BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 13 Jul 11 - 12:59 PM

Don't underestimate the wrinkly weasel. The front page of today's Sun may hint where he is heading next...

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 13 Jul 11 - 11:03 AM

Yep, as I suggested, Murdoch has been forced to give up.

Crooks don't always win.

Don T.

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 13 Jul 11 - 10:08 AM

They've dropped the Sky bid

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: GUEST,OldPossum
Date: 13 Jul 11 - 05:35 AM

"Rupert Murdoch is an Ausssie, becuase he was born there."

For a moment I read that as "Rupert Murdoch is an Asshole, because he was born there."

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: GUEST,Patsy
Date: 12 Jul 11 - 07:36 AM

It doesn't matter how Rebekah's name is spelt she is certainly the most well known face and barnet at the moment that's for sure, outdoing the new Duchess of Cornwell, Cheryl Cole and even the latest arrival for the Beckhams. Incredible.

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: banjoman
Date: 12 Jul 11 - 06:05 AM

Leopards dont change their spots. TNOW always was a dirty rag when I first new of it over 60 years ago. Favourite statement "Our reporter made an excuse and left" It, and the rest of Murdochs lot, are not fit even to be used for that most basic of uses for paper as there is enough sh**t on them already. Head should roll over all this, and I question whether or not of signifies the end of newspapers altogether.
There is enough evidence to sugest the Cameron should resign and/or call a general election.

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: Howard Jones
Date: 11 Jul 11 - 07:22 PM

This story gets murkier by the minute. It doesn't help that the other media and the politicians who are all busy making further allegations all have their own agendas.

For the media, NI is obviously powerful competition, with the prospect of becoming even more powerful. It would clearly benefit them if Murdoch were to fail in his bid for BSkyB. Besides, how confident can we be that their own journalistic practices were always beyond reproach?

As for the politicians, they hate Murdoch because they can't trust him to back them. Labour loved him when his papers won them an election, then hated him when they switched back to the Tories. The Tories live in fear they'll switch their support back again. In the meantime they all cosy up to try to keep in his favour. They need Murdoch's power, but at the same time they'd like to see it reduced.

Before anyone jumps on me, I'm NOT defending Murdoch, simply pointing out that there are a great many layers to this, and that those who are now working hard to bring about his downfall may have other concerns besides the truth, pure and simple. A lot of scores are being settled here. Remember what Wilde had to say about the pure and simple truth, and apply a bit of healthy cynicism to everything you read and hear.

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 11 Jul 11 - 06:59 PM

The good thing about it is that Murdoch has withdrawn his demands for immediate acquiescence in the purchase of BSkyB, asking for it to be referred to the Competition Commission, which will take at least six months, more probably twelve.

He thinks that insisting on an answer now will dish the whole deal, and is hoping it will all blow over by the time the CC announces its decision.

We however have at least six months to impress upon the government, the cost in votes of making the wrong decision now.

That should be enough.

Don T.

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 11 Jul 11 - 12:20 PM

It's now being alleged that the Sunday Times illegally obtained and published personal info about Gordon Brown's family..

Kitty

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: Peter K (Fionn)
Date: 11 Jul 11 - 08:04 AM

Marianne S's whingeing paranoia is surely a kind of advocacy that the Jewish cause could do without. Rupert himself, incidentally, is a papal saint. Among other things of course.

STOP PRESS: NOTW have "discovered" meails indicating they paid a police protection officer for personal contact information of senior members of the Brit royal family.

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: DrugCrazed
Date: 10 Jul 11 - 06:38 PM

Sigh. It's the Mirror so I don't believe it, but still...

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: DrugCrazed
Date: 10 Jul 11 - 02:04 PM

I'll just leave this here and we'll say no more.

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: saulgoldie
Date: 10 Jul 11 - 01:27 PM

And, once again, here is Andy Borowitz...


A Letter from Rupert Murdoch
Where I Stand on the News Corporation Scandal

Dear Friends,

As details of the scandal surrounding my company, News Corporation, have emerged in recent days – including employees hacking into mobile phones and bribing the police – my defense has been consistent: I had no idea what was going on.

Now, I'm sure many of you are wondering, how could I, Rupert Murdoch, one of the most powerful men in the world, have no idea what is going on? The answer, my friends, is simple: I get all of my information from my own newspapers. If you relied on News of the World, The Sun, and The New York Post for your information, I can assure you that you wouldn't have a clue what was going on, either.

Some of you aren't buying this argument. You maintain that a media titan like me would get his information from sources beyond newspapers – like TV, for example. Well, that's true. But in my case, the only TV I watch is the Fox News Channel. So not only do I not know what is going on around me, I know nothing about the theory of evolution, global warming, or President Obama's birthplace.

If you still don't believe that I know nothing, here's a final piece of evidence: I paid $500 million to acquire MySpace. Case closed.

Now that we've established that I know nothing, let me address some of the allegations about News Corp. that have come up in recent days: first and foremost, that our reporters have regularly bribed the police to obtain information. I am shocked and appalled by this charge. News Corporation has a longstanding zero tolerance policy regarding information, both the getting of it and the publishing of it. Going forward, we will be subjecting our employees to a series of random information tests. Any employees found to be possessing even trace amounts of facts will be immediately terminated.

Finally, it has come to my attention that several of my company's tabloids have featured pictures of women with their shirts off. I am as shocked by this news as you are and I intend to launch a full investigation.

In closing, I want to assure you that I intend to make amends for any and all of the wrongdoing perpetrated by employees of News Corp. in recent years. And to that end, I have plan: I implore the British government to let me own 100% of the satellite broadcasting giant B-Sky-B. I have made some grievous mistakes with the media properties I already control, and the only way I can think of to make things right is by controlling even more.

Your friend,

Rupert

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: goatfell
Date: 10 Jul 11 - 10:18 AM

Rupert Murdoch is an Ausssie, becuase he was born there.

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 10 Jul 11 - 07:10 AM

I think stick, wrong and end can be applied to the criticism of RBs post. My name is David and I would say it was a Christian name pureley becaused I was 'Christened' David. If however anyone was to point out it far from Christian in origin I would certainly take no offence and I am sure that Richards post did not intend any. Going off on a tangent about anti-Semitism where it doesn't exist is counter productive.

Goodwins Law here we come...


DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: GUEST,Marianne S.
Date: 09 Jul 11 - 02:22 PM

Sorry, red herring? Why? It was a comment on a post made on this thread. Going on about how you spell thingy's name is a red herring if you like. I would prefer to concentrate on her actions rather than her name or possible religion. I don't think either has anything to do with it, which is why I queried why it was being raised.

I may be the only contributer who has actually been papped by the Murdoch 'press'(though my connection was with the story was not direct) and you cannot imagine the depths of my hatred and disdain for that organisation and the hurt and damage they do, and no, I'm not going to go into detail and rake it all up again but they savaged an innocent person in order make a cheap joke. No other reason.

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 09 Jul 11 - 01:30 PM

Stuff about "antisemitism" here is a red herring. Possibly unintentionally so, possibly not.
.................

Here's a link to an excellent piece in Newsweek by Carl "Watergate" Bernstein, pointing the finger very much at Rupert Murdoch himself - Murdoch's Watergate?

"...The circumstances of the alleged lawbreaking within News Corp. suggest more than a passing resemblance to Richard Nixon presiding over a criminal conspiracy in which he insulated himself from specific knowledge of numerous individual criminal acts while being himself responsible for and authorizing general policies that routinely resulted in lawbreaking and unconstitutional conduct. Not to mention his role in the cover-up. It will remain for British authorities and, presumably, disgusted and/or legally squeezed News Corp. executives and editors to reveal exactly where the rot came from at News of the World, and whether Rupert Murdoch enabled, approved, or opposed the obvious corruption that infected his underlings."

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: GUEST,livelylass
Date: 09 Jul 11 - 10:14 AM

I didn't say that Rebekah was the "correct" spelling but a (I'm happy to withdraw "the") "traditional spelling of an old Biblical name" as opposed to a (quote) "modern, trendy spelling of [a] Christian name" - as was suggested below by Don T.

As Don T was evidently the poster Richard Bridge was replying to, I took my reading of Richard's comment in terms of the context it was being made.

It is possible that we both misinterpreted his comment, however I found no anti-semitism therein and am uncomfortable with the ease with which such serious accusations can often be leveled particularly, as in this instance, on such flimsy grounds.

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: GUEST,Marianne S.
Date: 09 Jul 11 - 09:54 AM

And yes, I do know I mis-typed 'criticism'

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: GUEST,Marianne S.
Date: 09 Jul 11 - 09:52 AM

Your post, if that is what you meant, was ill-expressed. Would you have said 'Jane is probably not a CHRISTIAN name'? Personally I refer to first or given names.

livelylass. Since I speak neither Hebrew nor Aramaic I cannot comment on the 'correct' spelling of Rebekah. However as the original documents were not written using the modern alphabet it is difficult to know how either 'Rebekah' or 'Rebecca' could be regarded as correct.

Just as with modern Chinese or Arabic, Latin forms are an approximation of the original.

Actually I find it difficult to see how you interpret RB's post as a critisism of modern tredny spelling.

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 09 Jul 11 - 09:24 AM

My point was that it is incorrect to term all first names as christian names. Please don't project your own thoughts or fears onto me.

If you want to check the roots of the name, start here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebecca

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: GUEST,livelylass
Date: 09 Jul 11 - 09:16 AM

Unsure how you infer anti-semitism from the correct assertion that Rebekah is in fact the traditional spelling of an old Biblical (ie: pre-Christian) name, rather than a modern trendy spelling as a previous poster suggests?

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: GUEST,Marianne S.
Date: 09 Jul 11 - 08:57 AM

Is no one going to object the the statement that 'I think that "Rebekah" is probably not a CHRISTIAN name.'

Many girls who are at least nominally Christian have the name Rebecca in various spelling, but what this person is saying appears to be that it is Jewish name. Surely anti-semitism has no place on here.

If I have mis-interpreted this, please tell us what you actually meant.

If you believe that Ms. Brooks is behaving like this because she is Jewish, then please say so openly.

If you dare.

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 09 Jul 11 - 03:47 AM

Damn! I have to agree with Don T again.

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 08 Jul 11 - 08:22 PM

Notwithstanding their need for cash, I do seriously believe that charities should turn their backs on money earned out of the misery of bereaved and vulnerable families.

Murdoch's methods (and I'm bloody certain that nothing happens in his business empire without his knowledge and consent) are about as dirty as it is possible to imagine.

Freedom of the press does not, and should not, mean freedom to oppress the weak, the vulnerable and the bereaved.

The fact that Murdoch is unaware of that fact makes him, IMNSHO, a person unfit to preside over the operations of any media......INCLUDING BSkyB, and the callous sacrifice of the few innocents on NOTW staff, and the multitude of suppliers to that paper, far from absolving him, merely confirm just how ruthless and uncaring a bastard he really is.

He should now be forced to relinquish ownership of any British Company which is owned or indirectly controlled by News Corporation, and debarred from obtaining any such in the future.

British papers can be sleazy enough without this slimy scum calling the shots.

Don T.

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 08 Jul 11 - 06:46 PM

I think that "Rebekah" is probably not a CHRISTIAN name.

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: SPB-Cooperator
Date: 08 Jul 11 - 06:09 PM

The Institute of Fundraising has this to say about accepting money from NotW

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: YorkshireYankee
Date: 08 Jul 11 - 05:01 PM

For those of you who don't subscribe to BBC Radio 4's "PM" (M-F hour-long news magazine programme, anchored by the wonderfully acerbic Eddie Mair) newsletter, here is today's effort, which I personally considered to be a masterful summation of the situation:

"Hello.

"Tonight will be the last edition of PM.

"The programme has a fine tradition dating back to 1970 of fighting crime, exposing wrongdoing and getting people to send in photos of their kitchens.

"But it is now clear to me that when PM agreed to pay off Nils Blythe and send him to a job at the Bank of England, I was not in full possession of my faculties. It is a matter of serious regret.

"Of course I didn't know anything except what I did know and that is quite clear. Things were wrong yet much was right. I introduced a new code of practice 20 minutes ago and have now torn it up.

"I'm afraid that since we started co-operating with the police - five minutes ago - it has become clear that we, and by we I don't mean me, must apologise to you. The only sensible way to show you how seriously I take this is to fire the entire PM production team and carry on and sort this mess out.

"Thank you."

===============

Brilliant, yes?

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: SPB-Cooperator
Date: 08 Jul 11 - 04:29 PM

What are households going to line their cat-litter trays with now?

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 08 Jul 11 - 03:53 PM

""The Murdochs have sacrificed loads of innocent workers rather than take responsibility for their own actions."

Precisely my immediate response - Murdoch sure knows how to ruthlessly sever a limb!""

If Murdoch doesn't find places for the staff he is sacking the redundancy packages will have to be extrsordinary, as he can't afford any single disgruntled employee deciding to boost his pension by selling Murdoch out to the Telegraph.

As it is, Andy Coulson will certainly be pointing out that all this started long before he became editor.

Bye bye Rebekah............I never did go for these trendy modern spellings of Christian names.

With luck, Murdoch will be bled white as a result of severing that limb. Serve the bastard right!

Don T.

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: Peter K (Fionn)
Date: 08 Jul 11 - 08:15 AM

Patsy, some will certainly want to buy the last, souvenir, edition. I might myself - in which case it will take its place beside my "Charles to Wed Astrid - OFFICIAL" edition of the Daily Express, and the Private Eye with a Jeremy Thorpe supplement: "Cut it out and save it for your grandchildren - Amaze them with How He Got Away With It!"

What will it look like, bereft of advertising? What will it's editorial say?? I think we're entitled to be curious.

But don't worry - whole edition will be produced at Murdoch expense. All revenue will be going to charity, in a solemn and sanctimonious gesture of hand-wringing by Murdoch and Son.

I have started a new thread about the wider implications of Hackergate.

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: GUEST,Patsy
Date: 08 Jul 11 - 05:11 AM

I really hope that there aren't any idiots out there that will buy the very last News of the World because of that very fact. Already the announcment is that it is the 'very last' edition. Murdoch is a cold ruthless businessman right to the last.

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: Donuel
Date: 07 Jul 11 - 08:39 PM

I had absolutely nothing to do with this.

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 07 Jul 11 - 04:41 PM

I would guess that the reluctance on the part of the Murdochs to dump Rebekah isn't based on personal loyalty or affection, but because she is in a position to dish dirt that would damage them badly.

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: Peter K (Fionn)
Date: 07 Jul 11 - 03:51 PM

Looks like the net is closing in on Andy Coulson, at least. He's obviously been hung out to dry by the Murdochs, along with most of the NOTW staff, in a desperate effort to save Rebekah's skin - in which case we can hope he will do some dirt-dishing himself.

Even if he honours journalistic omerta it's hard to see how Rebekah can avoid having her collar felt. The cops are under too much scrutiny themselves to risk taking any more pay-offs.

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: Alan Day
Date: 07 Jul 11 - 02:56 PM

I was second, after his Wife, to find a horrific suicide victim, that was down down to a corrupt person in a newspaper. He stole months of work that the suicide person had been writing. An article,he being told that it was not good enough and then it was published word for word (as I had read it, before it was sent).He left a Wife and two daughters.It took me a long time to get over it such was the horrific nature of his death.
Good riddance to the N of the W ,but their exploits are a spot in the ocean.
Al

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 07 Jul 11 - 02:01 PM

There's still the Sunday Sport, for the sort of brainless eedjits who buy NoW

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: SPB-Cooperator
Date: 07 Jul 11 - 01:14 PM

Good riddance to bad scum!

I would not normally wish this on anyone (in the human race), but I hope that they will be refused benefits, and die under a bridge either of hypothermia, or with a needle in their arm.

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: Peter K (Fionn)
Date: 07 Jul 11 - 01:11 PM

As predicted at 11.08am above.

But temper your rejoicing. As McG has cautioned, this is just a rebranding exercise. They were already planning to merge the Sun and NOTW operations, the latter having been a long-term loss-maker. They will however lose some readers in the process, and therefore advertising revenue pro rata.

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: GUEST,livelylass
Date: 07 Jul 11 - 01:08 PM

"The Murdochs have sacrificed loads of innocent workers rather than take responsibility for their own actions."

Precisely my immediate response - Murdoch sure knows how to ruthlessly sever a limb!

As the free-lance fellow on Newsnight said last night, the NotW buying public would fast forget this affair next week and be back buying, any immediate financial losses would be quickly recouped as the "strategic" withdrawal of nervous advertisers stepped back in again after the furore dies down.

What's the readership of the NotW? Something like 2 million? That's a major severance by Murdoch. However the major problem for Murdoch isn't financial losses from short-term glitches, but the long-term effects of negative association to his global news empire brand.

This decision is an indication of just how intent he is on securing that BSB Sky deal.

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: alanabit
Date: 07 Jul 11 - 01:02 PM

Six years ago my birthday was marred by the terrible news of the July 7 bombings. I will remember today as the wonderful day on which the end of News of the World was announced. That really has made my day!

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 07 Jul 11 - 12:57 PM

This is a bit like a Balloon Game. Who'll be next to be chucked over the side?

The Sun on Sunday will probably be even worse than the News of the World.

The Financial Times had an editorial saying more or less "This whole affair is disgraceful. It is time that Murdoch imposed his authority." Which is more or less analogous to saying after 911 that it was high time Bin Ladin put his foot down.

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: Stu
Date: 07 Jul 11 - 12:46 PM

The web domains thesunonsunday.com and thesundaysun.com were registered two days ago. Prepare for the Sun seven days a week.

The Murdochs have sacrificed loads of innocent workers rather than take responsibility for their own actions. Brooks should go. It's incredible to see those scared of News Corp on the BBC news channel. James Whittingham is scared shitless, cowed and utterly intimidated by Murdoch et al.

This is a con.

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 07 Jul 11 - 12:13 PM

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY
YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: GUEST,Shimrod
Date: 07 Jul 11 - 11:43 AM

Breaking news. This Sunday will be the last issue of The News Of The World. Britain's biggest selling Sunday newspaper will cease to be.

Sad news to many.

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: Seayaker
Date: 07 Jul 11 - 11:24 AM

And now in an act of arch hypochrisy Murdoch has declared that the actions of the NotW were unnacceptable!

It would be funny if it wasn't so serious.

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 07 Jul 11 - 11:22 AM

Cut and paste follows: please do all use the facilities listed there to write to your MPs by email NOW








Dear Richard,

Could this be the week we finally turn the tide on Rupert Murdoch? Pressure to weaken his grip on our media and our democracy is building. Let's work together to get the clean-up operation started.

Disgust at the behaviour of Murdoch's newspapers has pushed politicians to start speaking out. [1] But we need to make sure our MPs follow through with real action. If MPs start hearing directly from thousands of their voters, we can push them to finally stand up to Murdoch.

It only takes 2 minutes to email your MP. Click to get started:
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/Murdoch-MP

https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/Murdoch-MP

For far too long, MPs have been scared of Rupert Murdoch. Now they need to be brave. If they have the guts, there are three things they can do immediately to stop the rot in the UK media:
1. Stop Murdoch taking control of BSkyB [2]
2. Start a Public Inquiry, led by an independent judge, right now [3]
3. Start an investigation by media regulator Ofcom into whether Murdoch is a "fit and proper" media owner [4]

Yesterday, we finally heard some MPs admit to the way Murdoch calls the shots over our democracy. "We've fallen for threats", they said, and "we were not courageous enough", "we've colluded for too long". [4] That's a start, but now they need to act to match their words. Together we can push them to overcome their fear of the Murdoch press and listen to their voters.

Tell your MP it's time to be brave and stand up to Murdoch:
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/Murdoch-MP

Time and again, as 38 Degrees members work together to campaign for a fairer, greener, more democratic Britain, we come up against the might of Murdoch. Whether it's protecting our health service or our environment, or getting real action to tackle the excesses of bankers, too often his papers do all they can to get in the way.

Murdoch's papers have behaved appallingly. But some good could still come of it. This could be our chance to finally level the playing field and get politicians answering to voters, not media barons – let's work together to seize it!
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/Murdoch-MP


Thanks for being involved,

David, Hannah, Becky, Johnny, Marie, Cian and the 38 Degrees team


PS: We'll be delivering our 100,000-strong petition to the official consultation into the BSkyB power grab just before the deadline at midday tomorrow. There's still time to add your name in 30 seconds – here: https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/Murdoch-deal-petition

NOTES:

[1] Full timeline from BBC here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12253968
[2] More on that here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14059572
[3] See for example: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jul/06/phone-hacking-inquiry-full
[4] Telegraph piece on Ofcom: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/phone-hacking/8621586/Phone-hacking-News-Corp-bid-for-BSkyB-may-be-scuppered-by-fit-and-proper-owner-test.html
[5] See the whole debate in parliament here: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm110706/debtext/110706-0002.htm#11070680000004

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: Peter K (Fionn)
Date: 07 Jul 11 - 11:14 AM

That should have been US, not IS, in my ulti-penunltimate paragraph above.

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: Peter K (Fionn)
Date: 07 Jul 11 - 11:08 AM

To follow up Penny's point, the deleting of messages was not stupidity. It released space for more messages for the criminals to hack.

It is good news that Rupert came out so unambiguously in support of Rebekah. It means that when her goose is cooked, as it will be, the greater will be the damage to his own tarnished reputation.

In the end the most serious element of the saga will be the criminal relationships between police and NOTW staff. Rebekah told MPs several years ago that the NOTW had paid police for information, which under England & Wales law is bribery and corruption. Police took no action.

All the info now dribbling into the public domain about whose phones were hacked was seized by police five years ago (in the form of 11,000 pages of NOTW investigators' notes, containing 4,000 names) but again the police saw no need to pursue the matter.

When Tommy Sheridan challenged the NOTW in court and was ultimately jailed for perjury, former NOTW editor Andy Coulson gave evidence against him and stated on oath that he was unaware of any NOTW payments to corrupt police. Yet he had been sitting beside his boss Rebekah when she blurted out that such payments had indeed been made. Police meanwhile confirm that NOTW has mysteriously found emails "lost" at the time of the Sheridan trial indicating that payments were made to "a small number" of police officers.

Advertisers are falling away in fistfuls, aware that rival publications will next Monday publish rolls of shame, listing the advertisers still supporting the paper. (To see which are still backing Murdoch and to add to the public pressure on them, start here: Let NOTW advertisers know your view.)

Sidenote for Jenni G and Greg F: yes, Murdoch operates worldwide, but neither IS or Oz would allow him anything like the monopolistic grip he has on the UK media.

The most cheering aspect of the whole business is that it will rumble on for months and years, damaging the Murdoch and NOTW brands all the while. I suspect the NOTW title will eventually go under completely, which would be quite something for the biggest-selling English-language newspaper in the world. At the very least it is having its Perrier moment.

Hats off to Tom Watson MP, Chris Bryant MP and Private Eye who are among the brave few who have risked the wrath of Murdoch to expose his sleazy empire.

Subject: RE: BS: Hacking a murdered girl's phone
From: Penny S.
Date: 07 Jul 11 - 09:58 AM