > > [@Czarcasm](#): > > > > I’d rather not assume either way, so what _did_ Newscorp give to the Democrats? > > Of course. Much better to get all the facts first, and then figure out what your principled position should be. Anyone can see that. I’m not much of a supporter of blind faith in _anything_. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-fox-be-required-to-reveal-its-conflict-of-interest/550772/36 "2010-08-19T20:02:39Z")
I think this sums up the issue well and why this particular donation seems “special” to us somehow: > [@](#): > > As Politico’s Ben Smith noted, “The company’s media outlets play politics more openly than most, but the huge contribution to a party committee is a new step toward an open identification between Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. and the GOP.” > > \ > > Time Warner has given the DGA $35,000 and the RGA $25,000. Both organizations have received $105,000 from GE (the parent company of MSNBC). > > SOURCE: [http://thinkprogress.org/2010/08/17/news-corps-governors/](http://thinkprogress.org/2010/08/17/news-corps-governors/) Newscorp is waaaay out there ahead of the other two on this one and distinctly skewed in comparison. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-fox-be-required-to-reveal-its-conflict-of-interest/550772/37 "2010-08-19T20:09:44Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Sure. And News Corp’s totals: 54 percent of its donations to Democrats and 46 percent to Republicans. > > Chortle. :rolleyes: You’ll have to excuse me if I’m dubious of the exact veracity of this statement. Rightwingers, of late, have had the bad habit of saying “Obama received X millions from Y corporation!”, without disclosing that the donations actually came from _individual employees_ of that organization. So how much from NewsCorp, the _corporation_? ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-fox-be-required-to-reveal-its-conflict-of-interest/550772/38 "2010-08-19T20:13:31Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > I think this sums up the issue well and why this particular donation seems “special” to us somehow: > Newscorp is waaaay out there ahead of the other two on this one and distinctly skewed in comparison. I see. So let’s consider [Newsweb Corporation](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newsweb_Corporation), a publisher of ethnic and alternative newspapers in the United States; they also own television and radio stations. Since 2002, they’ve given over $7.5 million to the Democrats, and $0 to the Republicans. Absolutely zero. In fact, since 1990, they’ve given $0 tot he Republicans. They should be running some kind of disclaimer or disclosure – right? Time Warner’s split in 2008 was 81% Democrat ($2.35 million) and only 19% GOP. Disclosure needed? And why is the Governor’s Association so special? You note that Time Warner gave the DGA $35K and the RGA $25K, which is somewhat even, I grant. But overall, Time Warner gave Democrats over 80% of their money. I don’t see what line you’re drawing that somehow excludes Time Warner but snags News Corp. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-fox-be-required-to-reveal-its-conflict-of-interest/550772/39 "2010-08-19T20:14:50Z")
> [@Lightnin](#): > > > [@Bricker](#): > > > > Sure. And News Corp’s totals: 54 percent of its donations to Democrats and 46 percent to Republicans. > > > > Chortle. :rolleyes: > > You’ll have to excuse me if I’m dubious of the exact veracity of this statement. Rightwingers, of late, have had the bad habit of saying “Obama received X millions from Y corporation!”, without disclosing that the donations actually came from _individual employees_ of that organization. So how much from NewsCorp, the _corporation_? [http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/lookup2.php?strID=C00330019](http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/lookup2.php?strID=C00330019) That is the corporation. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-fox-be-required-to-reveal-its-conflict-of-interest/550772/40 "2010-08-19T20:16:07Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > > [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > > > I think this sums up the issue well and why this particular donation seems “special” to us somehow: > > Newscorp is waaaay out there ahead of the other two on this one and distinctly skewed in comparison. > > I see. > > So let’s consider [Newsweb Corporation](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newsweb_Corporation), a publisher of ethnic and alternative newspapers in the United States; they also own television and radio stations. > > Since 2002, they’ve given over $7.5 million to the Democrats, and $0 to the Republicans. Absolutely zero. In fact, since 1990, they’ve given $0 tot he Republicans. > > They should be running some kind of disclaimer or disclosure – right? Newsweb Corporation has donated that money to Democrats, or Newsweb _employees_? 'Cause I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if employees at such a company donate to Liberal politicians. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-fox-be-required-to-reveal-its-conflict-of-interest/550772.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-fox-be-required-to-reveal-its-conflict-of-interest/550772.md?page=3)