Rebekah Brooks said, to the Leveson Inquiry, that nobody could have predicted that the public would confuse paedophiles and paediatricians.
Clearly she's not seen this Brass Eye special from 2001:
Brass Eye Special - Paedogeddon
Showing posts with label Rupert Murdoch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rupert Murdoch. Show all posts
Friday, 11 May 2012
Tuesday, 1 May 2012
Murdoch says sorry
Rupert Murdoch has issued a statement to News Corp staff in the wake of the CMS select committee's report into phone hacking.
Here's a transcript:
Dear Colleagues
Today, the UK's Parliamentary select committee on culture, media and sport released its full report on issues surrounding phone hacking at the News of the World.
The report affords us a unique opportunity to reflect upon the mistakes we have made and further the course we have already completed to correct them.
I recognise that for all of us – myself in particular – it is difficult to read many of the report's findings. But we have done the most difficult part, which has been to take a long, hard and honest look at our past mistakes.
There is no easy way around this, but I am proud to say that we have been working hard to put things right.
We certainly should have acted more quickly and aggressively to uncover wrongdoing. We deeply regret what took place and have taken our share of responsibility for not rectifying the situation sooner.
To that end, News Corporation continues to co-operate with all inquiries relating to voicemail interception and improper payments to public officials. Indeed, we have gone beyond what law enforcement authorities have asked of us, to ensure not only that we are in compliance with the law, but that we adhere to the highest ethical standards.
I would also like to inform you today that the autonomous management and standards committee, which was established by the company to ensure full co-operation with all investigations, has completed its review of the Times and the Sunday Times, assisted by outside counsel, Linklaters. We found no evidence of illegal conduct other than a single incident reported months ago, which led to the discipline of the relevant employee.
Further, the management and standards committee has also completed its internal review into the Sun.
News International, at the instigation of James, instituted important governance reforms.
In addition, under the guidance of Gerson Zweifach, News Corporation's group general counsel, the company is implementing a more robust global compliance structure, with expanded education, customised controls, and group compliance officers across our businesses.
Today's report comes at a time when our business has never been stronger and we continue to demonstrate strong operational excellence focused on returning maximum value to all of our stockholders.
It is a testament to the integrity and strength of you, our more than 50,000 colleagues around the world, that we could experience such exceptional performance even in the midst of unprecedented public scrutiny. I have also never been more encouraged by your dedication and steadfast commitment to our future.
The opportunity to emerge from this difficult period a stronger, better company has never been greater and I will look to each of you to help me ensure that News Corporation's next 60 years are more vital and successful than ever.
Doesn't it make your heart bleed for him? NOT!
Here's a transcript:
Dear Colleagues
Today, the UK's Parliamentary select committee on culture, media and sport released its full report on issues surrounding phone hacking at the News of the World.
The report affords us a unique opportunity to reflect upon the mistakes we have made and further the course we have already completed to correct them.
I recognise that for all of us – myself in particular – it is difficult to read many of the report's findings. But we have done the most difficult part, which has been to take a long, hard and honest look at our past mistakes.
There is no easy way around this, but I am proud to say that we have been working hard to put things right.
We certainly should have acted more quickly and aggressively to uncover wrongdoing. We deeply regret what took place and have taken our share of responsibility for not rectifying the situation sooner.
To that end, News Corporation continues to co-operate with all inquiries relating to voicemail interception and improper payments to public officials. Indeed, we have gone beyond what law enforcement authorities have asked of us, to ensure not only that we are in compliance with the law, but that we adhere to the highest ethical standards.
I would also like to inform you today that the autonomous management and standards committee, which was established by the company to ensure full co-operation with all investigations, has completed its review of the Times and the Sunday Times, assisted by outside counsel, Linklaters. We found no evidence of illegal conduct other than a single incident reported months ago, which led to the discipline of the relevant employee.
Further, the management and standards committee has also completed its internal review into the Sun.
News International, at the instigation of James, instituted important governance reforms.
In addition, under the guidance of Gerson Zweifach, News Corporation's group general counsel, the company is implementing a more robust global compliance structure, with expanded education, customised controls, and group compliance officers across our businesses.
Today's report comes at a time when our business has never been stronger and we continue to demonstrate strong operational excellence focused on returning maximum value to all of our stockholders.
It is a testament to the integrity and strength of you, our more than 50,000 colleagues around the world, that we could experience such exceptional performance even in the midst of unprecedented public scrutiny. I have also never been more encouraged by your dedication and steadfast commitment to our future.
The opportunity to emerge from this difficult period a stronger, better company has never been greater and I will look to each of you to help me ensure that News Corporation's next 60 years are more vital and successful than ever.
Doesn't it make your heart bleed for him? NOT!
Wednesday, 25 April 2012
COMMENT: Jeremy Hunt and the Murdochs
Yesterday was a truly amazing day at the Leveson inquiry.
James Murdoch, Rupert's son, initially seemed to be struggling with the questions and, apparently, was unable to recall various things, or said that something wasn't his recollection.
Then he dumped on Jeremy Hunt, the Culture secretary. He dumped on him from a very big height.
Hunt's behaviour, leaking information, having excessive meetings with the Murdochs, phoning them with secret information, etc. clearly suggests he is unfit for office, and I don't just mean to be a Secretary of State, I mean as an MP.
However, I don't think he should resign, or, preferably, be sacked just yet despite calls from Labour and many anti-Murdoch newspapers. It is right that Hunt has his day at the inquiry and, indeed, that we wait for Leveson's findings and report.
The evidence seems damning, and other MPs, on both sides of the House, are likely to be sweating rather more today, but to call for heads before the inquiry is complete is premature.
Yes, if Jeremy Hunt feels his position is now untenable then he should resign, but, if he thinks his position is untenable, he should stand down as an MP. It is not sufficient to stand down from senior office because of dodgy dealings and practises. Such dishonesty must be removed from parliament.
I await Rupert Murdoch's evidence today. I wonder if he will tighten the noose currently hanging limply around David Cameron's neck. Whatever he says, I'm sure it will be the most humble day of his life!
James Murdoch, Rupert's son, initially seemed to be struggling with the questions and, apparently, was unable to recall various things, or said that something wasn't his recollection.
Then he dumped on Jeremy Hunt, the Culture secretary. He dumped on him from a very big height.
Hunt's behaviour, leaking information, having excessive meetings with the Murdochs, phoning them with secret information, etc. clearly suggests he is unfit for office, and I don't just mean to be a Secretary of State, I mean as an MP.
However, I don't think he should resign, or, preferably, be sacked just yet despite calls from Labour and many anti-Murdoch newspapers. It is right that Hunt has his day at the inquiry and, indeed, that we wait for Leveson's findings and report.
The evidence seems damning, and other MPs, on both sides of the House, are likely to be sweating rather more today, but to call for heads before the inquiry is complete is premature.
Yes, if Jeremy Hunt feels his position is now untenable then he should resign, but, if he thinks his position is untenable, he should stand down as an MP. It is not sufficient to stand down from senior office because of dodgy dealings and practises. Such dishonesty must be removed from parliament.
I await Rupert Murdoch's evidence today. I wonder if he will tighten the noose currently hanging limply around David Cameron's neck. Whatever he says, I'm sure it will be the most humble day of his life!
Monday, 20 February 2012
OPINION: Sun on Sunday
So Rupert Murdoch can't wait any longer. He's announced that this coming weekend will see the launch of his new Sunday tabloid, the Sun on Sunday.
Even before News International took the decision to close the News of the World last year, there were rumours that it would be replaced with a Sunday version of the Sun, the popular weekday and Saturday tabloid which Rupert Murdoch has owned for more than forty years.
But surely this is too soon?
Surely with all those who have been horrified by the phone hacking scandal at the News of the World, and with more recent allegations and arrests linked to The Sun, people aren't going to buy this new red top?
Sadly, I expect they will.
Earlier today I heard a woman on the radio saying she'd buy the Sun on Sunday because her weekend had been lacking the fun that the News of the World used to supply. That's a shocking admission of how superficial and mind numbing her existence must be. Someone else said they hoped the new title would do some if the campaigning journalism that the News of the World had done. I presume they meant like the anti-pedophile campaign that saw vigilante groups attack paediatricians - I guess because many of the readers of the News of the World had such low IQs and reading abilities.
Sadly, I fully expect those same thickies will ignore that News International is behind the Sun on Sunday, and will ignore the fact that many former News of the World journalists now work for The Sun and Sun on Sunday.
More tragically, I suspect advertisers will flock to the new title and not realise they are tainting their own brand by association with a business that is, it seems, institutionally corrupt.
I hope the Sun on Sunday fails. I hope, soon, that Murdoch and his son and various other senior execs and journalists get their day in court and their time in prison. I fear they'll get away with it and the pathetic and idiotic British public will buy the Sun on Sunday in their millions.
Even before News International took the decision to close the News of the World last year, there were rumours that it would be replaced with a Sunday version of the Sun, the popular weekday and Saturday tabloid which Rupert Murdoch has owned for more than forty years.
But surely this is too soon?
Surely with all those who have been horrified by the phone hacking scandal at the News of the World, and with more recent allegations and arrests linked to The Sun, people aren't going to buy this new red top?
Sadly, I expect they will.
Earlier today I heard a woman on the radio saying she'd buy the Sun on Sunday because her weekend had been lacking the fun that the News of the World used to supply. That's a shocking admission of how superficial and mind numbing her existence must be. Someone else said they hoped the new title would do some if the campaigning journalism that the News of the World had done. I presume they meant like the anti-pedophile campaign that saw vigilante groups attack paediatricians - I guess because many of the readers of the News of the World had such low IQs and reading abilities.
Sadly, I fully expect those same thickies will ignore that News International is behind the Sun on Sunday, and will ignore the fact that many former News of the World journalists now work for The Sun and Sun on Sunday.
More tragically, I suspect advertisers will flock to the new title and not realise they are tainting their own brand by association with a business that is, it seems, institutionally corrupt.
I hope the Sun on Sunday fails. I hope, soon, that Murdoch and his son and various other senior execs and journalists get their day in court and their time in prison. I fear they'll get away with it and the pathetic and idiotic British public will buy the Sun on Sunday in their millions.
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