The Elephant and His Editors

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In a speech on the changing role of journalism, John Hartigan, the chairman and chief executive of News Limited, a subsidiary of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, argued that "we live in times when press freedom -- the freedom of speech -- is more restricted than in living memory. And I don't say this lightly." Early in his speech, Hartigan said, "Let me deal with the elephant in the room -- Rupert Murdoch. ... Does he tell us what he thinks? He sure does. If he's not happy are we left guessing? No way!" As to how to cover politics or major business stories, Hartigan insisted Murdoch doesn't "issue blanket instructions" to his editors. Hartigan also singled out for criticism the announcement by Australian Attorney-General Philip Ruddock of a review of Freedom of Information laws. "His decision to ask the Law Reform Commission to conduct a review on limited terms of reference is a disgrace," he said.