February 13, 2010

Saudi prince al-Waleed bin Talal is one of the world's richest men and has ties with the Bush Family, The Carlyle Group and owns shares in American corporations including Disney, Citigroup and News Corp the parent company of Fox News.

al-Weed bin Talal formed an alliance with News Corp in September 2005 and he now has a 5.7 percent share of the company through Kingdom Holding in which Alwaleed holds a 95 percent stake.

In 2008 News Corp partnered with al-Waleed bin Talal's media company called  Rotana Media Group which broadcasts Fox programming in the Middle East. This was a good move on Murdoch's part because it gives him a way to expand his media empire into new areas.

So what is the problem?

In the recent past, the Saudi prince bragged he changed the content of Fox News to suit him, starting with the Paris Riots of 2005. Fox News at his urging, glossed over the fact that the riots were Muslim based. He wanted them called “poverty based” instead and got his wish.

'Covering the riots in Paris last November, Fox ran a banner saying: 'Muslim riots.' Bin Talal was not happy. 'I picked up the phone and called Murdoch . . . (and told him) these are not Muslim riots, these are riots out of poverty,' he said. 'Within 30 minutes, the title was changed from Muslim riots to civil riots.''  FrontPageMag, in an article called Buying Fox News

http://97.74.65.51/Printable.aspx?ArtId=6312

And that is just the start.

al-Waleed bin Talal clearly states that he does not want America independent from oil and believes banks should be free to do what they want without fees or additional controls. What he doesn't say out right is that he owns a chunk of Citigroup which received billions in bailout money and his country is a primary exporter of oil to the United States.

Incredibly, only now the right wing is seriously taking up the issue of News Corp's cozy with the Middle East including Saudi Arabia. This is not good because millions tune in for their dose of “fair and balanced” news and sometimes get a Muslim version of events that is often times anti-American.

What makes this even more important is the recent Supreme Court ruling, hailed by the right, which gave corporations permission to spend unlimited amounts of money on political campaigns in the United States. These companies can be foreign ones like Rotana Media Group.

al-Waleed bin Talal has already influenced Fox News content and now seriously influences American politics with billions of dollars he and his friends have. It is ironic that the death of American fair and balanced news comes from Fox News itself.

It is certainly clear News Corp values money more than truth or the security of America.