Australians target Murdoch media

The Australian government has promised an inquiry into the country’s media as lawmakers complain that Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp is biased and owns too many of the nation’s newspapers.

Calls have been growing for an Australian inquiry since the New York-based company closed the News of the World in July over illegal phone hacking allegations. News Corp owns 70 per cent of Australian newspapers. Communications minister Stephen Conroy said there will be an inquiry but it will not be “an attack on News Ltd,” the group’s Australian arm.