News of The World to stop printing! (Murdoch merge)

Pompey Magnus

From Marina Hyde of The Guardian:

Gird your stomachs – I have further information on the Gordon Brown story.

Are you insufficiently repulsed by the Sun's mysteriously-obtained exclusive on Brown's son's cystic fibrosis? Don't worry - like everything about the hacking scandal, there are always more details to emerge to compound the horror. I've been speaking to a source close to Gordon Brown at the time of the story, who recalls that it was served up with a chaser of threat:

“Gordon insisted - despite a heavy brow-beating from Rebekah - that he was not willing to let his son's medical condition be the stuff of a Sun exclusive,” recalls this source. “So he put out a statement on PA to spike their scoop and make clear that despite his condition, Fraser was fit and healthy. The Sun were utterly furious, and Brown's communications team were told that if Gordon wanted to get into No 10, he needed to learn that was not how things were done.”

Yes, how DARE the then-chancellor refuse to accept that his child's health was not technically a commercial Murdoch property? I'd like to tell you there's a sick bag located in the rear pocket of the seat in front of you. But I'm afraid you're on your own.

Link

People will still buy his rags though...

who the fug

Whilst PM, Brown attended the Slappers wedding and invited her to Chequers for the weekend, so business as usual then.

EggsAckley

The Daily Show put things in perspective for some people who still need things to be put in perspective

wild_cat

Karma my friends. It might have taken 80 years to come to fruit. But by jesus I hope it destroys the tyrant.

Haelium

wild_cat wrote: »

Karma my friends. It might have taken 80 years to come to fruit. But by jesus I hope it destroys the tyrant.

It won't. Give it a month, nobody will remember.

ejmaztec

Haelium wrote: »

It won't. Give it a month, nobody will remember.

I can see the shareholders trying to remove the Murdochs, relatives and friends from the boards of directors of the various companies. They've already taken a hit on their shares, and don't want things to get worse.

Nodin

Haelium wrote: »

It won't. Give it a month, nobody will remember.

Given the enemies he's built up over the years, I can guarantee you there will be a good few who will.

InTheTrees

Nodin wrote: »

Given the enemies he's built up over the years, I can guarantee you there will be a good few who will.

Yeah I think thats murdochs major problem right now.

He attained his power through being an overbearing violent bully.

And when you're 80 years old thats not so easy to sustain. He's a shadow of his former self.

Its got to be wearing on his health as well.

Spread

I imagine that Les Hinton or The Wicked Witch of Wapping are being measured up for the toaster at the moment. Why Murdoch is allowed to keep his shareholding above 29.9% is a mystery. If News Corp is deemed unfit then he should be forced to sell.

Biggins

Just to give you an idea of what the first police inquiry missed (who the fcuk, I do not know!), here is a small part of a write up just mentioned on The Times website:

11 minutes ago
The woman leading the police investigation into phone hacking revealed the full extent of it today as her predecessors apologised for the failures to carry out a proper inquiry. Sue Akers said that her team knew of 3,870 first and second names mentioned in the Mulcaire documents, plus another 9,000 other telephone numbers.

...And thats just one paper and one hacker.

InTheTrees

I wish someone out there would hack into murdochs phone if its so easy.

I'd like to see his medical records published by the mirror.

And the creepy woman with the 70's hair. I bet she's got skeletons hidden away.

ejmaztec

InTheTrees wrote: »

I wish someone out there would hack into murdochs phone if its so easy.

I'd like to see his medical records published by the mirror.

And the creepy woman with the 70's hair. I bet she's got skeletons hidden away.

He wouldn’t want anyone to see those

Spread

See how far the tentacles have spread:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-14104349

And only a cynic would think that these illegal activities were exported abroad. Would Murdoch straighten up his glasses if he was doing the perp?

steve9859

Spread wrote: »

I imagine that Les Hinton or The Wicked Witch of Wapping are being measured up for the toaster at the moment. Why Murdoch is allowed to keep his shareholding above 29.9% is a mystery. If News Corp is deemed unfit then he should be forced to sell.

Latest from London tnite is that he will be forced to sell. And if he is, he will probably walk away from the other newspapers too. His empire is finished. He has lost the public, therefore he has lost his power, therefore noone is scared of him anymore.

Biggins

Spread wrote: »

See how far the tentacles have spread:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-14104349

Its far too much of a media empire for one person to have control of.
Madness.

ejmaztec

If he's forced into selling off his UK papers, he'll make certain that some other unscrupulous billionaire tosser get's his hands on them out of spite. They'll probably be under the control of the Russian mafia after that.

Biggins

It seems the Americans have finally woken to the hacking done on 9-11 victims phone by Murdoch Inc.

US senator demands investigation into possible 9/11 phone-hacking

A HIGHLY-REGARDED US senator has demanded an investigation into whether News Corporation broke American laws in its British phone-hacking – and whether its US operations targeted victims of the September 11 attacks.

Jay Rockefeller, who chairs the Senate’s influential committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, says reports of how the July 7 bombing victims were targets of voicemail hacking raise questions about whether 9/11 victims were also targeted.

“I am concerned that the admitted phone hacking in London by the News Corp may have extended to 9/11 victims or other Americans,” Rockefeller said in a statement given to the Daily Telegraph.

“I encourage the appropriate agencies to investigate, to ensure that Americans have not had their privacy violated.”

He added:

If they did, the consequences will be severe.

Even if phone-hacking was not pursued by US-based titles, News Corp could still be prosecuted under American laws which forbid any US company’s foreign operations from bribing police or officials.

News Corp’s US operations include the New York Post, the Wall Street Journal, and the TV news network Fox News.

Calls for a US probe came after the Daily Mirror claimed that a former NYPD officer, who since worked as a private detective, was contacted by the News of the World about a potential phone-hacking operation targeting the victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

It said the detective had turned the offer down, believing the operation was insensitive and fearing that it would eventually become public.

Plans for News Corp to complete a full takeover of the British TV broadcaster BSkyB appear dead in the water, as all three major political parties in the UK are set to back a motion calling on News Corp and its founder Rupert Murdoch to drop their bid.

Shares in News Corp had dropped around 15 per cent of their value in the last week, as the firm’s largest selling newspaper closes and the bid for BSkyB flounders – prompting shareholders to sue the company for the lost value of their investments.

This morning The Sun has posted a video purporting to feature its source for the story that Gordon Brown’s son Fraser had cystic fibrosis – a story which led the former British Prime Minister to believe that he had also been a victim of phone-hacking.

Yesterday in the Dáil, Kerry South deputy Michael Healy-Rae called for an Irish investigation into the extent of any illegal activity by News International’s Irish titles.

http://www.thejournal.ie/us-senator-demands-investigation-into-possible-911-phone-hacking-175764-Jul2011/

Can't say I'm sorry to hear this.
Murdoch and Brookes deserve everything they get.
The more severe the better!

Rubik.

"Rupert Murdoch will today face the humiliation of the Commons issuing a unanimous all-party call for his scandal-ridden News Corporation to withdraw its £8bn (S$15.6bn) bid for BSkyB, the great commercial prize he has been pursuing to cement his dominance of the British media landscape.

In an extraordinary volte-face, David Cameron will disown the media tycoon by leading his party through the lobbies to urge him to drop the bid. Murdoch can defy parliament and press ahead with the bid, prompting a Competition Commission inquiry, but he risks finding himself ostracised by a political class that once scrambled to bend to his wishes."

http://www.todayonline.com/World/EDC110713-0000163/Rupert-Murdoch-facing-BSkyB-defeat-as-UK-political-parties-unite-in-call-to-drop-takeover

Sacrificing The NOTW was all in vain, the BSkyB bid is dead in the water.

EggsAckley

Deals off. Now it gets really interesting!

steve9859

EggsAckley wrote: »

Deals off. Now it gets really interesting!

It will get real interesting if they demand he has to sell his 30%. This may be a lack of understanding on my part but I believe that the competition authority count whatever (30%??) stake he has now as controlling ownership which forces you to bid for the remainder. If they are saying he can't bid, then it follows that they must tell him that he has to reduce his ownership below this critical level

InTheTrees

Biggins wrote: »

It seems the Americans have finally woken to the hacking done on 9-11 victims phone by Murdoch Inc.

Not quite. Its still simmering here. Senator rockefeller _demanded_ an inquiry but thats not to say there will be one.

US media is very different from Europe, they're much more controlled.

And the benefit of doubt usually goes to corporations rather than individuals, so I expect News Corp will be treated sympathetically.

Unfortunately. If the murdoch empire is going to be dismantled it will happen in London and Sydney rather than New York.

I really hope i'm wrong though.

Biggins

InTheTrees wrote: »

Not quite. Its still simmering here. Senator rockefeller _demanded_ an inquiry but thats not to say there will be one...

They are indeed a slow beast at times. Now that they have woken up, lets hope they can shift into gear.

Run_to_da_hills

If there is any truth in allegations what so ever about 9/11 phone tapping that will be the end of Murdock. Public backlash will force Advertisers to dump News Corporation just like what happened in the UK with NOTW.

Mr.Micro

Biggins wrote: »

They are indeed a slow beast at times. Now that they have woken up, lets hope they can shift into gear.

Like all things rotten, Newscorp will devour itself in the end, hopefully.

Run_to_da_hills

News International 'used criminal underworld' - Brown.

Can't wait to see what the Irish Star has to say about this.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/phone-hacking/8636050/News-International-used-criminal-underworld-Brown.html

Spread

While Fox News, The New York Post, WSJ and other Murdoch organs stay silent, The Daily Beast raises old issues and the spectre of corruption.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/07/13/rupert-murdoch-s-other-tabloid-scandal-at-the-new-york-post.html?om_rid=NsjbL4&om_mid=_BOHex7B8cU9jta

policarp

Where's Rebekah now?

FatherLen

what in jesus titty fucking christ is thedailybeast?

Funkfield

FatherLen wrote: »

what in jesus titty fucking christ is thedailybeast?

That's shockin' language for a man of the cloth to be using.

FatherLen

Funkfield wrote: »

That's shockin' language for a man of the cloth to be using.

which one? titty? or fucking

CardBordWindow

Spread wrote: »

Murdoch infection spreads to America

Did it not come from America?!!

Mr Benevolent

Why are people so shocked about this whole thing? It's obvious that journalists are always going to be underhanded to get the news they want. It's the equivalent of being shocked on being told that German people are from Germany.

Gloomtastic!

Confab wrote: »

Why are people so shocked about this whole thing? It's obvious that journalists are always going to be underhanded to get the news they want. It's the equivalent of being shocked on being told that German people are from Germany.

And give up the chance to finally get one up on Mr Murdoch? Nah, the victims - politicians, celebs etc - have had the last word - for now!

Minstrel27

I am delighted for the wrinkled old ****

bnt

CardBordWindow wrote: »

Did it not come from America?!!

No, it came from Australia. Or, if you take the long view, it came from Scotland: Murdoch is a Scots name ...

tmcw

bnt wrote: »

No, it came from Australia. Or, if you take the long view, it came from Scotland: Murdoch is a Scots name ...

I think you'll find it's "murr-durr" that came from Scotland, not "murdock".

CardBordWindow

bnt wrote: »

No, it came from Australia. Or, if you take the long view, it came from Scotland: Murdoch is a Scots name ...

Murdoch may have come from Oz, but his empire in the States (Fox news etc)would have had more of an effect over here, than his Oz empire.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

He'll proabaly squirm out of it in better shape than he went in. That said, I would love to see Fox News implicated and go the same way as the news of the World.

jimthemental

Poor old man, it's horrible how he is being targetted by the worlds media:pac::pac::pac::pac::pac::pac::pac:

mackg

Confab wrote: »

Why are people so shocked about this whole thing? It's obvious that journalists are always going to be underhanded to get the news they want. It's the equivalent of being shocked on being told that German people are from Germany.

Obviously, we have all seen The Wire. Bet the baltimore Sun is a Murdoch paper:D

bnt

The Chicago Sun-Times was a Murdoch paper from 1984-86, and their long-running cinema critic Roger Ebert has a few memories of those days: they called Murdoch The Dirty Digger.

On the first day of Murdoch's ownership, he walked into the newsroom and we all gathered around and he recited the usual blather and rolled up his shirtsleeves and started to lay out a new front page. Well, he was a real newspaperman, give him that. He threw out every meticulous detail of the beautiful design, ordered up big, garish headlines, and gave big play to a story about a North Shore rabbi accused of holding a sex slave.

The story turned out to be fatally flawed, but so what? It sold papers. Well, actually, it didn't sell papers. There were hundreds of cancellations. Soon our precious page 3 was defaced by a daily Wingo girl, a pinup in a bikini promoting a cash giveaway. The Sun-Times, which had been placing above the Tribune in lists of the 10 best U.S. newspapers, never took that great step it was poised for.

wild_cat

But Murdoch is a mass hate figure so everyone is kinda delighted.

Plus as Irish people we love nothing more to watch someone successful fall from grace.

CardBordWindow

mackg wrote: »

Obviously, we have all seen The Wire. Bet the baltimore Sun is a Murdoch paper:D

I've never seen the Wire.

*hides face in shame*

jimthemental

mackg wrote: »

Obviously, we have all seen The Wire. Bet the baltimore Sun is a Murdoch paper:D

Owned by the Chicago Sun Times afaik

orourkeda

mackg wrote: »

Obviously, we have all seen The Wire. Bet the baltimore Sun is a Murdoch paper:D

Its not. I think the making up stories is based on real events and there have been several high profile real cases (one actually happening at the Baltimore Sun while the writer of the show was working there)

mackg

I've never seen the Wire.

*hides face in shame*

I would highly recommend it.

Its not. I think the making up stories is based on real events and there have been several high profile real cases (one actually happening at the Baltimore Sun while the writer of the show was working there)

Was joking about being Murdoch owned, but yeah it's based on David Simons experience there as a reporter.

http://www.esquire.com/features/essay/david-simon-0308

An essay by Simon on his time there.

Biggins

jimthemental wrote: »

Poor old man, it's horrible how he is being targetted by the worlds media:pac::pac::pac::pac::pac::pac::pac:

:pac:

...Which is strange 'cos he appears to own a lot of it! :pac:

Biggins

The New York Times is yet again running its front page with they as one of the main headlines:
Father and Son Split on Tactics in Murdoch Family Drama
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/14/world/europe/14newscorp.html?_r=1&hp

steve9859

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

News International 'used criminal underworld' - Brown.

Can't wait to see what the Irish Star has to say about this.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/phone-hacking/8636050/News-International-used-criminal-underworld-Brown.html

How is this a surprise? If investigative journalists did not have links to the 'criminal underworld' they would be useless!! Gangsters living in the south of spain, and drug dealers in Essex would sleep much more soundly in their beds knowing that private investigators and journalists employed by the tabloids wont be trying to expose them.

This whole thing is in danger of getting out of control and clamping down on the press so much that they wont be able to dig up any big story like the expenses scandal

Redditor

Best news the paper ever printed. How many more rags to go though?