Rupert Murdoch was forced to scrap O J Simpson’s sickening “hypothetical” confession on Fox TV to the brutal murders of his former wife and her friend.
But what were his real motives? It is clear he caved in to outraged 
public protests, and even apologised to the families of Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman, describing Simpson’s book entitled “If I Did It”, and an accompanying two-part television interview, as “an ill-considered project”.
I suspect he could also have been under considerable pressure from advertisers who also found it sickening and tasteless to cash in like this, it may not have been done purely out of sympathy for the families.
Murdoch has gagged his staff from talking about this shameful deal, which they regard as “an internal disaster” and certainly took the Huff Post by surprise, saying: “It’s hard to imagine that there’s anything that could possibly make Rupert Murdoch lose his tabloid nerve or apologize for causing pain to anyone.”
It seems this has taken its toll on the woman who planned it. The media have all but called for her death for interviewing him and publishing his book.
Judith Regan, the head of one of News Corp’s publishing arms, Regan Books, said she had also been physically abused by her ex-husband. Her motive was that she wanted to talk Simpson into making a real confession.
Simpson was paid $3.5m (£1.8m) for the book and interviews, but Regan insists that the money had gone to a “third party” and she had been told it would go to OJ and Nicole Simpson’s children. I don’t see how Simpson will keep the money now the deal has been scrapped. And this seems a very unconvincing explanation, it was a business deal which Regan badly misjudged. I don’t expect she will remain in her job much longer.
Americans are regarding this decision as a major triumph, hoping it will make greedy publishers and others show more consideration to a society that is far more decent and compassionate than they realise, a society that has standards and found the whole idea of elaborating in detail about the deaths of two innocent people too repulsive and sickening. It sends a clear message to tasteless tabloid journalism, at home and abroad. And everyone believes O. J. Simpson was guilty anyway.
Murdoch makes me feel very uncomfortable in every respect! I cannot comment more…
:o(
I picked up on this only this morning, it is another case of money rather than morality with Murdoch again. Their apology, somewhat undermined by the fact that the book was already in the shops, so they had gone a long way down the track before they realised that they were not going to get away with this.
[…] See Ellie Seymour’s blog for a couple of interesting postings that can be applied to public relations – firstly on the Murdoch-OJ climbdown and then considering BA’s “mission statement” as a predictor of its behaviour towards Nadia Ewida wearing her cross to work […]
Great minds do think alike. Love the Russian photos. When were you there?
Guthrum, While money over morality may have been the way of the world a few years ago, that\\\’s not the case any longer, people power is winning over that kind of practice. People now want to see, and believe, that a company has a conscience too.
James, I am glad you liked the pics, I visited Moscow and Leningrad (as it was then) many moons ago, I would love to do so again – and will have to brush up on my Cyrillic alphabet – if I am not banned! I was hoping that the Russian blogger I upset with my post yesterday might enjoy them too.
P.S. The pics are also a tribute for the Russian agent who was poisoned.
It all seems a very cynical and calculated climb-down to me but I’m glad the project has been stopped.
What good news to know this awful programme has been cancelled.
The entire operation was financed by Murdoch. Even the book company who is publishing Simpson’s drivel is owned by him as well. What joy it is to see it all backfire on him.
This was a crass attempt at paid publicity by Simpson and a poorly judged grab at sensationalism by Murdoch.
How could Simpson talk about how he would murder the mother of his children? Hyperthetical or not this would surely have a huge impact on the emotional state of his children regardless of their age.
What a shame poor old Rupert Murdoch paid OJ lots of money for nothing !
Scary that Rupert Murdoch is in such a powerful position to sanction or cancel the project. No laws could stop him. Only the power of public opinion.
How can people still believe this guy is innocent? Down here in suffolk va I know crimes are committed everyday that are terrible, but Mr. Simpson is just a thug.