Murdoch Paper 'News of the World' is Shut Down

Murdoch Paper ‘News of the World’ is Shut Down

No accountability

MediaJuly 2011 • Views: 27,920

James Murdoch, son of Rupert Murdoch, announced today that British tabloid News of the World will close, following revelations that the paper engaged in systematic hacking of phones.

Notice that instead of holding the executives responsible who authorized this outrageous hacking, the Murdoch family chose to simply shut down the entire newspaper: News of the World to close on Sunday, says James Murdoch.

The tabloid newspaper will be published for the last time on Sunday after it was rocked by the phone hacking scandal.

Mr Murdoch said in a statement: ”Having consulted senior colleagues, I have decided that we must take further decisive action with respect to the paper. This Sunday will be the last issue of the News of the World.”

The shock development came as police said there could be as many as 4,000 victims of phone hacking by the paper, which has been published for 168 years.

He praised the paper’s achievements but condemned this week’s revelations that phone hacking victims may have included murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler, bereaved military families and relatives of 7/7 bombing victims.

He said: “The good things the News of the World does, however, have been sullied by behaviour that was wrong.

“Indeed, if recent allegations are true, it was inhuman and has no place in our company.”
Mr Murdoch admitted that the paper’s internal inquiry into earlier phone hacking claims was inadequate.

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95 comments

Political Atheist Thu, Jul 7, 2011 9:47:08am

Good riddance to bad "journalism". I hope the voice mail hackers get jail.

Virginia Plain Thu, Jul 7, 2011 9:48:00am

Throw his ass and his executives' asses in the clink.

darthstar Thu, Jul 7, 2011 9:49:20am

re: #2 Virginia Plain

Throw his ass and his executives' asses in the clink.

Nobody could have foreseen that there would be dishonest behavior at a Murdoch news company.

VP...that's one of my favorite Roxy Music albums by the way...

Gus Thu, Jul 7, 2011 9:51:55am

Sleaze bags. And Murdoch is the face of Fox News -- the alleged ally for "patriots" in the GWOT. Phone hacking military families. Murdoch's a slime bag. Always was and always will be.

Kragar Thu, Jul 7, 2011 9:54:12am

If they got caught doing something like this, it makes you wonder what else they've been up to.

Political Atheist Thu, Jul 7, 2011 9:54:39am

O/T sorry...
Breaking News
Obama is about to speak about the budget talks... CNN

William Barnett-Lewis Thu, Jul 7, 2011 9:55:43am

Just wish more of Murdoch's so-called news outlets would follow it on a steady march to the ash bin of history.

kingkenrod Thu, Jul 7, 2011 9:55:50am

So with the entire editorial staff fired, there can be no internal investigation and accountability. How sleazy...

Gus Thu, Jul 7, 2011 9:57:00am

re: #8 kingkenrod

So with the entire editorial staff fired, there can be no internal investigation and accountability. How sleazy...

Pretty much.

Charles Johnson Thu, Jul 7, 2011 9:57:49am

re: #8 kingkenrod

So with the entire editorial staff fired, there can be no internal investigation and accountability. How sleazy...

That's right - and the sleazebags who authorized and benefited from the hacking will simply go to work for another Murdoch paper.

Obdicut Thu, Jul 7, 2011 9:58:00am

re: #1 Rightwingconspirator

Good riddance to bad "journalism". I hope the voice mail hackers get jail.

But bad news for all the honest people that worked there, the printers, the doormen, the secretaries. Sure, it may have been a crap paper, but this is the most asshole way of dealing with it by Murdoch; cares only for himself, not for any of his employees, one whit.

jamesfirecat Thu, Jul 7, 2011 9:58:36am

re: #8 kingkenrod

So with the entire editorial staff fired, there can be no internal investigation and accountability. How sleazy...

Its like an economic amputation.... give up a minor appendage to avoid the possibility that the entire media empire might get tinged with their sin...

makeitstop Thu, Jul 7, 2011 9:59:02am

It's a real shame that any attempt to discover whether the same tactics were used here by Fox News would be met with screams of 'witch hunt' or Obama's 'tyranny.'

RICO statutes were built with corrupt organizations like News Corp. in mind. Too bad they'll never be used against Murdoch, due to the fact that he's been allowed to get his hands on a bigger megaphone than even the US government.

Stanghazi Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:00:22am

BBC reports that there was a screaming match in offices of News of the World as staff asked why they lose their jobs and Brooks keeps hers

lawhawk Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:00:22am

re: #10 Charles

It's a reshuffling of executives, rather than firing all those who signed off on the notion of breaking the law, invading the privacy of those who suffered all kinds of loss, etc. They'll shut down the paper now, but expect that a new daily will take its place involving many of the same players.

Here's hoping that the British government holds these executives responsible and throws the book at them - all the way up the ladder.

ProGunLiberal Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:00:54am

re: #13 makeitstop

I can think of a couple more organizations that RICO can be used.

iossarian Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:01:22am

re: #14 Stanley Sea

BBC reports that there was a screaming match in offices of News of the World as staff asked why they lose their jobs and Brooks keeps hers

Because they are little people. Easily disposed of.

RadicalModerate Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:03:26am

Given Murdoch publications' recent history of major transgressions from a legal standpoint (example - "Botox mom" hoax was entirely scripted by Murchoch's Sun, and paid her to spread the fake story), I'm really hoping that they finally are going to be subject to the scrutiny that they really deserve.

ProGunLiberal Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:05:44am

re: #17 iossarian

re: #18 RadicalModerate

CNN and MSNBC need to bring this up. Attack the competition.

jamesfirecat Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:06:16am

re: #19 ProLifeLiberal

re: #18 RadicalModerate

CNN and MSNBC need to bring this up. Attack the competition.

///Liberal media! LIBERAL MEDIA! ELEVENTY!

iossarian Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:06:58am

re: #15 lawhawk

It's a reshuffling of executives, rather than firing all those who signed off on the notion of breaking the law, invading the privacy of those who suffered all kinds of loss, etc. They'll shut down the paper now, but expect that a new daily will take its place involving many of the same players.

Here's hoping that the British government holds these executives responsible and throws the book at them - all the way up the ladder.

Fat chance.

[Link: twitter.com...]

iossarian Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:09:45am

It's darkly amusing that the staff at the News of the World are now going to find out the hard way what the smug brand of capitalism they were pushing means for people like them when the bosses' bottom line is threatened.

nines09 Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:10:23am

I guess we can expect charges to be filed. I guess we will see lawsuits and damaging testimony from injured parties. I guess all guilty executives will be prosecuted. I guess I'm pissing on myself here and I am looking at a cloudless sky wondering where the rain is falling from.

BishopX Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:10:32am

Does this deal let the News of the World destroy all of their documents? Does this kill whatever criminal cases are being built?

Gus Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:11:01am

re: #19 ProLifeLiberal

re: #18 RadicalModerate

CNN and MSNBC need to bring this up. Attack the competition.

The media/Democrat Party!!11ty -- rwmofo

reloadingisnotahobby Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:11:01am

Black is white...white is black...crime PAYS!!
/

Kragar Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:11:14am

re: #23 nines09

I guess we can expect charges to be filed. I guess we will see lawsuits and damaging testimony from injured parties. I guess all guilty executives will be prosecuted. I guess I'm pissing on myself here and I am looking at a cloudless sky wondering where the rain is falling from.

The asshole upstairs who pisses off his balcony?

laZardo Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:11:53am

re: #27 Kragar (Proud to be Kafir)

The asshole upstairs who pisses off his balcony?

Yeah, my bad.

/ :D

Kragar Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:12:51am

re: #28 laZardo

Yeah, my bad.

/ :D

Hey, at least its not hail, right?

Political Atheist Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:12:53am

re: #11 Obdicut

But bad news for all the honest people that worked there, the printers, the doormen, the secretaries. Sure, it may have been a crap paper, but this is the most asshole way of dealing with it by Murdoch; cares only for himself, not for any of his employees, one whit.

True, but on balance we world of media is better without the paper. I wish them luck & success in finding future employment at a more respectable establishment.

Obdicut Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:12:59am

re: #24 BishopX

Does this deal let the News of the World destroy all of their documents? Does this kill whatever criminal cases are being built?

Here we see one of the advantages of a corporation, and why our laws treating corporations as people is fucking stupid:

A corporation can kill itself to dodge responsibility, without caring about said death.

laZardo Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:15:29am

re: #11 Obdicut

But bad news for all the honest people that worked there, the printers, the doormen, the secretaries. Sure, it may have been a crap paper, but this is the most asshole way of dealing with it by Murdoch; cares only for himself, not for any of his employees, one whit.

Checking out the BBC article...

The News of the World's political editor, David Wooding, who joined 18 months ago, said it was a fantastic paper.

"They cleared out all the bad people. They bought in a great new editor, Colin Myler, and his deputy, Victoria Newton, who had not been sullied by any of the things that had gone on in the past.

"And there's nobody there, there's hardly anybody there who was there in the old regime.

"The people are very clean, great, talented professional journalists and we pull out a great paper every week. And we're all paying the price for what happened six years ago by a previous regime."

How long ago did all that take place and why is it only being brought up now?

SpaceJesus Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:16:02am

i wonder if we will ever find out how much murdoch paid to have the university of east anglia hacked into

iossarian Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:16:25am

re: #31 Obdicut

Here we see one of the advantages of a corporation, and why our laws treating corporations as people is fucking stupid:

A corporation can kill itself to dodge responsibility, without caring about said death.

And then magically reassemble itself - a shiny new blameless person.

Idle Drifter Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:17:19am

So does this fall under domestic spying or something?

Killgore Trout Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:18:46am

The shock development came as police said there could be as many as 4,000 victims of phone hacking by the paper, which has been published for 168 years.

Wow. It seems this was a very common practice for them. Let's hope a lot of people get some jail time over this.

nines09 Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:18:46am

re: #27 Kragar (Proud to be Kafir)
Been there. Left there. Came back. Left gift.

BishopX Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:19:54am

re: #32 laZardo

Checking out the BBC article...

How long ago did all that take place and why is it only being brought up now?

It's been going on since at least 2002... It's mostly been coming to light due to a number of court cases over the past two years.

shutdown Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:20:16am

@lawhawk: did you see my page on the Motion filed by the Dallas Mavericks? Pretty funny stuff.

Amory Blaine Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:20:41am

The scandal is spreading.

Hacking Allegations Hit Second Murdoch Paper

Obdicut Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:22:50am

re: #40 Amory Blaine

The scandal is spreading.

Hacking Allegations Hit Second Murdoch Paper

Gee, what's the common factor between two Murdoch papers?

jamesfirecat Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:23:54am

re: #41 Obdicut

Gee, what's the common factor between two Murdoch papers?

I know.... I bet they both buy their ink form the same distributor! Maybe there's some kind of mind control agent in that transforms upstanding newsmen into shameless muck rakers!

makeitstop Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:26:37am

re: #41 Obdicut

Gee, what's the common factor between two Murdoch papers?

Gee, wouldn't that constitute what could reasonably be called a 'corrupt enterprise?'

Too bad none of this is happening here - an ambitious prosecutor could make a helluva case out of it.

Political Atheist Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:27:04am

re: #41 Obdicut

This may well reach beyond Murdoch papers. Plenty of tabloid journalism around. Murdoch has not yet established a monopoly in that market sector.

iossarian Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:27:28am

re: #36 Killgore Trout

Wow. It seems this was a very common practice for them. Let's hope a lot of people get some jail time over this.

People who will go to jail:

- the junior police officers who took bribes
- private investigators who broke the law
- low-level journalists

People who will be "reprimanded" (i.e., no jail time, maybe their careers flatline for a few years):

- mid-level editors who approved the low-level journalists' expenses without performing "adequate due diligence"
- supervisors of the junior police officers

People who will continue to enjoy their lavish lifestyles as if nothing had happened:

- Rupert Murdoch
- Senior News Corp executives

jvic Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:27:32am

re: #11 Obdicut

But bad news for all the honest people that worked there, the printers, the doormen, the secretaries. Sure, it may have been a crap paper, but this is the most asshole way of dealing with it by Murdoch; cares only for himself, not for any of his employees, one whit.

1. And I suspect that the political slant of Fox is an amoral decision based on market demand, not on any core political principles of Murdoch's.

2. So what? The (nominal) purpose of a corporation to (legally) make money for the owners/shareholders.

3. This is what: The foregoing shouldn't be simplistically applied to corporations which control a meaningful share of their overall market. Such corporations should get closer scrutiny than their small and midsize competitors get. Needless, to say things don't always work that way in today's America.

shutdown Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:28:35am

re: #43 makeitstop

Gee, wouldn't that constitute what could reasonably be called a 'corrupt enterprise?'

Too bad none of this is happening here - an ambitious prosecutor could make a helluva case out of it.

Who says it isn't? The NYP seems capable of that kind of editorial decision...

Gus Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:29:00am

re: #45 iossarian

People who will go to jail:

- the junior police officers who took bribes
- private investigators who broke the law
- low-level journalists

People who will be "reprimanded" (i.e., no jail time, maybe their careers flatline for a few years):

- mid-level editors who approved the low-level journalists' expenses without performing "adequate due diligence"
- supervisors of the junior police officers

People who will continue to enjoy their lavish lifestyles as if nothing had happened:

- Rupert Murdoch
- Senior News Corp executives

Ain't that the truth. Sadly that's SOP.

lawhawk Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:29:48am

re: #39 imp_62

Sorry, hadn't seen it.

Obdicut Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:31:26am

re: #46 jvic

2. So what? The (nominal) purpose of a corporation to (legally) make money for the owners/shareholders.

Given that I was expressing an ethical problem, not a legal problem, with what they were doing, I would have thought the 'so what' was clear. It's shitty behavior. It's legal (probably) shitty behavior.

RadicalModerate Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:32:17am

While reading on SkyNews, I notice there's a mention that two days ago "TheSunonSunday" domain was registered by a Murdoch-related holding company.

News of the World isn't going away, it's just going to get folded into the other Murdoch publication.

laZardo Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:32:57am

re: #44 Rightwingconspirator

This may well reach beyond Murdoch papers. Plenty of tabloid journalism around. Murdoch has not yet established a monopoly in that market sector.

Once it's mainstream, it's not exactly "tabloid" anymore.

Political Atheist Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:33:53am

re: #45 iossarian
Five journalists and executives of the media mogul’s News of the World have been hauled in for questioning by police, reported the Times of London – a paper owned by Murdoch’s News Corporation – under a headline suggesting that “arrests loom.”

CNBC reported that the arrests could come within days, citing sources familiar with the situation.

Read more: [Link: www.politico.com...]

makeitstop Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:33:54am

re: #47 imp_62

Who says it isn't? The NYP seems capable of that kind of editorial decision...

Honestly, I'd put nothing past Murdoch's thugs, on either side of the Atlantic.

But this till holds true:

“Never pick a fight with a man who buys his ink by the barrel.”

Mark Twain

Imagine the entire News Corp. empire kicking into overdrive to defend itself. And they would get away with it, I fear.

laZardo Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:35:19am

re: #54 makeitstop

“Never pick a fight with a man who buys his ink by the barrel.”

Mark Twain

The bold emphasis requires that you hear/read that in a gentrified southern accent.

lawhawk Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:35:44am

I find it only somewhat satisfying that this went down on the anniversary of the London subway bombings considering that some of the victims of NotW's heinous actions were victims of the London bombing.

makeitstop Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:36:23am

re: #55 laZardo

The bold emphasis requires that you hear/read that in a gentrified southern accent.

I always do when Twain is the source. :)

iossarian Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:37:34am

re: #53 Rightwingconspirator

Five journalists and executives of the media mogul’s News of the World have been hauled in for questioning by police, reported the Times of London – a paper owned by Murdoch’s News Corporation – under a headline suggesting that “arrests loom.”

CNBC reported that the arrests could come within days, citing sources familiar with the situation.

Read more: [Link: www.politico.com...]

Believe me, I would love to see the "tough justice" these idiots demand for others to be meted out to them.

But we've seen it all before, haven't we? Plausible deniability, diffused responsibility, lack of hard evidence, etc., etc..

Put it this way: Murdoch makes a fortune out of this, and ultimately the corporate climate that enabled the wrongdoing comes from the top. So - is he going to go to jail?

jvic Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:45:13am

re: #58 iossarian

Put it this way: Murdoch makes a fortune out of this, and ultimately the corporate climate that enabled the wrongdoing comes from the top. So - is he going to go to jail?

The CEO waltz:

1. The CEO's performance requirements for middle management amount to: cheat or be fired.

2. The CEO is shocked, shocked when cheating is uncovered.

3. The CEO is not shocked enough to return his bonuses.

One two three...one two three...

stevemcg Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:45:57am

I look at this situation and wonder, What was Murdoch's organization trying to accomplish? They knew they couldn't explicitly use anything they learned and somebody knew this was going to get really ugly, because everything gets out.

Political Atheist Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:48:56am

re: #59 jvic

Cause CEO's are always directly involved right?

iossarian Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:50:17am

re: #61 Rightwingconspirator

Cause CEO's are always directly involved right?

They happily enjoy the fruits of the corruption they tacitly encourage, yes.

Will the CEO give back the money that was made on the back of leads obtained via phone-hacking?

Decatur Deb Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:51:55am

re: #61 Rightwingconspirator

Cause CEO's are always directly involved right?

They do the hiring and firing, set the corporate climate, and make the big bucks. They are responsible (i.e. they should respond).

Political Atheist Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:52:42am

re: #62 iossarian

The paper was losing money. Losing advertisers. A boycott was on. The last edition may not see at all. So... Where is the fortune made by the hacking?

Political Atheist Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:53:52am

re: #63 Decatur Deb

Yes they should. With full cooperation with the police.

laZardo Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:56:15am

Bedtiem. Nighty.

WINDUPBIRD DISEASE [S.K.U.M.M.] Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:56:20am

re: #31 Obdicut

Here we see one of the advantages of a corporation, and why our laws treating corporations as people is fucking stupid:

A corporation can kill itself to dodge responsibility, without caring about said death.

QFT

Political Atheist Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:56:37am

re: #62 iossarian

Are you aware of any incidents of any corporate employees (especially those who are bonus or commission hungry) break the rules for personal gain?

blueraven Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:57:12am

re: #64 Rightwingconspirator

The paper was losing money. Losing advertisers. A boycott was on. The last edition may not see at all. So... Where is the fortune made by the hacking?

Yes, boycotts, loss of ads...all just recently, since this came out. They were the top selling tabloid and have been for years. The info they received while hacking these phones took place over many years. They made money.

iossarian Thu, Jul 7, 2011 10:58:53am

re: #64 Rightwingconspirator

The paper was losing money. Losing advertisers. A boycott was on. The last edition may not see at all. So... Where is the fortune made by the hacking?

Everything's relative - presumably they would have been losing even more money if there had been no hacking (otherwise, why on earth would they have broken the law?).

The journalists' union in the UK is now talking about striking over this. They can see that the NOTW staff are being made scapegoats for what was essentially a corporate culture of corruption. The people responsible for that culture are the senior executives.

Time for those "leaders" to man up and take responsibility for what went on.

BishopX Thu, Jul 7, 2011 11:01:24am

re: #68 Rightwingconspirator

See the Great Recession, mortgages.

iossarian Thu, Jul 7, 2011 11:02:26am

re: #68 Rightwingconspirator

Are you aware of any incidents of any corporate employees (especially those who are bonus or commission hungry) break the rules for personal gain?

If I'm running a newspaper, and I hire a journalist who was known to have worked with a private investigator who had broken the law in the past, and furthermore I give that journalist $100,000, and tell him to get me a story or he loses his job, am I blameless when the poor sap pays the guy to hack into people's phone records?

Because that is more or less exactly what has happened here.

hellosnackbar Thu, Jul 7, 2011 11:02:41am

News of the world is more commonly referred to as "the News of the Screws" or the Screws of the World.
It was the first newspaper that Rupert (aka the dirty digger) bought in the UK.
I think it's highly possible that NOW will be quickly reborn as the Sunday
Sun;as it's the biggest selling newspaper in the UK(and also the sleaziest).
The phone hacking scandal has gained massive momentum and I predict
many hacks will be jailed before it's over.
And I'm not weeping for these scumbags.

Political Atheist Thu, Jul 7, 2011 11:05:03am

re: #70 iossarian
Criminal employees classic lament "It was the culture" "It was my boss"
Oh please. This is schadenfreude writ large. I'll wait and see what the investigations reveal. I'm just not a fan of wild speculation about how high the scandal truly goes. Murdoch is everyone's favorite target, any level of harsh speculation is quickly welcomed and expanded upon. As per above.Blaming Murdoch gets the actual hackers off. No thanks.

I hope the union does strike. At that point we can blame that union culture right? Obviously a strike would be direct support of those who did the hacking. And the hacking itself. Let them show themselves for the fools they are. Every employee had the chance to decline the act of hacking. Or writing about the information gleaned.

jvic Thu, Jul 7, 2011 11:05:23am

re: #61 Rightwingconspirator

Cause CEO's are always directly involved right?

My point is that the bad CEO's trick is to avoid direct involvement while positioning himself to reap benefits. Cf. iossarion #62 and Decatur Deb #63.

I speak from both reading and direct experience. I used to swear a blue streak about a former division head. Only belatedly did I realize the pressure he was under from the company president, who walked away with millions wile running the organization into the ground. If the president had delayed his flimflam for a couple of years until the Internet Bubble, it would have been tens or hundreds of millions.

Political Atheist Thu, Jul 7, 2011 11:07:31am

re: #72 iossarian

How many "ifs" can you put in a row with credibility? My point is wait and see who did this. Let's see the memos.

iossarian Thu, Jul 7, 2011 11:09:46am

re: #74 Rightwingconspirator

Don't get me wrong, the individuals who did the low-level work should face the consequences as well.

On the other hand, to ignore the people who set the whole thing in motion is like going after street-level drug runners. It might make you feel tough but it isn't going to stop the drugs. To do that you have to nail the leadership.

re: #76 Rightwingconspirator

How many "ifs" can you put in a row with credibility? My point is wait and see who did this. Let's see the memos.

They're talking about $50K bribes. Do you think a journalist just signs that off as a lunch expense? Please.

Political Atheist Thu, Jul 7, 2011 11:11:48am

re: #77 iossarian

Whose signature is on the expense? Who is his or her boss? Show me that please. How sure can we be Murdoch signed off on such an obviously risky play?

watching you tiny alien kittens are Thu, Jul 7, 2011 11:18:24am

Stupid duck with a broken leg will not let me catch him...sigh. :(

For my next trick I am currently tying lead fishing weights to one end of an old knit blanket so that I can throw it. The Seabird Sanctuary is no damn help, neither is the SPCA, or Pinellas animal control. Basically it is up to me to catch the damn thing and take it to the seabird sanctuary myself, if I can deliver it then they will take care of it. No one else seems interested.

I know it is just a stupid duck, but watching it hobble around walking on it's left knee instead of it's foot and trying to "groom" it's leg over and over is driving me nuts, it is obvious that it hurts. I have a plastic "cat travel kennel" to put him/her in if I can catch the damn thing.

It lets me get within four or five feet before flapping off another twenty so I just need something I can throw from that far to cover it. Wish me luck.

Political Atheist Thu, Jul 7, 2011 11:19:12am

re: #75 jvic

I have lost a job and countless commissions by choosing to act ethically. It hurt my income. It hurt my career. I lost my shot at "corporate success" I sleep well, in my more humble home with a smaller bank account. Many employees make the wrong choice in that dilemma. This does limit my sympathy for those who break the law for money.

iossarian Thu, Jul 7, 2011 11:20:00am

re: #78 Rightwingconspirator

Whose signature is on the expense? Who is his or her boss? Show me that please. How sure can we be Murdoch signed off on such an obviously risky play?

That's why I'm not hopeful that the people responsible will actually be punished.

- Journalist expenses $50K to "background research", senior colleague signs off, does not enquire how that $50K breaks down

- Senior colleague aggregates $250K to "background research, UK politics desk", mid-level executive signs off, does not enquire how that $250K breaks down

- Mid-level executive's assistant aggregates $1M to "sourcing, research and other misc. journalism expenses", senior executive signs off, does not enquire how that $1M breaks down

Remind me which political parties tend to be against laws that criminalize or otherwise discourage senior executives from signing off on expenses they do not fully understand?

Political Atheist Thu, Jul 7, 2011 11:20:18am

re: #79 ausador

Good for you, and good luck. Might food in the travel cage work as a trap?

iossarian Thu, Jul 7, 2011 11:22:18am

re: #80 Rightwingconspirator

I have lost a job and countless commissions by choosing to act ethically. It hurt my income. It hurt my career. I lost my shot at "corporate success" I sleep well, in my more humble home with a smaller bank account. Many employees make the wrong choice in that dilemma. This does limit my sympathy for those who break the law for money.

Well done for acting ethically. I have been in situations that are not dissimilar but fortunately have not had to make that kind of decision.

watching you tiny alien kittens are Thu, Jul 7, 2011 11:22:56am

re: #82 Rightwingconspirator

Good for you, and good luck. Might food in the travel cage work as a trap?

The little drainage pond he/she is at is full of tadpoles and he has been gobbling them up by the hundreds, unfortunately he/she is already a very fed injured duck.

Funky_Gibbon Thu, Jul 7, 2011 11:25:36am

re: #32 laZardo

Checking out the BBC article...

How long ago did all that take place and why is it only being brought up now?

The phone-hacking scandal has been running on for years and the NOTW have been denying everything for years. 18 months ago they got rid of some of the more obviously guilty editors and journalists (the ones whose names appeared in documents). However it's all blown up again into big news because we now know they were hacking the mobiles of murdered children whilst the murder investigation was only just starting, hacking the phones of the families of murdered children and of soldier killed in battle... and they forgot to mention it.

The public didn't really care about celebs having their privacy intruded on but they're horrified about these latest revelations and how might up the Murdoch food chain they seem to go.

Murdoch can sacrifice his newspaper in the hope of protecting other business deals in the UK but I don't think even our supine government can refuse to authorise a full judicial inquiry into the criminal activities of the newspaper and how far it stretches through the Murdoch empire.

Funky_Gibbon Thu, Jul 7, 2011 11:29:16am

re: #61 Rightwingconspirator

Cause CEO's are always directly involved right?

Well James Murdoch has admitted to signing off large out-of-court settlements with celebrities who were suing them for hacking their phones. Is it standard practice to pay off people to go away and keep quiet about things you don't personally believe or know to be true?

TDG2112 Thu, Jul 7, 2011 11:31:09am

re: #40 Amory Blaine

The scandal is spreading.

Hacking Allegations Hit Second Murdoch Paper

Please note, that is from February. I'm curious to know if any investigation has produced anything on that one yet. Perhaps the latest revelations will re-open this one. I don't know.

Virginia Plain Thu, Jul 7, 2011 11:34:55am

How much of this takes place in the US?

TDG2112 Thu, Jul 7, 2011 11:36:04am

re: #87 TDG2112

Oh boy, MM just posted a good one. The guy running the WSJ ran the show in Europe and was "convinced" after an investigation in 2007 that there was NO phone hacking. I'm beginning to see how this scandal could have reverberations throughout Newscorp

[Link: mediamatters.org...]

Political Atheist Thu, Jul 7, 2011 11:40:02am

This is growing way past Newscorp. It is being widely alleged this is standard operating procedure at most if not all of the tabloids over there.

Political Atheist Thu, Jul 7, 2011 11:47:55am

[Link: globalspin.blogs.time.com...]
Link supporting #90
Amory Blaine please take note...

William of Orange Thu, Jul 7, 2011 12:48:13pm

Yes. The newspaper is folded. But that does not mean the executives are out of the winds yet. The police will have to sift to 14000 pages with 4000 names. If this goes right to the top, which means all connections, this could explode. Prime minister Cameron even he has to fear for being well connected to the top.

Although this whole situation had an tragic start, the death of a school girl and the (alleged) exploitation of her murder for profit, this is journalism gold. I expect a lot of revelations and exposures on how tabloids mechanism works.

I have to say that I feel the pain of the people at the bottom of the chain who will suffer from this. The printers who will be sacked and good hearted people who also are out of work this coming Monday.

William of Orange Thu, Jul 7, 2011 1:29:17pm

Oopsie daysy!!

The Emperor is about to fall!

Fozzie Bear Thu, Jul 7, 2011 4:57:18pm

Shitting on a hundreds of journalists to protect a few executives from going to jail couldn't possibly backfire, right? I mean, surely, this will have the effect Murdoch wants!

John Vreeland Fri, Jul 8, 2011 8:08:00am

News of the World has just missed out on one of the greatest scandals of the century! O the irony.

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Murdoch Paper ‘News of the World’ is Shut Down

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