[Update] The News Corp scandal

http://www.crikey.com.au/2011/10/25/...7rNtR8.twitter

Worth a read..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-19355141

Rupert Murdoch's daughter Elisabeth has used a speech to voice her support for the BBC and urge the media to focus on morals as well as profit.
The TV producer sought to distance herself from brother James, an executive at News Corp, which has been embroiled in the phone hacking scandal.
Ms Murdoch delivered the keynote speech at the Edinburgh TV Festival.

Ms Murdoch also criticised the "dearth of integrity" highlighted in the Leveson inquiry into press standards.
She said the exposure of the "sometimes self-serving relationships" between great pillars of society such as police, politics, media and banking served as a reminder that "with great power comes responsibility".
Referring to the Leveson Inquiry, she said the result should be the "fierce protection of a free press and light touch media regulation".
She added that it was hard to argue for this because of the "unsettling dearth of integrity across so many of our institutions".
"Sadly, the greatest threats to our free society are too often from the enemies within," she said.

Distancing herself from News Corp? Not quite sure what to make of the speech..

Interesting though.

[Derek]

Another one charged.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotlan...-west-19409581

The former editor at the News of the World Scotland has been charged in connection with the defamation action of former MSP Tommy Sheridan.

Bob Bird, 56, was charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice over Mr Sheridan's successful action against the newspaper in 2006.

Officers are investigating allegations of perjury and phone hacking as part of the Operation Rubicon probe.

The journalist was detained at his Glasgow home by officers from the Operation Rubicon probe on Wednesday morning and questioned at Govan Police station, at Helen Street.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-19421373

News International's former legal adviser Tom Crone has been arrested at his home in south-west London by police investigating phone hacking.
The 60-year-old was arrested at 06:45 BST on suspicion of conspiring to intercept communications contrary to Section 1 of the Criminal Law Act 1977.
He is being interviewed at a south London police station.

Getting further up the hierarchy..

Oh the irony..

http://www.businessweek.com/news/201...ombia-wiretaps

News Corp. (NWSA), still seeking to move past a hacking scandal at its U.K. newspapers, has nominated to its board a former Colombian president whose administration was itself embroiled in an illegal wiretapping controversy.

And it continues..

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/se...nal?CMP=twt_gu

Siobhain McDonagh, a Labour MP, has launched a legal action against News International and the Sun in relation to the theft of her mobile phone and is seeking damages for alleged invasion of privacy and breach of confidence.
The claim, which was lodged with the high court on 6 September, comes two months after a Sun journalist was arrested and bailed by officers working on Operation Tuleta, Scotland Yard's investigation into computer hacking and other invasions of privacy.
The 35-year-old Sun journalist was arrested on suspicion of "handling stolen goods" in July in relation to a reported phone call from a member of the public who believed they had an MP's mobile phone.

[TheDaddy]

Just when you think it can't get any worse

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk...y-8145238.html

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukp...1348081522108A

News Corporation lawyers are asking a US judge to dismiss a shareholder lawsuit alleging that company directors allowed a damaging cover-up of the phone hacking scandal in Britain.

[Derek]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-19699297

A senior Metropolitan Police detective has been charged with offering information to the News of the World (NoW) newspaper.

The Crown Prosecution Service said Det Ch Insp April Casburn had been charged with misconduct in a public office and will appear in court next month.

[Hom3r]

I wonder if Murdock will do a Maxwell?

[MovedGoalPosts]

Trial to be next September : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19725264

My the wheels of justice turn appallingly slowly. If there is sufficient evidence to charge, then there is sufficient evidence to put to court. Neither the defence or prosecution should need a further year to prepare. Maybe it is a complex case, needing many witnesses to be arranged and a lengthy court period, but even so, whether or not there is guilt, is if fair to keep the accused and victims in limbo for so long?

Originally Posted by Rob

Trial to be next September : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19725264

My the wheels of justice turn appallingly slowly. If there is sufficient evidence to charge, then there is sufficient evidence to put to court. Neither the defence or prosecution should need a further year to prepare. Maybe it is a complex case, needing many witnesses to be arranged and a lengthy court period, but even so, whether or not there is guilt, is if fair to keep the accused and victims in limbo for so long?

It would nice if it could be kept in the public's mind for as long as possible so that Leveson's final report can't be ignored or misplaced.

---------- Post added at 12:48 ---------- Previous post was at 12:42 ----------

http://hackinginquiry.org/news/hacke...at-conference/

Not only do the Liberal Democrats endorse the need for independent regulation of the press and accept that it may be necessary to bolster it with legislation – both of them views held by Hacked Off – but they also see no need to negotiate on the issue with their coalition partners, the Conservatives.

Not that many are listening to the Lib Dems these days.

In fact this might be a place to keep up with the hacking issues.

https://www.facebook.com/hackinginquiry

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-19720752

Actor Steve Coogan has said he fears any changes to press regulation recommended by the Leveson Inquiry may be delayed by "political obsfucation".
Speaking at the Lib Dem conference, Mr Coogan said he was worried politicians might "kick the ball around" rather than implement changes immediately

I fear he may be right..

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012...-phone-hacking

More than 50 victims of phone hacking, including a number of top celebrities, have written to David Cameron expressing fury at suggestions that the coalition government could reject tough new laws that would see the press policed by an independent regulator.
In a move designed to send the issue to the top of the agenda at the Tory conference, they warn the prime minister that trust in the media cannot be restored if the press is allowed to continue with a system of self-regulation.
Celebrities including Hugh Grant, Jude Law and Charlotte Church, as well as 7/7 victims and members of the Hillsborough Justice Campaign, have signed an open letter expressing alarm at reports that Cameron intends to reject any form of statutory regulation of the press if such a recommendation is made by the Leveson inquiry.

Seems the ground is being laid by this government to stick with the status quo.

[Russ]

I'd say it's more likely to be that the press have enough dirt on certain people in power to be able to keep things as they are.