38 Degrees members first started campaigning against Murdoch’s BSkyB powergrab back in July last year. On July 13th Murdoch dropped  its planned bid to take full ownership of satellite broadcaster BSkyB.   Along with our friends at Avaaz, some great campaigning journalism from the Guardian and lots of other groups we’ve shown that people power works.

Over the past couple of weeks, 38 Degrees members has been voting on what our next steps should be with the Murdoch campaign by voting in a poll.

Should we say job done and stop campaigning? Or should we be on the look-out for Murdoch trying new ways to control our media? Or perhaps we have an opportunity now to campaign for higher media standards more generally?

The results 

Overall, 38 Degrees members voted that this should be one of the many campaigns that we run and only a small percentage of members think that we should stop campaigning.

The results on what aspect of the scandal concerned 38 Degrees members most were relatively close. The most popular course of action seems to be to focus on demanding news laws to address problems with the excessive power and influence of media barons.

How much should we keep working on phone hacking and media corruption?

If you think we should keep working on media corruption and the phone hacking scandal, which aspect of the scandal worries you most?

If you think we should keep working together on this campaign, what do you think we should focus on next?

The BBC is reporting that “Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation has announced that it is dropping its planned bid to take full ownership of satellite broadcaster BSkyB.”

38 Degrees members started campaigning against Murdoch’s BSkyB powergrab back in July last year. Along with our friends at Avaaz, some great campaigning journalism from the Guardian and lots of other groups we’ve shown that people power works.

We’ll update this blog with the latest news and more details soon. You can read how the campaign unfolded here.

Update:
Here are some pictures of how the campaign unfolded:

Update 2 – here are some comments from Twitter:

Update 3:
We didn’t do it alone. As well as hundreds of thousands of 38 Degrees members there were lots of other groups working hard to stop Murdoch’s BSKyB powergrab. Here’s a non-exhaustive list:
- Our friends at Avaaz and Hacked Off
- The press. Some journalists worked tirelessly to expose the phone hacking scandal including The Guardian and the New York Times
- Some MPs have been speaking about this for some time including Tom Watson MP and Chris Bryant MP
- Celebrities, including Hugh Grant, also worked hard to stop Murdoch’s BskyB campaign and to expose the phone hacking scandal
- An incredible social media campaign

Update 4:
Some comments from Facebook:
- John: “this result shows that democracy and the will of the people can and does win,well done everyone.”
- Jo: “People 1 Murdoch 0″
- Stuart: “a landmark in people power through social networking & the web! … Use this victory to keep going – gather momentum and change the media landscape for the better and in turn make this a more democratic & free country”
- Christopher: “Brilliant job 38 degrees and Avaaz but especially The Guardian. Not giving up when it matters can pay off!”
- Gideon: “YES!”

And from the blog comments, Stephen: “I thought we were going to lose at many different points, but after the NOTW it seems politicians are standing up to Murdoch and his grip is loosening”

On Wednesday July 13th there will be a vote in Parliament on Rupert Murdoch’s power grab.

Your MP will be weighing up how to vote.  Will they stand up for democracy and decent media standards? Or will they do what they’ve done far too many times in the past, and let Murdoch grab even more power?

If we work together, we can make sure enough MPs vote the right way this Wednesday. We can send our MPs a flood of messages, and make them realise their voters won’t stand for Rupert Murdoch getting even more control.

It’s quick and easy to email your MP, and it only takes 2 minutes.

Get started here: https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/stand-up-to-murdoch

A vote by our MPs to halt the BSkyB deal would be a huge breakthrough.  The past week has seen appalling revelations of criminal and unethical activity by Murdoch papers.  Now we have a chance to prove that Murdoch’s control over our democracy will no longer be tolerated.

It could be a very close vote. Rupert Murdoch knows that control of BSkyB would mean more cash and more power – so he’s desperate to win. He’s flown into London to start twisting arms.  Behind closed doors, his lobbyists and lawyers are springing into action. But if enough of us work together, we can outweigh their pressure.

Can you send your MP a quick message now?

Find their name and email address here: https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/stand-up-to-murdoch

38 Degrees members helped secure this week’s vote. We’ve been challenging Murdoch’s plans since they were first announced in July 2010. In the past week we’ve sent over 150,000 messages to the government and to MPs demanding a halt whilst the latest scandal is investigated.  Bit by bit, we’re winning the argument that Murdoch should not be rewarded with more power.

When there’s a close vote like this in parliament, we know that we can work together to swing it the right way. We did it to save England’s forests. We are doing it to protect the NHS. Now let’s make sure our MPs vote to clamp down on Rupert Murdoch and stand up for a better media and a better democracy.

The next 48 hours are crucial, so please email your MP now: https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/stand-up-to-murdoch

To share with your friends on facebook click here

To share with your friends on twitter click here

Over the last few hours tens of thousands of us have emailed our MPs urging them to vote against Rupert Murdoch’s plans to take control of BSkyB.

Once you hear back from your MP share what they say in the form below:

You can see what other MPs reply below:

Update 14:23, 13th July 2011. We did it!! Murdoch has withdrawn his bid for BSkYB. Well done everyone!! We did it!!

This isn’t a campaign victory post – there’s almost certainly more to do in our campaign to rein in Murdoch’s power.

But with today’s announcements of public inquiries into hacking, and positive noises from Ofcom about an investigation into whether Murdoch is “fit and proper” to own BSkyB, it does seem like a good moment to recap everything 38 Degrees members have done so far:

- July 2010: 38 Degrees members launch the campaign
Rupert Murdoch announces plans to take over BskyB. 38 Degrees members came together calling on the Minister responsible, Vince Cable, to block the deal. The petition grew quickly with tens of thousands of us signing.

- September 2010: 38 Degrees members urge Cable to listen to advisers
We had our first breakthrough when the BBC received leaked documents from Vince Cable’s department revealing that even his own advisers were telling him that Murdoch’s deal mustn’t go through. So 38 Degrees members came together signing an open letter Vince Cable to listen to his advisers and hold firm by blocking Murdoch’s plans.

- November 2010: Success – Cable orders Ofcom inquiry.
We’d raised money for adverts in Vince Cable’s constituency demanding an inquiry into the deal. 38 Degrees members then celebrated as Cable accepted our demands and ordered an inquiry into Murdoch’s powergrab. Thousands of us wrote to our MPs urging them to make sure the inquiry had teeth.

November 2010 – 60,000 of us tell Ofcom the deal needs to be halted
38 Degrees members teamed up with our friends at Avaaz and together we sent over 60,000 submissions to the Ofcom inquiry.

22nd December – Hunt replaces Cable
After Vince Cable was caught by undercover journalists commenting on Murdoch’s power grab, he was replaced by Jeremy Hunt – an outspoken supporter of Rupert Murdoch.

- 31st December: 70,000 strong emergency petition
Together with our friends at Avaaz we handed in our 70,000 strong emerency petition on New Years Eve, demanding Murdoch’s BSkyB takeover is sent to the Competition Commission for a wide-ranging and impartial investigation. On the same day Jeremy Hunt receives Ofcom’s report,recommending that Murdoch’s plans should be referred to the competition commission.

- Feb 7th 2011: 38 Degrees members meet Hunt
38 Degrees member, David Morgan, organises a meeting with his MP, Jeremy Hunt, to deliver the 40,000 strong petition along with local 38 Degrees and Avaaz members.

- June 30th: Rally against Murdoch’s green light
As the Guardian reports  ”Jeremy Hunt has confirmed that he plans to give News Corporation’sBSkyB takeover the green light, after nearly four months of negotiations between the culture secretary, Rupert Murdoch’s media company and regulators over spinning off Sky News”, 38 Degrees members join with Avaaz to hold an emergency rally outside Hunt’s department.

- 5th July 2011: Emergency Petition passes 100,000
As news breaks of widespread phone hacking by Murdoch’s News Of The World, 38 Degrees members join with Avaaz members to demand a full public inquiry into the Murdoch empire’s phone hacking activities.

- July 6th: Emergency protest
38 Degrees members team up with Avaaz to hold an emergency protest outside the House of Commons (along with puppets of Murdoch, Hunt and Cameron)

- July 7th: Thousands of 38 Degrees members urge MPs to speak out
As disgust at the behaviour of Murdoch’s newspapers grows tens of thousands of 38 Degrees members email their MPs urging them to speak out and stand up to Murdoch

- July 8th: Emergency petition handed in
On the final day of the government consultation we hand in the 100,000 strong emergency petition, along with our friends at Avaaz.

Update: here are a few press reports about the last few days:
Huffington Post UK – How Social Media Helped Bring Down Britain’s Biggest Newspaper
Phone Hacking Protest Outside The Houses Of Parliament
New York Times – Move to Close Newspaper Is Greeted With Suspicion
The Guardian – Murdoch’s reckless gesture is Cameron’s historic chance

The public outcry to the shocking News of the World hacking revelations has been overwhelming.  Over 70,000 of us have signed the 38 Degrees petition already in the last 24 hours.

38 Degrees members are standing up to Murdoch to demand a stop to the BSkyB takeover, and a full public inquiry into the Murdoch empire’s phone hacking activities in our thousands. But today, David Cameron has hinted that he still wants to give Murdoch’s takeover of BSkyB the green light.

38 Degrees and our friends at Avaaz have teamed up for an emergency protest today. We’ll be outside the House of Commons today with a giant Rupert Murdoch puppet from 4pm. We will be around Parliament Square. You can spot the 38 Degrees team by a massive orange 38 Degrees banner (and the big Murdoch head, David Cameron and Jeremy Hunt puppets!). If you’re in London and available, it would be great to see you there.

It’s no surprise that so many of us are calling for a stop to the BSkyB deal and a full public enquiry into the Murdoch empire’s phone hacking activities. With Murdoch’s papers under criminal investigation and widespread public disgust, this is not the time to reward him with an even bigger share of the UK’s media.

Murdoch, David Cameron and Jeremy Hunt puppets in action last week outside the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

How much lower can Rupert Murdoch’s media empire sink? Today, one of his papers stands accused of hacking the phone of murdered teenager Milly Dowler, causing her family even more pain, and risking a police inquiry.

Rupert Murdoch’s empire is now under investigation by the police. But at the same time, he’s getting ready to take even more control of our media. This week, Murdoch’s expecting to get the green light from David Cameron’s government for his takeover of BSkyB.

If we work together, we can make sure this week doesn’t end with Murdoch getting awarded even more power.  The final government inquiry into Murdoch’s power grab ends this Friday, at midday. We’ve got until then to prove to the government that the public want to put the brakes on Murdoch’s power grab. We’ll deliver a copy of the petition to that inquiry – demanding that the phone hacking allegations are taken into account and the deal is halted.

The government wants to approve Murdoch’s BSkyB takeover. They say that Murdoch promises to respect media independence, so there’s nothing to fear from giving him even more control. They want us to trust Rupert Murdoch! But how can we trust him when his paper stands accused of hacking into the phone of a murdered teenager?

Yesterday, Murdoch’s empire thought they this deal was in the bag. Our people-powered campaign had helped delay things – but they had just one hurdle left. The minister in charge, Jeremy Hunt, was clearly on Murdoch’s side. Murdoch’s backing for the Conservatives at the election and his executives’ cosy dinners with David Cameron all seemed to be paying off.

But now, we have a real chance to stop this power grab. Across the UK, people are shocked at how one of Rupert Murdoch’s paper is accused of heartlessly abusing a family facing one of the worst situations any of us can imagine. Let’s work together to make sure this is a turning point in the battle for higher media standards in Britain.

Please sign the petition now.

Grim reading this morning:
Guardian: “News Corp’s BSkyB bid: Jeremy Hunt gives green light for takeover”
BBC: News Corp moves closer to a takeover of BSkyB

In July last year 38 Degrees members came together to launch our campaign to halt Rupert Murdoch’s powergrab. Our campaign to stop him is making a difference– we’ve already delayed Jeremy Hunt’s announcement by several weeks and forced News Corporation to make small concessions.

Jeremey Hunt’s decision could mean he’s about to hand Rupert Murdoch another huge slice of our country’s media. But Hunt’s decision isn’t final and our pressure could change the game — if we all join a rally in London at lunchtime today we can stop Murdoch’s power grab.

Let’s ramp the pressure up with a people powered rally. We’ve teamed up with our friends at Avaaz to hold a spectacular stunt at 12:30 outside the Department of Culture, Media and Sport. We’ll have a stiltwalker, huge puppets, and more for the media to film. And, the bigger our crowd, the more pressure we’ll put on the government.

Where: Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 2-4 Cockspur Street, SW1Y 5DH (just off Trafalgar Square)
When: 12.30 today, June 30th
Nearest tube: Picadilly Circus and Charing Cross.
Map: here

Update – despite little notice lots of the media and members of 38 Degrees and Avaaz came to the stunt. Here are some pictures:

Just when we thought that Murdoch had the deal in the bag, his media empire has confessed to hacking the phones of various celebrities and politicians.  [1]

The media outcry around the phone hacking scandal has given us the chance to step up our campaign to try and limit Murdoch’s empire by putting together an emergency petition with Avaaz. We demand that the government calls a full inquiry into the phone hacking, and halts the BSkyB takeover process until all the facts have been established.

If you don’t want Murdoch to get away with it, sign the petition now:

http://www.38degrees.org.uk/stop-murdoch

38 Degrees have already handed in 60,000 messages to Ofcom asking them to put the BskyB bid in front of the Competition Commission, back in November.  Last Christmas we put together an Emergency Petition to let the government know that Jeremy Hunt is not the right person to judge the BskyB deal.

Right now, we have a chance to make our voices heard and demand that the government make a full inquiry into the phone hacking scandal and put on hold the BskyB takeover that Murdoch is chasing.

Please add your name and build the pressure for Murdoch to be reined in:
http://www.38degrees.org.uk/stop-murdoch

The petition will be handed in this Friday, in full view of the media to the High Court in London.

[1] News Of The World statement: http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/notw/public/nol_public_news/1266448/News-International-statement-News-of-the-World-says-sorry.html

For more information on the phone hacking scandal:

[1] http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/apr/11/rebekah-brooks-phone-hacking

[2] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-13034848

[3] http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/press/rebekah-brooks-backtracks-on-admission-about-police-payments-2266448.html

[4] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/8444890/I-know-nothing-about-payments-to-police-says-News-International-chief-executive-Rebekah-Brooks.html