Indy tweaks ‘Truth’ vid after Murdoch blitzkrieg


10:50 am - April 23rd 2010

by Hobhouse    


Tweet       Share on Tumblr

What is it about this election? It’s shining a light on more and more of the Powers-That-Be and their magic circle.

The media are abuzz with the story of how James Murdoch and Rebekah Brooks/Wade stormed The Independent‘s offices uninvited after a meeting at the Daily Mail, berating editor Simon Kelner for taking on the Murdoch empire’s unaccountable political influence.

Today the Indy blares of its own new proprietor, “Lebedev won’t decide these elections. You will”. And without announcing it, they’ve also changed their relaunch video – “The truth about the general election” – in one very significant way since the Murdoch-Kelner showdown. Here’s the new version:

Spot the difference?

That’s right – they’ve added a criticism of the Liberal Democrats (for taking money from an arms dealer) to their earlier challenges to Murdoch, Ashcroft, Unite and the City.

(UPDATE: Looking at the vids side by side, it’s clear they’ve also changed the default image, funnily enough to highlight the phrase “Rupert Murdoch controls 40% of the press in Britain”.)

What’s it all about? Like anyone smart, the Indy are thinking on the hop as the wave of change grows right now. People have been speculating about where precisely their aggressive relaunch fits into the landscape of the Citizens’ Campaign stirring in the country. Some thought they would openly endorse the Lib Dems. Perhaps the odds on that weakened after Murdoch’s henchmen stormed Indy HQ.

But they’re not laying down their own arms in surrender to the establishment. Today the Indy calls out The Sun for suppressing its own poll showing more public support for the Lib Dems in government.

I predict more fireworks in the normally-cosy Fleet Street. The proprietors’ non-aggression pact has concealed their murky influence for too long.

Could The Independent tap the mood of the country, challenge the Tory tabloid press and endorse a reforming parliament with no overall majority? If so, that and their free paper strategy could catapault them into a newly interesting – and influential – position.

In any event, their focus on the unaccountable Powers-that-Be, rather than simply on the parties, is fresh, clarifying and important.

I for one am delighted about these shenanigans. Which doesn’t mean we should give Lebedev and Kelner a free pass. From now on, accountability for all.

(Here is the old version of the Indy video, sans Lib Dem arms dealer:)

  Tweet   Share on Tumblr   submit to reddit  


About the author
Hobhouse comes from a long line of pseudonymous pamphleteers and British progressives. It's better that way. Connect on Twitter: @hobhouse2010
· Other posts by


Story Filed Under: News

Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.


Reader comments


1. charlie masters

grow up and get REAL

2. Yurrzem!

Being grown up and most definitely REAL I do hope the Indy grow some and keep the pressure on the Fleet Street establishment.

3. Galen10

Hopefully not just the Indy…. Clegg and the LD’s should announce plans to establish an independent inquiry to investigate anti-competitive holdings in the media.

4. Nick who ?

After reading Nick Cohen and Daniel Johnson cuddling up to Andrew Rawnsley in an anti Labour love fest.
I decided to ask Nick a few questions, he has declined to answer them
Dear Sir.
Can I ask a few questions.
1. Who are you going to vote for ?
2. Do you believe it was correct for government in the late 1990′ to invest in public services. If yes what money should they have used. Or do you support the idea that New Deal economics and public service investment is a form of liberal fascism
3. Who deregulated banking in the eighties, who removed all credit controls. Did you support that move ?
4. Reading your articles in the nineties you didn’t like labour then, in the noughties you certainly didn’t. So why not affiliate your self with Tories.
5. How do you differentiate yourself from neo thatcherite Tories such as Johnson and Gove.
6. What are your views on the attack on Clegg and Murdoch’s role in the election.
I doubt you will answer these questions but I am interested. Note I have not attacked you personally.
Not a word on the comment site. Not surprising

5. Nick who ?

I have also asked
Would it be possible to ask a few follow up questions.
1. Do you think the NHS should be privatised.
2. Do you think all welfare payments be stopped.
3. What is your view about the fact that all news papers in this country, including the Observer are right wing. Only one supports the Labour party. Is this not a political imbalance.
4. What is you view on the Indy and Murdoch row.


Reactions: Twitter, blogs
  1. Liberal Conspiracy

    The Indy tweaks "Truth" vid after Murdoch blitzkrieg http://bit.ly/aiIJ7R

  2. Max

    RT @libcon: The Indy tweaks "Truth" vid after Murdoch blitzkrieg http://bit.ly/aiIJ7R

  3. Paris Gourtsoyannis

    RT @libcon: The Indy tweaks "Truth" vid after Murdoch blitzkrieg http://bit.ly/aiIJ7R

  4. Greg Eden

    RT @libcon: The Indy tweaks "Truth" vid after Murdoch blitzkrieg http://bit.ly/aiIJ7R

  5. Bertie Deane

    Liberal Conspiracy » The Indy tweaks “Truth” vid after Murdoch blitzkrieg http://bit.ly/9HhXu7

  6. Hobhouse

    RT @libcon: The Indy tweaks "Truth" vid after Murdoch blitzkrieg http://bit.ly/aiIJ7R

  7. Hobhouse

    @theindynews @michaelwolffnyc Indy adds Lib Dem criticism to Truth video post-Murdoch invasion – plus fightback vs Sun http://bit.ly/aiIJ7R

  8. Ryan Bestford

    The Indy tweaks “Truth” vid after Murdoch blitzkrieg – http://bit.ly/cNu7XY (via @LibCon)

  9. Juliet

    RT @libcon: The Indy tweaks "Truth" vid after Murdoch blitzkrieg http://bit.ly/aiIJ7R

  10. Gareth Winchester

    RT @libcon #theindependent tweaks “Truth” vid after Murdoch blitzkrieg http://bit.ly/c4VHZt #media @the_sun_lies #thesun #ge2010 #ukelection

  11. The Sun-Tabloid Lies

    RT @dnotice: RT @libcon #theindependent tweaks “Truth” vid after Murdoch blitzkrieg http://bit.ly/c4VHZt #media #thesun #ge2010 #ukelection

  12. Marcus Hickman

    RT @libcon The Indy tweaks “Truth” vid after Murdoch blitzkrieg http://bit.ly/c4VHZt

  13. Thomas Rado

    Indy Election Vid: http://bit.ly/9s5Thz … Lib Dems and the amrs trade? really?

  14. damopk1

    RT @pickledpolitics: Interesting… RT @libcon The Indy tweaks “Truth” vid after Murdoch blitzkrieg http://bit.ly/c4VHZt

  15. Jaime Campbell

    Loving the new ad for The Independent relaunch – http://tinyurl.com/2w9hslj – very succinct

  16. sally mumby-croft

    RTpickledpolitics
    Interesting… RT @libcon The Indy tweaks “Truth” vid after Murdoch blitzkrieg http://bit.ly/c4VHZt

  17. andrew

    Liberal Conspiracy » The Indy tweaks “Truth” vid after Murdoch …: Liberal Conspiracy » The Indy tweaks “Truth” v… http://bit.ly/a0VwDa

  18. Dan Lee

    RT @libcon: Indy tweaks 'Truth' vid after Murdoch blitzkrieg http://bit.ly/ah4FAD

  19. Thomas O Smith

    RT @libcon: The Indy tweaks "Truth" vid after Murdoch blitzkrieg http://bit.ly/aiIJ7R

  20. uberVU - social comments

    Social comments and analytics for this post…

    This post was mentioned on Twitter by libcon: The Indy tweaks “Truth” vid after Murdoch blitzkrieg http://bit.ly/aiIJ7R…

  21. Hobhouse

    @theindynews @michaelwolff Indy adds critique of Lib Dems to its Truth video after Murdoch blitzkrieg: http://bit.ly/aiIJ7R

  22. Hobhouse

    Hobhouse Hobhouse2010

    @theindynews @michaelwolffnyc Indy adds Lib Dem crit to Truth video post-Murdoch invasion: http://bit.ly/aiIJ7R

  23. Sam Coates

    https://liberalconspiracy.org/2010/04/23/the-indy-tweaks-truth-vid-after-murdoch-invasion/

  24. jimbobthomas

    RT @libcon: The Indy tweaks "Truth" vid after Murdoch blitzkrieg http://bit.ly/aiIJ7R

  25. Imran Khan

    RT @the_sun_lies: RT @dnotice: RT @libcon #theindependent tweaks “Truth” vid after Murdoch blitzkrieg http://bit.ly/c4VHZt #media #thesun #ge2010 #ukelection

  26. sunny hundal

    Interesting… RT @libcon The Indy tweaks “Truth” vid after Murdoch blitzkrieg http://bit.ly/c4VHZt

  27. National Not Voting Conservative Day « Ten Percent

    […] sort of love the story of Rebekah and James running around the Mail & Indy offices enforcing omertà. In a contest of lesser evils we can all agree the one outcome to be […]

  28. Gordon Kennedy

    https://liberalconspiracy.org/2010/04/23/the-indy-tweaks-truth-vid-after-murdoch-invasion/ Nice video





Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.