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Tag: News of the World

  • Rebekah Brooks Phone Hacking Case Ends In “Not Guilty” Verdict

    Rebekah Brooks, former head of News Corp U.K.’s publishing unit, who was charged with hacking into a dead teen’s phone, has been acquitted of charges. The scandal has been longed lived, but now the trails are coming to a close, and Brooks, herself, might breath a sigh of relief.

    Two years ago, Brooks was charged with hacking into the phone of murdered Milly Dowler, a 13 year-old girl who was kidnapped in 2002. When her killer, Levi Bellfield, was convicted in 2011, News Corp, run by mogul Rupert Murdoch, ran into trouble when News of the World tried to intercept communications without lawful authority. As a result, Murdoch resigned and News of the World folded.

    They didn’t manage to bring down Brooks with them, as she has been cleared of the phone hacking charges. Reuters even suggested she may go back to work for News Corp in the United States.

    For months, the trail has been gripping and trying for those involved. “If what you saw was a mask, Mrs Brooks must be a witch with truly supernatural powers,” Reuters quoted her lawyer giving statements to the jury. “No human mask could withstand that amount of scrutiny without cracking.”

    The jury, it seems, agreed with him.

    Others involved in the trails were also cleared of charges. CNN reported that these included Brooks’ husband, her personal assistant Cheryl Carter, and retired managing editor Stuart Kuttner. However, some were not so lucky. Editor Andy Coulson was found guilty of phone hacking charges. Coulson’s conviction is a blow to Downing Street, since he was a former communications chief for the British government. “I am extremely sorry that I employed him, it was the wrong decision, and I am very clear about that,” Prime Minister David Cameron apologized. The trial is set to resume tomorrow to discuss other charges.

    Image via ITN, YouTube.

  • Kate Middleton On UK ‘Target Evaluation’ List

    The News of the World phone-hacking trial is still going on, and now a list of potential targets has been acquired by prosecutors. One well-known name on that list is Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton. The list was written by a private investigator who is one of many being accused in the phone-hacking trial. It was used as evidence in the trial on Tuesday at London’s Old Bailey court.

    Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson, former editors at the News of the World tabloid, have been accused of conspiring “to intercept communications in the course of their transmission, without lawful authority” from October 2000 to August 2006.

    Others accused in the phone-hacking trial include former News of the World employees Ian Edmondson, Stuart Kuttner, Greg Miskiw, Neville Thurlbeck and James Weatherup.

    The charges they face specifically state they listened to “voice mail messages of well-known people.”

    A scanned copy of the handwritten list, titled “Target Evaluation” by private investigator Glenn Mulcaire, was released by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

    Mulcaire has admitted he illegally tapped cell phones and voice mails for Rupert Murdoch’s News of the World.

    Eighteen names, including Middleton’s, were found on the list. Other names include Angelina Jolie’s former stunt double, Eunice Huthart, London mayor Boris Johnson, royal aide Jamie Lowther Pinkteron, and celebrity public relations representative Max Clifford. SIx of the names on the list were edited due to privacy issues.

    The CPS said, “Given the specific nature of this case, we must also consider the potential for repeat victimization of not only those involved in this case, but other possible victims, who may have also been the targets of phone-hacking.”

    Brooks, Coulson, Kuttner, Miskiw, Thurlbeck and Mulcaire also face charges of tapping into the voice mail of Milly Dowler, a British schoolgirl who went missing in 2002 and was later found dead.

    Another set of charges Brooks is facing involves obstructing the police’s investigation into phone hacking. She faces these charges along with her husband Charles Brooks and her personal assistant.

    The hacking scandal had many questioning how police conducted their inquiries and started a public inquiry into journalistic ethics, as well as the relationship between the public and the press.

    [Image via YouTube.]

  • Rebekah Brooks Charged in UK Phone Hacking Scandal

    Rebekah Brooks, the former chief executive of News International and the ex-editor for News of the World, will be brought up on charges in the phone-hacking case, along with seven other individuals. If she’s found guilty of the crimes, which including conspiring to intercept communications without lawful authority, Brooks could face up to two years in prison. Altogether, the group faces 19 charges involving nearly 600 victims, which include various celebrities.

    “I am not guilty of these charges,” Brooks explained in a statement. “I did not authorize, nor was I aware of, phone hacking under my editorship The charge concerning Milly Dowler is particularly upsetting. Not only as it is untrue but also because I have spent my journalistic career campaigning for victims of crime. I will vigorously defend these allegations.”

    Brooks, along with former editor Andy Coulson and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire, have been accused of illegally obtaining voice mails from Milly Dowler, a 13 year-old girl who was kidnapped and murdered in 2002. Dowler was on her way home from school when she was abducted by Levi Bellfield, who was convicted of the crimes in June of 2011. As a result of the ensuing scandal, News Corp’s Rupert Murdoch resigned in 2011. News of the World, rocked by the aftermath of the scandal, closed shortly thereafter.

    Coulson, meanwhile, has issued his own statement on the matter, proclaiming once again that he did nothing to harm the investigation into Dowler’s disappearance. He added, “At the News of the World we worked on behalf of the victims of crime, particularly violent crime, and the idea that I would sit in my office dreaming up schemes to undermine investigations is simply untrue.”

    Presently, a court date has not been set.

  • News Corp. and Rupert Murdoch Consider a Spin Off

    Despite previous reservations by News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch, the company is contemplating a split of their news and film assets from their print publication and newspaper divisions.

    Currently News Corp owns 20th Century Fox film studio, Fox broadcast network and Fox News channel, in the way of television and film. As far as newspaper and print media goes, they own the Wall Street Journal, the Times of London, the Australian newspaper, HarperCollins book publishing, and more.

    The split would leave the print media business considerably smaller than the film and TV side of things. The decision to reorganize assets comes just after a scandal involving phone-hacking at the company’s British newspaper operations.

    The phone-hacking scandal resulted in the closing of News of the World tabloid and the resignation of several senior executives. News Corp. also decided to back out on a bid for shares in British Sky Broadcasting, a UK satellite television operator. Before the scandal, James Murdoch was chairman at the satellite operator, but resigned his position in the wake of controversy.

    While Rupert is a very big fan of the newspaper and print business, News Corp.’s focus on television and film dates back over 25 years, and nearly 90% of their current profit and revenue comes from that end of the business. It’s a change investors would welcome.

    No decisions have been made yet, but a split makes sense financially, and it distances the print media problems from the film and television money-maker. We will keep you informed as News Corp. moves towards a restructuring decision.

  • Banksy’s Subtle Take on the News of the World Scandal

    World-renowned graffiti artist/social commentary guerrilla Banksy has thrown his hat into the Rupert Murdoch/News of the World mobile phone hacking mess with an impressive wall mural, and as usual, his work doesn’t disappoint.

    While it may not be as poignant as other works–take, for instance, the Airstrike work or the kissing Bobbies–the tongue in cheek approach to such a unfortunate set of events is certainly welcomed. The “my tap’s been phoned” caption surrounding the outdoor spigot is yet another example of the subtle brilliance Banksy brings to social commentary.

    I’m sure Rupert Murdoch approved, so much so, in fact, it wouldn’t be surprising if he tried to buy the wall Banksy’s latest piece showed up on. Speaking of, click the image for a better view:

    Banksy

    Subtlety is often lost on the masses, and, in fact, Banksy’s piece may be so subtle, people may only look at it and laugh. Later on, however, maybe they’ll realize just how unethical the whole Murdoch incident was. In that case, perhaps Banksy’s newest piece will serve as a bittersweet reminder, that is, until it’s painted over.

    Naturally, Twitter approved, as is usually the case when the name “Banksy” is mentioned:

    @ride5
    Ride5 Media Group    Another piece of brilliant #streetart from Banksy. via @worldsbestever http://ow.ly/5WjIr 11 minutes ago via HootSuite · powered by @socialditto

    @nabeel_akhtar
    Nabeel Akhtar    Brilliant! “@hypebeast: New Work from Banksy http://bit.ly/pob2H9“ 19 minutes ago via Twitter for BlackBerry® · powered by @socialditto

    @lisacericola
    Lisa Cericola    Love. RT @nymag Banksy Chimes In on Phone-Hacking Scandal http://t.co/JgQwQpI 20 minutes ago via Tweet Button · powered by @socialditto

    @80sBaby_Tabiii
    Tabi H    RT @LisaCBarlow: Brizzle sense of humour – briliant……..New Work from Banksy http://t.co/QxOr7oa via @hypebeast 23 minutes ago via UberSocial for BlackBerry · powered by @socialditto

    @austinburns
    Austin Burns    Street Art of the Day http://goo.gl/o3KF4 // Banksy’s latest 26 minutes ago via Google2Tweet · powered by @socialditto

    The word “brilliant” is almost a rubber stamp response when it comes to Banksy’s work. Here’s hoping Murdoch feels the same.

  • News of the World Closes Amid Phone Hacking Scandal

    It has been announced that this coming Sunday, July 10th, will be the final issue of News of the World, the popular 168 year-old British tabloid.

    News of the matter was made worse when The Guardian published a story indicated News of the World paid out £100,000 in bribes to police officers in the London area.

    James Murdoch, Deputy Chief Operating Officer, and son of Rupert, announced the shutdown to the staff:

    James Murdoch, Deputy Chief Operating Officer, News Corp“I have important things to say about the News of the World and the steps we are taking to address the very serious problems that have occurred.

    It is only right that you as colleagues at News International are first to hear what I have to say and that you hear it directly from me. So thank you very much for coming here and listening.

    You do not need to be told that The News of the World is 168 years old. That it is read by more people than any other English language newspaper. That it has enjoyed support from Britain’s largest advertisers. And that it has a proud history of fighting crime, exposing wrong-doing and regularly setting the news agenda for the nation.

    When I tell people why I am proud to be part of News Corporation, I say that our commitment to journalism and a free press is one of the things that sets us apart. Your work is a credit to this.

    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.

    The News of the World is in the business of holding others to account. But it failed when it came to itself.

    In 2006, the police focused their investigations on two men. Both went to jail. But the News of the World and News International failed to get to the bottom of repeated wrongdoing that occurred without conscience or legitimate purpose.

    Wrongdoers turned a good newsroom bad and this was not fully understood or adequately pursued.

    As a result, the News of the World and News International wrongly maintained that these issues were confined to one reporter. We now have voluntarily given evidence to the police that I believe will prove that this was untrue and those who acted wrongly will have to face the consequences.

    This was not the only fault.

    The paper made statements to Parliament without being in the full possession of the facts. This was wrong.”

    The announcement came on the heels of several phone-hacking scandals, which involved members of the Royal Family and a missing 13-year old girl, whom was later found dead. It appears as though advertisers had had enough, and began pulling their campaigns:

    @ladyloki
    Niki R    Is that right? @forduk have withdrawn advertising from #NOTW? Good on them if so! Now let’s hope others follow suit. 2 days ago via Dabr · powered by @socialditto

    Ford was quick to answer the above tweet.

    @forduk
    Ford UK    @ladyloki Yes it is right. We issued a statement earlier today. ^AC 2 days ago via web · powered by @socialditto

    @MitsubishiPress
    Mitsubishi Press UK    Mitsubishi has now suspended its NotW media spend while the paper’s being investigated regarding the Milly Dowler phone hacking allegations. 1 day ago via web · powered by @socialditto

    Mitsubishi even took it a step further, donating their ad spend to the Childline charity.

    @MitsubishiPress
    Mitsubishi Press UK    Based on a Facebook user suggestion, Mitsubishi is donating its #NotW ad spend to the Childline charity. 1 day ago via web · powered by @socialditto

    @renault_uk
    RenaultUK    We acknowledge the concerns regarding the allegation of phone hacking by News of the World. We confirm that we have no advertising planned. 2 days ago via web · powered by @socialditto

    @renault_uk
    RenaultUK    Renault has no media advertising planned with NOTW, nor will it commit to any future activity, until the formal investigation is complete. 1 day ago via web · powered by @socialditto

    It’s unclear at this time if News Corp plans on shifting the staff of News of the World to their other UK media companies, which includes: The Sunday Times, The Sun, and The Times.

    Do you think that News Corp should shut down News of the World? Tell us your thoughts in the comments.