News Corp boss Michael Miller says Anthony Albanese is ‘wrong’ to suggest the media company is out to get him

News Corp Australasia executive chairman Michael Miller has rubbished claims by Anthony Albanese that the media company’s mastheads are ‘working hand in glove’ with Peter Dutton.

News Corp Australasia executive chairman Michael Miller, right, says Anthony Albanese's narrative that News Corp was out to get him and his party is a ploy straight out of Labor’s ‘election playbook’.

News Corp Australasia executive chairman Michael Miller has rubbished claims by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese that the media company’s mastheads are “working hand in glove” with Opposition Leader Peter Dutton to bring down the government.

According to reports in The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, Mr Albanese told a cabinet meeting last Monday that News Corp titles were “cheerleading” for the opposition, and that Labor ministers needed to “deal with” the alleged tactic.

But in an exclusive interview with The Australian, Mr Miller said the Prime Minister’s criticism of News Corp was “wrong”.

“He called it a campaign – there is no campaign,” Mr Miller said. “His criticism is wrong.

“Our editors and journalists call it as they see it when it comes to issues of national importance.”

Mr Miller said the PM’s narrative that News Corp (publisher of The Australian) was out to get him and his party was a ploy straight out of Labor’s “election playbook”.

Several mainstream media outlets had observed that Mr Albanese’s response to the rising tide of anti-Semitism in Australia had been lacking, Mr Miller said, but the Prime Minister chose to specifically lash out at News Corp.

“Most media, not just our mastheads, said the Australian government’s response has been delayed and deficient in terms of addressing growing anti-Semitism and the protection of our Jewish communities,” he said.

“We weren’t alone in making that point.

“So when the Prime Minister chooses to blame the media for its reporting of his inactions or his personal choices, I’m of the belief that the public can clearly see it for what it is.

“I’ve been around long enough to know that his statements about our mastheads are now part of the election playbook.

“And we’re not going to be deterred by his criticism.”

Mr Miller said News Corp’s coverage of the Albanese government had been fair.

“Our mastheads have acknowledged his government’s good work – and the Prime Minister’s good leadership – on issues such as social media reform, for example,” he said.

Asked if he would raise Mr Albanese’s criticisms of News Corp when next he talks to the Prime Minister, Mr Miller said: “I’m not in the habit of commenting on conversations that I have had, or might have, with politicians. But the lines are always open.”

Reflecting on a year that has seen the wider media industry beset by challenges – most notably the prolonged slump in advertising revenues, and the battle to attract and retain subscriptions – Mr Miller was upbeat.

“As a business we haven’t wasted the down-cycle that’s hit the media and marketing industries. We’ve been making the necessary changes to prepare ourselves for the up-cycle,” he said. “We’re well prepared for when the market returns.

“I’m very pleased with our data position, our video position, our e-commerce, and we’ve had a better-than-planned sales period over the past year.

“The feedback we’ve had from our clients was that they got good results as well.

“I’m also excited about the opportunities around technology and AI. There are many areas that technology can help us do a better job with the right amount of human oversight.

“And I want News Corp to be a leader in innovation.”

Mr Miller said News Corp’s increased use of video in its online stories has resonated with readers.

“Australians are consuming more and more video as part of their social feeds, their entertainment needs and also their news needs,” he said.

“Technology and AI have assisted how quickly and comprehensively we can bring video into our storytelling.

“It’s where the consumers are and therefore it’s where we need to be.”

Asked about the future of printed newspapers, Mr Miller said he was an “optimist”.

Referencing Rupert Murdoch’s prediction earlier this year that newspapers could remain viable for another “15 years, with a lot of luck”, Mr Miller said: “I would say 15 years, at least.

“I’m an optimist when it comes to people’s enjoyment of print but also the response that clients are still getting from print.”