US media commentator Jack Shafer comes out strongly against "the UK media establishment" for opposing Rupert Murdoch's proposed takeover of BSkyB.
He writes on Slate: "Denouncing Murdoch as a potential monopolist every time he buys or starts a media property reveals the idiocy and the dishonesty of his critics.
"Obviously, his political foes hate to see Murdoch's megaphone get bigger. But who are his political foes? He has shifted from Tory to Labour and is currently back with the Tories.
"As I've written before, Murdoch has no real politics beyond what's good for Murdoch. Besides, media bosses don't really have half the power ascribed to them.
"So rather than denouncing Murdoch for making politicians bend over, his critics would be better off asking politicians why they're so willing to be the mogul's slave."
Gosh! How amazing is that. Well, from my point of view, truly amazing because it is uncannily similar to my column in today's London Evening Standard, Let Rupert Murdoch buy Sky - this is not a Berlusconi moment.
