Fox Buys Beliefnet: Divine Intervention Or Deal With The Devil?
by Nicole
Rupert Murdoch's Fox Entertainment Group has bought itself a whole lotta faith acquiring Beliefnet, "the largest spiritual website." Founded in 1999, Beliefnet had prided itself on being "independent and not affiliated with any spiritual organization or movement." The site will now become part of Fox Digital Media, whose portfolio also includes online networking monolith Myspace.
"Beliefnet has garnered respect for its commitment to quality, editorial strength and unbiased approach to faith and spirituality from a broad range of consumers, religious and political leaders, journalists and advertisers," said Dan Fawcett, President of Fox Digital Media, in a statement released to the media late yesterday. "FEG's goal is to leverage these characteristics across a broader media canvas and provide programming, production, advertising sales, technology and marketing expertise that will enhance an already terrific product in a rapidly growing market."
"FEG's vast resources will enable Beliefnet to expand our audience, enhance our offerings and more effectively carry out our mission to help people find and walk a spiritual path that brings comfort, hope, clarity, strength, and happiness," said Steven Waldman, Beliefnet's CEO, Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder.
The move will leave many rolling their eyes in a country that strongly associates the Fox brand with the religious right. However in the U.K., where Murdoch has been a mass market media player for much longer, his corporations' outlets are known for being more flexible, moving with the popular political currents of the time to achieve more power and influence through greater market share. (These tactics have helped Murdoch's News Corporation become the world's third largest media conglomerate, behind Time Warner and Disney.)
In the late 90's there was a significant shift in the editorial slant of Murdoch's British news outlets as Margaret Thatcher and John Major's monetarist empire was being swept aside due to increasing popular support for "New Labour" and its promise of more egalitarian trickle-up economics. Sensing the changing political tide, Murdoch held a come-to-Jesus meeting with left-wing Labour leader Tony Blair in Australia in Dec '96, where it was agreed that some of his outlets would switch teams in exchange for future political concessions. In May '97, with Murdoch's support, Blair swept to victory in the General Elections, becoming the first Labour Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in nearly two decades.
This is just one example of Murdoch's Machiavellian machinations as a king-maker. Perhaps with Beliefnet the media mogul has aspirations on influencing the offices of those above mere kings, trading fleeting political power for something more divine.
| 12/05/07
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