Thread: Phone Hacking scandal snowballs

And Murdoch is is the one playing the violin as the Titanic sinks

Rupert Murdoch’s belated efforts to contain the ballooning scandal with housecleaning, apologies, and new advisers are being drowned out by fresh crises, from the arrest of protégée Rebekah Brooks to the resignation of Britain’s top cop.
Jul 18, 2011 12:16 AM EDT

Rupert Murdoch finally seemed to be getting out ahead of the greatest crisis in his company’s history.

News Corp. executives believe it took the company too long to make crucial decisions at the outset, in part because the waves of evidence about the phone-hacking scandal were overwhelming, say people briefed on the company’s deliberations. “It was shock and awe,” one says.

But after hiring new advisers from Edelman, the world’s largest PR powerhouse, and conferring with two top New York aides, Murdoch charted a humbler course. He authorized full-page ads of apology in rival British papers. He met with the family of a murdered teenage girl whose phone had been hacked. And on Friday he accepted the resignation of two top lieutenants, Rebekah Brooks, who ran his British newspapers, and Les Hinton, the chief executive of Dow Jones.

But his efforts were overwhelmed by the sheer velocity of the scandal he was trying to neutralize. London police arrested Brooks on Sunday, making her resignation look as though she got out one step ahead of the sheriff. London’s police commissioner, Paul Stephenson, resigned hours later, with Scotland Yard having been badly tarnished by allegations of payoffs and its botched investigation of the News of the World scandal.

British Prime Minister David Cameron, top right, has resisted calls for an investigation into the practices of Rupert Murdoch's News of the World, where reporters accessed the voicemail of missing British teenager Milly Dowler in 2002. Rebekah Brooks was editor of News of the World at the time.

Many News Corp. officials had wanted Brooks pushed out immediately, but Murdoch remained intensely loyal to her. Company executives had no clue her arrest was imminent, the sources say.

There is still disagreement within the company over whether Murdoch’s quick decision to close News of the World, the tabloid at the center of the hacking scandal, was a sensible move—especially since most of its 200 staffers had nothing to do with the illegal conduct that took place years earlier.

Now News Corp. is developing a plan to insulate its American media outlets from the fallout as the FBI launches a preliminary investigation of whether laws were broken on this side of the Atlantic. The company expects to hire another outside public-relations firm to help spearhead that effort and field inquiries involving Fox News, local Fox stations, and the New York Post.

Two high-level American advisers quickly flew to Murdoch’s side in London. One is Joel Klein, the former New York City schools chancellor, who is in charge of the overall effort. The other is Steven Rubenstein, who represents the New York Post as president of the firm chaired by his father, Howard Rubenstein.

But there is another public-relations professional playing a behind-the-scenes role—Murdoch’s son-in-law Matthew Freud.

Freud’s marriage to Murdoch’s daughter Elisabeth has made him a key voice in News Corp. affairs. Several people who know Freud, a close friend of Brooks, say he recommended closing News of the World. Michael Wolff, a Murdoch biographer, says Freud insisted on bringing in an outside firm. “They apparently shopped it around and everyone said the same thing: we won’t take this unless you fire Rebekah and follow the playbook.’”

Freud, whose firm once represented Murdoch’s company, says by email that he “stopped having any involvement” in News Corp.’s communications in December 2009.

But surely he continues to informally advise his father-in-law? “Rupert doesn’t really take PR advice,” Freud added with a digital smile.

Mike Sitrick, whose Los Angeles firm specializes in damage control, says Murdoch should launch a probe headed by an outsider. “An apology is one thing,” he says. “With an internal investigation, there’s always a suspicion of a whitewash. So you need a third party with an independent reputation, like a former attorney general or Justice Department official.”

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Speculation that Rupert Murdoch could be replaced as chief executive of News Corporation have sent shares in the company rallying in Australia on Tuesday, bouncing back from a two-year low.

Shares in News Corp jumped by 3.7% overnight to A$14.69, recovering most of Monday's losses, following reports that chief operating officer Chase Carey was being lined up to become CEO. Under this proposal, reported by Bloomberg, Murdoch would remain chairman of the company.

Citing "people with knowledge of the situation", Bloomberg added that that any decision could depend on Murdoch's performance before the Culture, Media and Sport select committee later today.

Analysts believe the hearing -- which Rupert, James Murdoch and Rebekah Brooks are all expected to attend -- is unlikely to have a major impact on News Corp's shares - although it promises to be a fascinating spectacle.

"The Murdochs testifying in front of British lawmakers will doubtless be closely followed, although further significant downside on the News Corp share price as a result of this presumably well rehearsed pitch alone may prove unlikely," predicted Cameron Peacock, market analyst at IG Markets.

The ongoing phone hacking scandal has focused attention on the leadership of News Corp, with some directors understood to be pushing for a succession plan.

However Thomas Perkins, who has been an independent director of News Corp since 1996, has denied that the firm's board is considering ejecting Rupert Murdoch from the CEO's chair.

"I can assure you, there has been no discussion at the board level in connection with this current scandal of making any changes," Perkins told the Associated Press. "The board supports top management totally," he said. "The board has been misled, as has top management been misled, by very bad people at a very low level in the organization."

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...Fox News. Its offence is to have filled such a huge gap in the market for television news and current affairs that it has swept all before it.

There might have been a gap, but there was no need to fill it with shit.

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

...Fox News. Its offence is to have filled such a huge gap in the market for television news and current affairs that it has swept all before it.

There might have been a gap, but there was no need to fill it with shit.

What? A refreshing alternative to the left-leaning MSM? The BBC for example is a wholly-owned state run media with no incentive to provide any viewpoint other than the collectivist attitude. And, it's fees are collected by mandate rather than by attracting customers. Monopolies = not good...

There is no 'left-leaning' news channel in the US Boon Mee. The BBC? Crikey then anything left of 900 Huntley Street must be "commie" to you..

Originally Posted by Boon Mee

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

...Fox News. Its offence is to have filled such a huge gap in the market for television news and current affairs that it has swept all before it.

There might have been a gap, but there was no need to fill it with shit.

What? A refreshing alternative to the left-leaning MSM? The BBC for example is a wholly-owned state run media with no incentive to provide any viewpoint other than the collectivist attitude. And, it's fees are collected by mandate rather than by attracting customers. Monopolies = not good...

You're a good student. Redirect the criticism and point it toward the ones who reported the story. Classic Nixonian tactic.

Originally Posted by Tom Sawyer

There is no 'left-leaning' news channel in the US Boon Mee. The BBC? Crikey then anything left of 900 Huntley Street must be "commie" to you..

You been in Thailand too long or just out of touch???
The top 'left-leaning' cable channel in the states is MSNBC. Rachael Madcow ring a bell? And, by coincidence, the #1left-leaning broadcast news channel is NBC. All strict reprting in favor of the failed community agitator.

BBC seem to have become a government tool nowadays, pretty sad to watch actually... not totally down the dunny yet, but has been well on its way since the Blair days...

Originally Posted by Tom Sawyer

Originally Posted by HermantheGerman

The discovery of Mr Hoare’s body was made by police yesterday morning at his Watford home after concerns were raised about his whereabouts. His death is described as “unexplained, but not thought to be suspicious”.

That was a pretty fast conclusion - found his body yesterday. Unexplained - not suspicious?

Originally Posted by HermantheGerman

Last week, he was again quoted by the New York Times , on an even more serious allegation: that News of the Worl d journalists had bribed policemen to trace celebrities by tracking their mobile telephones to the nearest mobile mast they had last used.

The cops whacked him. Poor guy. RIP.

Yes, this particular snippet deserves more attention:

Mr. Hoare also spoke to a Guardian reporter last week and said “that he had been injured the previous weekend while taking down a marquee erected for a children’s party. He said he had broken his nose and badly injured his foot when a relative accidentally struck him with a heavy pole from the marquee.”

Someone's coming to get me': Terrified phone-hacking whistleblower feared for his life before he was found dead
Simon Hoare found dead at his flat in Watford, Herts
Ex NotW reporter's claims last autumn reignited scandal
Mr Hoare claimed Coulson's denials of phone hacking were 'a lie'
Police probing former showbiz reporter's 'suicide'
Friends suggest he may have died of natural causes
Post mortem being carried out this morning
By SAM GREENHILL, TOM KELLY and JAMES CHAPMAN
Last updated at 10:22 AM on 19th July 2011



Found dead: Former News of the World journalist Sean Hoare was discovered at his home in Watford
The man who launched the entire phone hacking scandal had become a paranoid recluse who believed someone was out to get him, a friend has revealed.
Sean Hoare, who was found dead at his flat in Watford, Hertfordshire, yesterday, had spent much of the last weeks of his life 'hiding' in his flat with the curtains drawn.
Last night a friend and neighbour claimed Mr Hoare, 47, had become increasingly reclusive and paranoid in recent weeks.
‘He would talk about someone from the Government coming to get him,' he said.
'He’d say to me, “If anyone comes by, don’t say I’m in”.
'He was physically going downhill. He was yellow in colour and wasn’t looking well for the last month.
‘He had a constant struggle with alcohol and talked to me about how much he had put his wife through.
‘He did say something about phone hacking and I think that was his main worry. He had definite concerns with the media. He did mention he was paranoid and would mention conspiracy stuff.’
Former News of the World journalist Mr Hoare had accused former Tory media chief Andy Coulson of lying about his role in the affair.
He said that when editor of the paper, Mr Coulson actively encouraged his staff to intercept the calls of celebrities.
It was his explosive claims last autumn that reignited the scandal and ultimately led to the tumultuous events of the past fortnight which have shaken the political, police and media establishments.
Police were investigating the possibility that he had killed himself, saying his death was ‘not thought to be suspicious’.
His death came on a day when:
The Metropolitan Police was left in turmoil as counter-terrorism officer John Yates was forced to follow Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson and resign;
Mr Yates faced investigation over claims that he secured a Scotland Yard job for the daughter of hacking suspect Neil Wallis;
David Cameron cut short a trip to Africa and said he will fly back to Britain today after agreeing to delay Parliament’s summer break to discuss the affair;
London Mayor Boris Johnson infuriated Number Ten by refusing to say whether the PM should quit over his hiring of Mr Coulson;
Police recovered a bag containing a computer, phone and paperwork found in a bin near Rebekah Brooks’s London home.



Mr Hoare in the sitting room of his home. A friend and neighbour claimed Mr Hoare had become increasingly reclusive and paranoid in recent weeks

Tragic: Police are investigating the death of Mr Hoare after his body was found at his Hertfordshire home
The body of Mr Hoare, 47, was discovered by police yesterday morning at his modern first-floor flat in Watford.
The former reporter blew the whistle during an investigation by the New York Times last September, pointing the finger directly at Mr Coulson, by then the Prime Minister’s communications chief.
Until Mr Hoare spoke out in September, pressure had eased on Mr Coulson, recruited by David Cameron as his media chief in 2007 after resigning as editor of the News of the World when royal reporter Clive Goodman and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire were jailed.


QUENTIN LETTS: Panic in the pavilion. Get your pads on, quickly... you're in!
Last week, Mr Hoare was back in the spotlight with further claims, telling the New York Times that reporters at the News of the World were able to use police technology to locate people using their mobile phone signals in exchange for payments to police officers.
Mr Coulson, who quit Downing Street in January and was arrested over hacking earlier this month, has strenuously denied Mr Hoare’s allegations.

Allegations: Former News of the World editor Andy Coulson was aware phone hacking took place at the paper, Mr Hoare claimed last year
SEAN HOARE'S CLAIMS



Last year Mr Hoare (right) claimed that Andy Coulson was aware of phone hacking while he was editor at the News of the World.
He gave an interview to the New York Times, and then to the BBC, about the use of phone hacking at the newspaper.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's PM programme, he said phone hacking was 'endemic' in the newspaper industry.
Mr Hoare, who worked on the Sun before being recruited by Mr Coulson to work on the NOTW, said: 'He was well aware that the practice exists. To deny it is a lie, simply a lie.'
Mr Coulson denies the allegations.
Later, Mr Hoare was interviewed by police over the allegations he had made but would offer no comment, Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer said in December.
He issued a statement last year that he had ‘never condoned the use of phone hacking and nor do I have any recollection of incidences where phone hacking took place’.
But Mr Hoare told Radio 4’s PM programme that phone hacking was ‘endemic’ at the newspaper and said of his former boss: ‘He was well aware that the practice exists. To deny it is a lie, simply a lie.’
Mr Hoare’s death remained unexplained last night.
Police could not rule out suicide but friends suggested natural causes was also a possibility as he had been suffering from ill health.
A post-mortem examination was taking place this morning as police continued to investigate the death.
A Hertfordshire Police spokeswoman added: 'The man's next of kin have been informed and the family are being supported by police at this sad time.'
Officers have yet to confirm arrangements for an inquest to be opened.
His solicitor David Sonn said: ‘I last spoke to him a week ago and he seemed fine. I am shocked and saddened. It is a terrible tragedy.’
He added: ‘In giving his statement to the New York Times, he was arguably the catalyst for everything that has happened since.’ When Mr Coulson was made editor of the News of the World in 2003, he recruited Mr Hoare as a showbusiness reporter.


Read more: Sean Hoare: News of the World phone hacking whistleblower found dead | Mail Online

Murdoch to resign as CEO and name his COO as replacement

good riddance.

but that shouldn't impede or delay further investigations...on both sides of the atlantic.

Originally Posted by Butterfly

Murdoch to resign as CEO and name his COO as replacement

Try and keep up Butters.

In the interests of fairness, I should point out that for every dumb wanker on Fox News, there is probably an arsehole like this on the other side.

What a petty bunch of point-scoring girl scouts masquerading as journalists.

Watching Murdoch Sr. and Jr. trying to squirm out of questions is quite hilarious. The number of times they've weaseled out of answering "because of the police investigation" beggars belief. The committee have to keep repeating and clarifying the questions to get any kind of answer.

Murdoch says "People can have no expectation of privacy in a transparent society". What a c**t!

Then he rolled out this little story about how his dad exposed the scandal of Gallipoli, as if that in any way compares with his scummy little reporters hacking the phone of a teenage murder victim.

Being both American, the worst thing that happens is they lose their newspapers - they don't own BSkyB, so I presume they are allowed to keep their shareholding.

Fun coming soon: Rebekah is in the hot seat!

Some fisticuffs

Someone appeared to go for the Murdochs. Rupert's missus gave him a slap and they've wheeled them out.

Fucking Sky! Slow motion replays already!

Looks like someone lobbed white paint around.

Yeah, looks like he poured white paint down Rupert's front. Or maybe it was a custard pie.

Either way it looks like it will get Murdoch out of the last few questions.

And now he's got a great excuse not to turn up any more.

BBC says it was a plate of Shaving Foam. Man his Mrs is Hot! Great punch too.

OK we're back. Apparently it was some "comedian".

Seriously though, how easy would it be to smuggle in a bag of acid?

Of course, now they're praising Murdoch for having the "guts" to stay.

Fucking great, eh?

Bless her, straight question about 9/11 victims.

Answer: "We have no evidence of that, etc. etc., blah blah".

You wouldn't have if you destroyed it, would you?

An Acid attack would be an improvement on Murdoch's boat race.

reuters are streaming it also .... jeeez, ruperts mrs moved fast...these men got guilt written all over them, but more than not already paid people to carry the can..bet there wishing this hearing was at sea/or the middle of the thames/ so could do a bob maxwell.....