[Update] The News Corp scandal

I've been reading this morning about there being government involvement in the murder of a Pakistani reporter in Pakistan earlier this year..and if we look around at the rest of the world it is clear that some countries are paying a high price to try and obtain a free and independent press.

We may not dealing in murder but we mustn't let what has happened in this case to lead us to throw away a free and independent press.

Yes it needs over hauling,the press council needs rethinking and being given bigger teeth and privacy laws need clearer definition but we must not lose the power for our press to instigate journalistic inquiries into issues that ARE in the public interest and perhaps avoid those that are not.

[Angua]

The 38degrees website has links for a petition http://www.38degrees.org.uk/page/s/m...ition#petition they also have links for directly e-mailing your MP. (in my case).

[denphone]

Yes l agree with you but did we not have the Lord Wakeham's report in 2000 and since then nothing has happened to curb the insidious power of certain media outlets and individuals.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2000...cy.themonarchy

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

Originally Posted by LondonRoad

It was the political will at the time that provided Murdoch with the tools. Union leadership had gone power Crazy at the time and needed reining in. Murdoch served a politcal favour at the time and has been calling in favours ever since.

Just a quick footnote to that there was also union traechery involved too,Eric Hammonds electricians union stabbed the Print unions in the back by doing a secret deal with Murdoch for sole union recognition,in that particular sad case the brothers did not stand together sadly,but thats another story.

[Flyboy]

This is going to be Cameron's Watergate. The News conference was disappointing in one respect that no one asked that killer question:

"If it is proved that your leadership and General Election campaigns benefited from any information that was received from telephone hacking, will you resign?"

So much for all the Tory supporters on here insisting that this was just a flash-in-the-pan and a non-story and that it was an isolated incident, with rogue journalists. Or that Coulson had paid for his "mistakes" and that he knew nothing. Despite others saying there was more to come and Coulson will face more grief. They were shouted down with accusations of tribalism and muck-raking and trying to make too much out of nothing. Don't worry I shan't expect any apologies, but maybe a little bit less of, "well, we all knew there was more to come."

[muppetman11]

BSKYB share price

http://www.lse.co.uk/SharePrice.asp?shareprice=BSY

Mmmmmmm I wonder

[denphone]

Originally Posted by Flyboy

This is going to be Cameron's Watergate. The News conference was disappointing in one respect that no one asked that killer question:

"If it is proved that your leadership and General Election campaigns benefited from any information that was received from telephone hacking, will you resign?"

So much for all the Tory supporters on here insisting that this was just a flash-in-the-pan and a non-story and that it was an isolated incident, with rogue journalists. Or that Coulson had paid for his "mistakes" and that he knew nothing. Despite others saying there was more to come and Coulson will face more grief. They were shouted down with accusations of tribalism and muck-raking and trying to make too much out of nothing. Don't worry I shan't expect any apologies, but maybe a little bit less of, "well, we all knew there was more to come."

Yes there has been a strange silence lately from some forum members

[beller]

If it was phone hacking to find criminals they could try to justify it and hold their heads up high, but to the extent and whom THEY (notw) have done this to is at part beyond comprehension. The fact they were hacking into dead peoples phones really shows me there was no compassion at all for these people and the fact they thought they were above the law.
In my opinion the people involved with this should do some hard time that includes the editor who supposedly has the say in what goes in or not

Originally Posted by denphone

Yes there has been a strange silence lately from some forum members

That is not true.They have said that they are as appalled as anyone else here is at the turn of events and regard the actions of those involved as completely reprehensible.

This is not about any government being any less tainted by being cronies of the NI group.Both Labour and Conservatives have indulged in cronyism and are going to pay the price one way or the other.No party can hold their heads high because they all allowed Murdoch's grip on the media to grow on their watches..

[Flyboy]

Originally Posted by Tuftus

In these austere times, can we afford a show trial though?

That has got to be the best (or worst) attempt of brushing something like this under the carpet. I wonder if that will be the last ditch attempt of Cameron to get away with it.

[Sirius]

Originally Posted by denphone

Yes there has been a strange silence lately from some forum members

Not from me

---------- Post added at 11:59 ---------- Previous post was at 11:55 ----------

Originally Posted by Flyboy

This is going to be Cameron's Watergate. The News conference was disappointing in one respect that no one asked that killer question:

"If it is proved that your leadership and General Election campaigns benefited from any information that was received from telephone hacking, will you resign?"

So much for all the Tory supporters on here insisting that this was just a flash-in-the-pan and a non-story and that it was an isolated incident, with rogue journalists. Or that Coulson had paid for his "mistakes" and that he knew nothing. Despite others saying there was more to come and Coulson will face more grief. They were shouted down with accusations of tribalism and muck-raking and trying to make too much out of nothing. Don't worry I shan't expect any apologies, but maybe a little bit less of, "well, we all knew there was more to come."

And out of the wood work you come for a nice juicy anti Tory post .

If its found that information was gleaned from hacking that helped the election then yes people's heads should role. But lets face it if a politician can send good men to there deaths on a lie just to bolster there standing with America and not have to resign i don't think you have a hope in hell over this. To be honest i think its pretty low of you to send this thread of topic so you can score cheap political points, What about those about to lose there jobs.

---------- Post added at 12:01 ---------- Previous post was at 11:59 ----------

Originally Posted by Flyboy

That has got to be the best (or worst) attempt of brushing something like this under the carpet. I wonder if that will be the last ditch attempt of Cameron to get away with it.

Get away with what, Are you that anti Tory that you think to you can make it out that they were doing the hacking. You need a tin foil hat sir.

[Gary L]

Originally Posted by Flyboy

That has got to be the best (or worst) attempt of brushing something like this under the carpet. I wonder if that will be the last ditch attempt of Cameron to get away with it.

You're anti-Tory. your wonder doesn't count.

[Sirius]

Originally Posted by heero_yuy

We should though have some sympathy for the 200 odd employees of NotW who are innocent bystanders and are now out of a job next week.

Indeed.

Such a shame that the likes of Flyboy are more interested in political points scoring than thinking of those that are about to lose there jobs.

This thread so far has nicely avoided the usual Tories v Labour bickering that seems to characterise so many threads at CF lately.

I will point out that Labour supporters have no cause or right to be holier than thou about this issue.All the events of phone hacking happened under a Labour government.

[Sirius]

Originally Posted by Maggy J

This thread so far has nicely avoided the usual Tories v Labour bickering that seems to characterise so many threads at CF lately.

I will point out that Labour supporters have no cause or right to be holier than thou about this issue.All the events of phone hacking happened under a Labour government.

Thanks Maggy i have purposely stayed away from political posturing and instead tried to target those that are in the wrong and highlight those that are about to lose there jobs and what they can do to try and save them.