22/05/17 - Conservatives buy up Google adverts in bid to beat 'dementia tax' criticism

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/22/conservatives-buy-google-adverts-bid-beat-dementia-tax-criticism/

Conservatives bought adverts on Google which moves voters away from the controversy surrounding the "dementia tax." Labour have also used this to their advantage where they have bought ads that pop up when 'dementia tax' is searched.


I think that the controversies faced by Murdoch during political events have been exacerbated by NDM. But its well within their rights as Sites such as google do not have a value of being impartial  which then as a result means that they can choose whatever side they wanted without any immediate lawful backlash. This then brings into question as to how many elections have been swayed by the influence of the internet, contrastingly this may not be true considering brexit and trump were both things to be voted for despite online polls suggesting otherwise.

22/05/17 - Revealed: Google tried to block media coverage of gender discrimination case

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/may/22/google-gender-discrimination-case-reporting-restricted

The article highlights how google has been underpaying women in particular and also how they attempted to restrict access to the case, obviously failing it shows that even though google is a powerful company in terms of NDM. Their power does not translate into more traditional means.

OThe DoL has accused Google of systematically underpaying women, and the court battle centers on the company’s refusal to hand over salary data the government has requested.
O 'sheds light on Google’s aggressive efforts to end the case at a time when the tech industry is facing increasing criticisms over sexist workplace cultures, gender discrimination and widespread pay disparities'

A Marxist would definitely use this article as an example of how NDM means it is easier for people to enforce the status quo. Google continually aims to make its brand seem amazing and trustworthy. Regardless of how much they hide it things are always being released and investigated inline  meaning that a more pluralist perspective is more apparent simply because we have acess to the information that they have been trying to hide.

22/05/17 - Send in Brad Pitt: Netflix gets out the big guns as it declares war on cinema

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/may/21/war-machine-netflix-home-movie-invasion-brad-pitt-david-michod

netflix's new war dilm 'war machine' stars Brad Pitt. (It is also based on the controverial US army general Stanley McChrystal. they wanted to be 'making the kind of movie that doesn’t really get made by the studios any more,' 

O Since French law mandates a 36-month window between theatrical release and streaming date, this effectively bars Netflix from the competition

There have been a lot of issues regarding Netflix recently, most recently with the new rule about the 36 month window. perhaps this shows a final ability to remove netflix as a distribution competitor. But it can also show how they are trying to make it a fairer playing field,

17/05/17 - New documentary details Trump’s alleged ties to Russian mobsters

http://bgr.com/2017/05/15/donald-trump-russia-ties/


A New documentary was created by a sketch artist from the Netherlands, whom created a famous meme about Trump. He has also now made documentaries about him and has posted them on YouTube.


I think that this article highlights how a pluralist perspective is more apparent in todays society. With Trumps 'election' more and more people are challenging him and his followers. Furthermore, it is also showing the impact of NDM, there are in detailed reports about news stories that are rarely being covered, especially in the US due to Trump's control over the media. IT also shows how easy it is to create and distribute Documentaries and also how traditional distribution techniques are almost being ignored to allow way for more amateur yet ironically professional, un-mediated content.

17/05/17 - Google's Controversial Deepmind Deal For 1.6 million NHS patients' data called legally 'inappropriate'

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/google-deepmind-nhs-patients-data-deal-1-million-legal-inappropriate-dame-fiona-caldicott-a7738601.html

The article discusses a new online strategy that holds personal details about patients suffering from kidney failure. There was also a lot of suggestion as to how legal it was and whether there was any patient consent.


O Google’s artificial intelligence division received the medical records of 1.6 million people on an "inappropriate legal basis", according to a leaked letter from a top government adviser.

I think that the NHS moving onto a more online platform is incredibly dangerous especially since the security and testing is seemingly very limited. IN this case the testing on through this development seemed to be incredibly limited and also a lot of the information was not made public. This would be extremely worrying especially with the recent NHS hack may have been preventable had the NHS taken the precautions that was recommended to them. This also potentially shows how too many companies are either taking advantages of NDM when it is not appropriate whilst the companies who could use it beneficially fail to do so.

10/05/17 - Death Note: Netflix sparks whitewashing controversy once more with new film

Netflix decided to make the famous Manga Death note however it has been a complete westernised and whitewashed 'adaptation'. Actor Edward Zo was refused the role of Light Yagami, the protagonist for 'being Too Asian'. there has been a lack of lead roles for Asian-Americans and this issue has be exacerbated by the rise in US adaptations with a complete white American cast.


O another recent controversy is Ghost in the Shell  where the lead was changed to Scarlett Johansson.

I think that whitewashing is a massive issue and Netflix seems to be showing it on a smaller scale. Death Note in particular is heavily reliant on Japanese traditions and culture and it would simply not make any sense whatsoever in an American remake. there are a lot of POC, members of the LGBTQ+ society e.t.c who are not being represented and remakes that original included them are replacing them with White, typically American, straight, fully abled people. They also often have the actors play the role 'the way it was' even though they personally have no association. The lack of representation, although being tackled is still a massive issue and i don't think it will be resolved until the most powerful in the industry change. Its not about people just wanting notable stars, There is an obvious demand for more representation that is not being listened to.

10/05/17 - Murdoch's Politics: How One Man's Thirst for Wealth and Power Shapes Our World by David McKnight – review

POLITICAL STANCES AND REFLECTION IN MEDIA

- Last year there was his cheerleading for Mitt Romney – "looking better and better while Obama seems devoid of anything new", Murdoch tweeted 11 days before Obama comfortably won re-election.
- moved decisively rightwards from the mid 70s
- "Thatcher and Murdoch had a deep mutual regard, more sincere on her part than his." When she deviated from what he saw as the true path of modern conservatism, he could quickly turn critical or disloyal 
- Murdoch transmits his political desires, both within his conglomerate, News Corporation, and far beyond.
- 1980, McKnight writes, Murdoch backed Reagan's presidential bid
- the Sun's notorious assault on Neil Kinnock and Labour in 1992.
- In the 1988 presidential election, he  favoured t Robertson as the Republican candidate. 
-  In the 1992 contest, he abandoned the Republicans for the Ross Perot 
- launched Fox News, with constant support for the conservatives


Murdoch states that 

"I give instructions to my editors all around the world," as Murdoch put it in 1982.

This shows the sheer influence he can have and how he can share his political believes at the time. It highlights how newspapers may not have been as impartial as they would have seemed. This is discussed throughout the article as to whether he uses politics to benefit his papers or whether he uses the papers to benefit his political beliefs. Nevertheless less this highlights how much influence  conglomerate owners such as Murdoch has and also how easy it is for him to exploit it.