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Hacking Scandal Leads to British Tabloid’s Demise

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Posted on Jul 7, 2011
newsoftheworld.co.uk

This screen shot shows News of the World’s online edition as of Thursday afternoon PST.

There might have been a changing of the guard among the top editors at the News of the World in recent months, but the British tabloid, part of the Murdoch family media dynasty, is going off the presses for good this weekend after a hacking scandal that initially focused on one reporter but now may implicate others, according to News International honcho (and son of Rupert) James Murdoch.

In a statement to the paper’s staff, Murdoch the Younger said, “Wrongdoers turned a good newsroom bad and this was not fully understood or adequately pursued.” The move to shut down News of the World is being viewed by some as a rebranding strategy, according to the BBC, but this Sunday’s edition will be the last of its kind.  —KA

BBC:

The 168-year-old tabloid is accused of hacking into the mobile phones of crime victims, celebrities and politicians.

On Thursday, the Met Police said it was seeking to contact 4,000 possible targets named in seized documents.

Its editor Colin Myler said it was “the saddest day of my professional career”.

He added that “nothing should diminish everything this great newspaper has achieved”.

The News of the World, which sells about 2.8million copies a week, is famed for its celebrity scoops and sex scandals, earning it the nickname, the News of the Screws.

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By Mike, July 8, 2011 at 12:57 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

These are the same people that put out the Wall Street Journal - same level of scruples.

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By VembaTsith, July 8, 2011 at 5:51 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

Murdoch is simply trying to distance himself from the crimes of his organization by redecorating. he will claim that by closing the NotW he has removed the bad apples. it’s exactly like Blackwater changing its name to Xe Services.

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THX 1133's avatar

By THX 1133, July 7, 2011 at 3:35 pm Link to this comment

Good riddance…

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By Bartlett4America, July 7, 2011 at 1:19 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

I said this yesterday and I’m sayin’ it again today.  There should be a RICO investigation of News Corp.  This is a criminal syndicate whose purpose is to assist their political and corporate friends make billions and to destroy any government that stands in the way of their rightist corporate agenda.

The has to be a HUGE untold store here for Murdoch to kill the paper.  He’s desperate to make this go away and sniff-out a worldwide investigation of his thugs.

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By Think Twice, July 7, 2011 at 12:40 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

Entirely a rebranding strategy.

The only reason News of the World is stopping publication is so News Corp can better defend itself in upcoming civil lawsuits. This is only a win if you’re a fan of legal loopholes allowing corporate irresponsibility.

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