Thursday 19 April 2012

Leveson Inquiry: Rupert Murdoch and son to appear






News Corporation boss Rupert Murdoch is to appear before the Leveson Inquiry on Wednesday and Thursday next week.
His son James Murdoch will appear on Tuesday, the inquiry also confirmed.
Rupert Murdoch will be questioned about practices at his British newspapers in the light of the phone-hacking scandal that resulted in the closure of News of the World (NOTW).
James Murdoch resigned as the executive chairman of News International in February.
It will be the first time either of the Murdochs have appeared in front of the Leveson inquiry, which is looking into media standards.
News International has been at the centre of a scandal regarding the culture, practices and ethics of the press.
The Murdochs are likely to be asked whether they were aware of allegations that the practice of illegally intercepting voicemails went beyond News of the World royal reporter Clive Goodman, who was jailed in 2007.
'Dirty hands'
Last year James Murdoch - who stood down as head of the UK newspaper business that owns the Sun, Times and Sunday Times - told MPs he had no prior knowledge of the scale of wrongdoing on the newspapers he controlled.
But in December, an email from 2008 was released indicating he had been copied into messages referring to the "rife" practice of phone hacking at the News of the World.
Mr Murdoch has said although he was copied into the email, he did not read it fully.
Rupert Murdoch is also expected to face questioning about claims that he and his top executives were too close to British politicians and police officers.
He is likely to be questioned on what steps were taken to ensure that his UK titles were acting within the law and within the code of practice for journalists administered by the Press Complaints Commission.
In common with other witnesses at the inquiry they will also be asked about his thoughts for how the press should be regulated in Britain in the future.
When questioned by MPs about the scandal last July, Rupert Murdoch said that his company had been caught with "dirty hands" and apologised for its actions.
He admitted that appearing in front of the Culture select Committee last summer was the most "humble" day of his life.
Aidan Barclay, chairman of the Telegraph group and Evgeny Lebedev, chairman of Independent Print Limited and Evening Standard Limited are also due to give evidence to the inquiry on Monday.

Tuesday 10 April 2012

Murdoch knew about Sky News hacking allegations ‘months ago’


James Murdoch and the BSkyB board were warned “a number of months ago” about evidence of illegal email hacking at Sky News but did not make a public announcement because they said the police had already been informed, senior sources at the broadcaster have disclosed.

News Corp executive James Murdoch speaks to parliamentarians in London
Some News Corp investors are said to be concerned that the hacking contagion could spread to BSkyB from News International. 
Sky News, owned and operated by BSkyB, admitted last week that a reporter had been authorised to hack emails in two cases. The channel defended its actions saying the information was “in the public interest”.
One instance involved an investigation into John Darwin, the “canoe man” who faked his death and fled to Panama in 2002. BSkyB’s admission came two days after James Murdoch stepped down as chairman, leading to accusations that the two events were linked. BSkyB said that was not the case.
Some News Corp investors are said to be concerned that the hacking contagion could spread to BSkyB from News International. One close observer said it would have been better if BSkyB had made the announcement about the hacking when the board was first told. BSkyB has launched a wider inquiry into operations at Sky News and has said it has found no evidence of wrong-doing.
John Ryley, the head of Sky News, said the actions were “editorially justified” and involved suspected crimes. In the case of Anne Darwin (John Darwin’s wife, who was convicted of fraud), emails were handed to the police.
Police are now looking into the hacked emails. The Sky News executive who gave the authorisation, Simon Cole, has now taken early retirement although BSkyB said the two matters were not connected.
Nicholas Ferguson, the new chairman of BSkyB, is likely to be in position for “a number of years” according to those close to him.
There had been speculation that his would be an interim appointment until the board found a chairman who could reassure investors he was independent of News Corp, which owns 39pc of BSkyB.
Mr Ferguson has been on the BSkyB board since 2004 and is a firm supporter of Mr Murdoch. Tom Mockridge, the CEO of News International, which is owned by News Corp, is now BSkyB’s deputy chairman.