Business

Steve Jobs to Rupert Murdoch: Fox Is a ‘Destructive Force’

During a 2010 News Corp. management retreat, guest speaker Steve Jobs took the opportunity to tell Australian business tycoon Rupert Murdoch how he felt about his news empire.

Gawker reports that Walter Isaacson’s new biography on Steve Jobs includes the details of the exchange:

In return for speaking at the retreat, Jobs got Murdoch to hear him out on Fox News, which he believed was destructive, harmful to the nation, and a blot on Murdoch’s reputation.

“You’re blowing it with Fox News,” Jobs told him over dinner.

“The axis today is not liberal and conservative, the axis is conservative-destructive, and you’ve cast your lot with the destructive people. Fox has become a destructive force in our society. You can be better, and this is going to be your legacy if you’re not careful.” Jobs said he thought Murdoch did not really like how far Fox has gone.

“Rupert’s a builder, not a tearer-downer,” he said…

Murdoch later said he was used to people like Jobs complaining about Fox. “He’s got sort of a left wing view on this,” he said. Jobs asked him to have his folks make a reel of Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck shows - he thought they were more destructive than Bill O’Reilly – and Murdoch agreed to do so.

Apparently, Fox was not the only news outlet that attracted criticism and advice from Jobs. Jobs also met with The New York Times staff to help them with their media model, reports Mediabistro.

Newser writes :

Before the launch of the iPad, Jobs met with the leadership of the Times, offering them advice about the newspaper’s app and digital subscription service, suggesting they charge $5 at most.

“I think it’s important for the country for them to figure it out,” Jobs said.

It has also been reported that Jobs had a low opinion of how The Wall Street Journal made itself accessible via technology, at one point saying that they were awful at it because “you‘re in New York and anyone who’s any good at tech works in Silicon Valley.”

Comments (95)

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  • Stu D. Baker-Hawk
    Posted on October 26, 2011 at 10:04pm

    Enjoy your dirt nap, Steve.

    Report Post »  
    • Welcome Black Carter
      Posted on October 26, 2011 at 11:04pm

      Good thing he was able to keep his mouth shut as far as politics…
      Apple could have went the way of the dixie chicks.

      Report Post » Welcome Black Carter  
    • Ruler4You
      Posted on October 27, 2011 at 12:02pm

      He’s dead for crying out loud. Do we have to listen to socialists from the grave, too? Freedom of “ ” was Jobs profit center. Then he wanted to close down choice for a majority? for what? his own satisfaction. Typical socialist mindset. Hope you got a warm spot, steve.

      Report Post » Ruler4You  
    • theaveng
      Posted on October 27, 2011 at 12:16pm

      ANYWAY –

      Study-after-study shows that in 2008, 09, and 10 the networks ABC, CBS, and NBC aired stories that were 70% favorable towards Obama/democrats and only 40% favorable towards McCain/republicans.

      FOX’s news programs were the only ones that treated both sides equally.
      FOX has nothing to be ashamed of.
      Mr. Jobs should be “hating on” ABC, CBS, NBC for their almost 2-to-1 bias.

      Report Post »  
    • OpenRevolt
      Posted on October 27, 2011 at 4:50pm

      @Ruler4You

      Fox News Network is really the RINO News Network.

      Steve Jobs was more of a Captialist in one day of his life than you will be in the entirety of yours.

      You are a RINO if you don’t know that:

      - War is BAD for BUSINESS and the US ECONOMY
      - US Military is really a Socialist Worker Program sucking Trillions of $$$
      - Rupert Murdoch who is liberal AUSSIE, married to a Chinawoman and has Chinese kids, runs liberal Sky News in Europe that constantly bashes America. He also runs liberal Fox entertainment that bashes Conservatives and Christians constantly as uneducated rednecks and worse.

      - FOX NEWS is just ENTERTAINMENT FOR DUMB RINOS, It was made to make money off you and gain political power for RUPERT MURDOCH’s familty.

      Report Post » OpenRevolt  
  • 65Mustang
    Posted on October 26, 2011 at 10:01pm

    I wish Rupert Murdoch and FOX News had the balls to investigate Obama, his communist czars, the unions, the fast and furious carnage, Muslim Brotherhood and everything that Glenn Beck has already reported. When Beck stated facts about Obama, not once did the “Red Phone” ever ring disputing anything Beck posted on his blackboards. As far as FOX being “fair and balanced” only to a point. I’m sure you suffered retaliation from what Beck reported but grow some balls and show the country proof of what is going on in the USA.

    Report Post »  
    • theaveng
      Posted on October 27, 2011 at 12:08pm

      Study-after-study shows that in 2008, 09, and 10 ABC, CBS, and NBC aired stories that were 70% favorable towards Obama/democrats and only 40% favorable towards McCain/republicans.

      FOX News was the only channel that treated both sides equally (38% positive for each). FOX has nothing to be ashamed of.

      Report Post »  
    • dianec6
      Posted on October 27, 2011 at 1:44pm

      Thank You 65 Mustang!
      I’d also like to hear what, if anything, is being done to hold these people responsible? They hold the highest offices of the federal government. They vowed to uphold The Constitution. That vow has been obviously broken. Laws are upheld to their liking, enforced or not enforced. Since when is this legal?
      Yet we hear nothing about them being held responsible and our country
      we love slowly ebbs away….where are the checks and balances?

      One last thing as long as we are going to keep up the race thing, I know an an Irish, Scots, Engs American.

      Report Post »  
  • AnAmerican111
    Posted on October 26, 2011 at 9:52pm

    I had a favorable view of JOBS until this!………………………..
    Now I can just add him to list of stupid libs who can’t handle the truth!

    Report Post »  
    • LibertarianForLife
      Posted on October 26, 2011 at 10:49pm

      Fox news is far from the truth, they push out the war mongering/anti-liberty agenda constantly. The way the treat Ron Paul is more then proof of this.

      Report Post »  
    • RighteousTyrant
      Posted on October 27, 2011 at 1:35pm

      ^^ This. FNC is just as biased, but more importantly they rarely report all the facts of a situation and/or twist them to suit the narrative they want. Kinda like the Blaze, but not as bad.

      Report Post »  
    • OpenRevolt
      Posted on October 27, 2011 at 4:49pm

      @Ruler4You

      Fox News Network is really the RINO News Network.

      Steve Jobs was more of a Captialist in one day of his life than you will be in the entirety of yours.

      You are a RINO if you don’t know that:

      - War is BAD for BUSINESS and the US ECONOMY
      - US Military is really a Socialist Worker Program sucking Trillions of $$$
      - Rupert Murdoch who is liberal AUSSIE, married to a Chinawoman and has Chinese kids, runs liberal Sky News in Europe that constantly bashes America. He also runs liberal Fox entertainment that bashes Conservatives and Christians constantly as uneducated rednecks and worse.

      - FOX NEWS is just ENTERTAINMENT FOR DUMB RINOS, It was made to make money off you and gain political power for RUPERT MURDOCH’s familty.

      Report Post » OpenRevolt  
    • RighteousTyrant
      Posted on October 28, 2011 at 10:21am

      Fine post, OpenRevolt.

      Report Post »  
  • MeteoricLimbo
    Posted on October 26, 2011 at 9:49pm

    Fox is a force alright enough, hats off to Mr. Jobs and his 501c3′s

    Report Post » MeteoricLimbo  
  • UlyssesP
    Posted on October 26, 2011 at 9:48pm

    No Jobs, CANCER is a destructive force. FOX is a news network.

    Report Post » UlyssesP  
    • Fina Biscotti
      Posted on October 27, 2011 at 10:31am

      Mr. Know-it-all chose not to have surgery – until it was too late.

      Report Post »  
    • OpenRevolt
      Posted on October 27, 2011 at 4:27pm

      @FINA

      He survived 8 years with a Cancer that typically killed you in 2. You don’t think as a billionaire he got better care than you would have ever got? Surgery is only an immediate response to people who are poor because it makes doctors quick $$$.

      And on top of that Jobs met with Obama and trashes him in his book and told him he was heading for a ONE TERM PRESIDENCY.

      Fox News is a crap hole, let’s see, they:

      - Hired Oliver North, the disgraced US Military Colonel who smuggled massive amounts of cocaine into the USA to make illegal profits–and built the FEMA Concentration Camps for Americans under Rex 84

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUQ5M9_knEA

      - Fired Beck, the only guy talking about the NWO
      - Make Freedom Watch half-ass with Judge Nap

      Now they hired Mark Sanford the adultery who blows tax payers money on international whores?

      If you still watch Fox News you have to be a complete moron.

      Report Post » OpenRevolt  
  • sWampy
    Posted on October 26, 2011 at 9:43pm

    Steve was a evil liberal idiot, who was good at nothing but stealing the ideas of others, and making them pretty, and some how getting a bunch of liberals to pay a premium price for his cheap stolen ideas made in china.

    Report Post »  
  • whatthecrazy
    Posted on October 26, 2011 at 9:40pm

    go figure

    Report Post »  
  • garyM
    Posted on October 26, 2011 at 9:32pm

    Back about 30 years ago I could see the Foxnews idea of fair and balanced on the political front but in today’s world, a good news show doesn’t have a debate on which is best, Marxism vs Democracy and debate both sides is not healthy. That’s exactly the reason why congress is deadlocked. If I were in congress all I would have to know in order to make a decision on my vote would be to see who the sponsor of the bill was. I would vote no on every bill that had a democrat as the sponsor or the cosponsor. We finally got enough people with brains in the house to stop this Marxism legislation, too bad they weren’t there when Obama took office. we may never overcome all this crap he has done to our freedom!

    Report Post »  
  • OhSnappage
    Posted on October 26, 2011 at 9:22pm

    Steve was a liberal and a wonderful innovator of our time. He did provide us with great devices that through fair competition and capitalism pushed us forward to perform better and advance our living. The same is said for Murdoch with his business with FOX.

    Jobs was not perfect, he knew his field yes, but he steps out of that field he is as much a novice as the next guy. I do disagree with the way Apple functions, They are an agressive corporation,Jobs has no grounds lecturing in a free market society that another company is in the wrong. I hate going into the stores where you always get a snobby floor person that is too good to offer assistance. Great that Apple products are not repairable but only replaceable (mounting landfills) thru more purchases. Parts & materials are cheap but are overpriced. See Mr. Jobs there are gripes all around yet your as successful as Murdoch because underlying base of the corp is the value we get from the product.

    Report Post » OhSnappage  
  • hillbillyinny
    Posted on October 26, 2011 at 9:09pm

    Great cartoon re. Steve Jobs:

    http://a.yfrog.com/img610/3633/u3fs.png

    Report Post »  
    • CatB
      Posted on October 26, 2011 at 9:26pm

      Steve was wrong about his cancer treatment and he is wrong about this also … we need more than ONE VOICE heard … FOX if nothing else gives both sides and I pray it continues to .. though some of the “talent” is far left (Geraldo, Colmes, etc.).

      TEA!

      Report Post »  
    • spirited
      Posted on October 26, 2011 at 10:28pm

      Speaking of yuck factor

      %^>(*** Colmes is one useful idiot.

      Report Post » spirited  
    • Lloyd Drako
      Posted on October 27, 2011 at 4:10pm

      Good one! From your post to my refrigerator door in under a minute!

      Report Post » Lloyd Drako  
  • garyM
    Posted on October 26, 2011 at 9:08pm

    Foxnews says what they think will get them the best ratings, that why they have pinhead liberals on there spewing lies, they want to draw the liberal crowd too. Fox will only report everything on Obama when the public turns on Obama, that is if the news media is not controlled by Obama then. They know much more on Obama than they are reporting. I guessing that’s why Beck left or part of the reason, Beck can’t stand phony!

    Report Post »  
  • cassandra
    Posted on October 26, 2011 at 9:03pm

    I think Fox should put Rush on at 5:00, I don’t think they have the guts but their ratings would soar

    Report Post »  
    • CatB
      Posted on October 26, 2011 at 9:27pm

      I don’t think Rush would want to “play” by their rules .. I think that is one of the reasons Glenn left .. they seem to be heading in another direction .. if not slowly.

      TEA!

      Report Post »  
  • Dougral Supports Israel
    Posted on October 26, 2011 at 8:53pm

    Jobs was an inventor genius. Like other people he wasn’t so good outside of his core competency.

    Report Post »  
  • mikellyusabr
    Posted on October 26, 2011 at 8:42pm

    Steve Jobs knew how to spread information in an easy, fun manner like no one.

    But, from the looks of things, he wasn‘t so good about the information’s content.

    I think it’s really cool to watch pro-conservative, anti-progressive stuff on an iPad. Thank you Steve Jobs for making that happen…

    :)

    Report Post »  
  • teapartyconservatism
    Posted on October 26, 2011 at 8:41pm

    Sorry to say but Fox is not a whole lot better than the rest of the bunch when it comes to the nitty-gritty of what really matters most, that being the truth and holding politicians accountable to the Constitution!

    Case in point: On his 4/13/11 viewer email segment, Bill O’Reilly was asked how Obama could have a CN Social Security number, if he never lived there? Bill O’Leilly falsely stated his CN SS# resulted from his father living there. Fox then scrubbed Bill’s big lie from the record, rather than investigating and exposing the truth. http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=287817

    Want to see what Sean the “great American” is doing wrong?

    How to know the truth and remove Obama from office now!
    http://www.ObamaBirthCertificate.net

    Report Post » teapartyconservatism  
    • vieteravet
      Posted on October 27, 2011 at 4:05pm

      You’r getting as wacko as the OWS folks, stop giving Onumbnuts and his followers amunition!

      Report Post »  
  • 65Mustang
    Posted on October 26, 2011 at 8:31pm

    I personally think FOX is not tough enough on the liberal politics of the Obama administration and the ultra liberal press. I wish FOX would follow Rush Limbaugh’s lead. Jobs may have been a super intelligent man but he wasn’t perfect and was not expert on the direction this county should be going.

    Report Post »  
    • HorseCrazy
      Posted on October 26, 2011 at 8:43pm

      agree. they are not tough enough but that is where the fair and balanced comes in. the liberals make the point for conservatism every time they open their mouths. steve jobs was a brilliant man (when it came to building and creating computers) obviously not politics

      Report Post »  
    • korbin
      Posted on October 26, 2011 at 8:48pm

      Exactly, sounds like martyism if thats a word. When some famous person croaks all of a sudden they were the best human being on the planet. Armchair quarterbacking it seems to me. If he was so opinionated why not speak your mind while you still have a head attached and are breathing. Typical lefty won‘t or can’t stand for any one principal they go down the slippery slope of walking the fence on all issues until they get on the popular side. Jobs was smart probably knew that some of us right conservatives that purchased Apple products would have gone out and used them for target practice if we knew his true opinions. This quoting a dead man is weak.

      Report Post »  
    • HorseCrazy
      Posted on October 26, 2011 at 10:47pm

      the funny thing is I have a pc and was switching to a mac after bill gates started donating heavily to lefty causes in our state(WA) including abortion and gay marraige refferendums etc. Oh and lets not forget when gates championed the ammending our constitution in wa to allow for income tax. Jobs was smart not to vocalize his nonsense during his lifetime.

      Report Post »  
  • KusoJiJi
    Posted on October 26, 2011 at 8:31pm

    An opinion is just an opinion no matter who it comes from. Some are insightful, some are not. Some are right and some are wrong. Steve Jobs was not right about a lot of things and in the end, one of his poorer judgements cost him his life. Rest in Peace.

    Report Post » KusoJiJi  
  • barber2
    Posted on October 26, 2011 at 8:30pm

    Jobs was a genius but his personal life is typical of the “progressive ” Lefty: they are often of high IQ but low on common sense and good judgement in interpersonal relationships. He seems to fit into that category. Luckily, he stayed in the field of his genius and did not stray into politics! He contributed a ton of great technology and he helped our economy with his inventions. Given what is happening today, I wonder if Jobs views of Beck would be different now. Or would he follow the usual Left wing tendency to Blame the messenger !

    Report Post »  
    • hillbillyinny
      Posted on October 26, 2011 at 9:04pm

      Jobs many have been “brilliant,” but has he really made us a better society with all his genius?

      Report Post »  
  • thesource
    Posted on October 26, 2011 at 8:30pm

    How true, Fox News is destructive. Rupert Murdoch knows this but doesn’t care. It is all about the money, so sad. BTW most news is destructive, always reporting on the negative. If you want to stay positive, stay far away from the news.

    Report Post »  
    • RepubliCorp
      Posted on October 26, 2011 at 8:53pm

      And MSLSD is so positive

      Report Post » RepubliCorp  
    • DYNA
      Posted on October 26, 2011 at 9:25pm

      @THESOURCE

      And what is positive about Obama? And if you do not like FOX news, you think ignorance is bliss?

      Report Post »  
  • Jenny Lind
    Posted on October 26, 2011 at 8:30pm

    Dear Steve,
    Thought you had a good handle on how everyone should live, be a left sider, and make you rich in the process. Being bright doesn’t you right all the time as everything that can be used for great good can also be used for great evil, but then you are figuring that out now. How’s being brilliant and rich and thinking you are the one in charge working out for you now? The morwe I hear about your life, the less I think you got it.

    Report Post »  
  • welovetheUSA
    Posted on October 26, 2011 at 8:28pm

    Most of us are not perfect, but I am so glad 68% of us are smarter than the rest when it comes to matters with the United States of America.

    Report Post » welovetheUSA  
  • BJC
    Posted on October 26, 2011 at 8:27pm

    What else would we expect Jobs to say? After all he was offering to do posters for the Community Agitator for his 2012 campaign.

    Report Post »  
  • tony k
    Posted on October 26, 2011 at 8:27pm

    Kinda sounds like Mr. Jobs thought because he made it big he thought he should be the desision maker for all man kind too! I gotta say Fox you seem to be riding the fence a little these days. not wanting to dig as deep as you should on some things but you are night and day better then Brand X!

    Report Post »  
    • mils
      Posted on October 26, 2011 at 8:32pm

      Agreed. Jobs was right about his business , and wrong about a lot of other things…FOX was one of them…

      He’s gone, he did some wonderful things. He was not God and the end to end all…

      Report Post »  
  • kentuckypatriot
    Posted on October 26, 2011 at 8:27pm

    Who cares about what he thinks / thought. He’s dead. May he RIP and make everything right with God.

    Report Post » kentuckypatriot  
    • RepubliCorp
      Posted on October 26, 2011 at 9:31pm

      When it comes down to it he made some nice gadgets and in a few years they will be on the trash heap. I have tools that are over 100yrs old and still do the job. His gadgets won’t even be a footnote in history. The diesel engine,1911 colt and S&W model 10 have over a 100yrs of production…….where will the iPad be? Forgotten!

      Report Post » RepubliCorp  
  • lukerw
    Posted on October 26, 2011 at 8:24pm

    FOX is an alternative to the Standard Left Wing Media… but FOX is Not Conservative… rather like Aussie Progressive! On the other hand, Jobs was Liberal, but not Flaming Radical. So, this alike a Cat Fight, where I could care less who wins!

    Report Post » lukerw  
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