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| CLOSURE: The final edition of the paper will be on Sunday |
AFTER 168 years of exposing celebrities, shaming politicians and campaigning for better human rights, this Sunday will see the final ever edition of the News of the World. Rupert Murdoch has taken the controversial decision to axe the newspaper, in a desperate bid to bury the phone hacking scandal which has dominated news headlines across the world this week. Some 200 journalists have lost their jobs as a result of the decision taken by News International at its Wapping headquarters, but chief executive of the company, Rebekah Brooks – who was editor of the paper during the scandal, has remarkably held onto her job. This morning, Andy Coulson – another former editor of the tabloid paper and former press aide in David Cameron’s coalition government was arrested for his role in the phone hacking, as well as allegations into payment to members of the Metropolitan Police.
The News of the World has come under significant fire for the phone hacking of famous celebrities and politicians already this year. Film star Sienna Miller, former deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, PR guru Max Clifford and TalkSport radio host Andy Gray were amongst the victims. Some of these disputes were being settled with significant compensation packages. However, the twisted events of the last week have led to the downfall of the biggest selling newspaper in the UK.
The trouble started when it emerged that the mobile phone of murdered teenager Milly Dowler in 2002 had been hacked into by rogue journalists. As the days rolled on, more scandals emerged. Also targeted were the parents of murdered Soham schoolgirls, Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman and victims of the 7/7 terrorist attacks in London – on the eve of the sixth anniversary. The final death knell was when it emerged that some families of servicemen who fought for the country in Afghanistan, but never came home also had their phones and voicemails listened into. Police have confirmed that they have had 4,000 complaints of mobile phones being targeted and the scandal is likely to cost News International £120million. Media regulator OFCOM is investigating News International’s other businesses, including fellow newspapers under the branch; The Sun and The Times. It also throws the proposed takeover of BSkyB into severe doubt, with culture secretary Jeremy Hunt forced to delay the go-ahead for the bid until September at the earliest.
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| QUESTIONS: Murdoch has decided to keep his chief executive |
Murdoch was reeling yesterday. For a man who loves making news, he looked scared as he desperately tried to escape questions from pressing journalists on a golf course in Idaho, USA. It seems though that under fire Brooks will keep her job as chief executive of the organisation, despite the cost of many other innocent positions. Labour leader Ed Miliband, who has criticised David Cameron for his handling of the situation all week, is furious that Brooks still has a job, despite her knowledge of such illegal journalism practices. He told the Daily Mirror;
“It’s clearly people power that has forced this decision. It’s the result of the revulsion that people felt at what happened at the News of the World. The one person who seems to be staying in her job in chief executive Rebekah Brooks who was the editor at the time Milly Dowler’s phone was hacked. I don’t think News International can hope to start to move on while she remains in place.”
The lawyer for the Dowler family, Mark Lewis is also saddened that those responsible are still in higher positions; “It’s sad that people will end up losing their jobs, but those responsible are still there.” Current chairman of News International James Murdoch was interviewed by ITN’s political editor Tom Bradby last night. He gave his full backing to Brooks and insisted he had no choice to announce the pulling of the plug for the paper;
“The good things the News of the World does has been sullied by behaviour that was wrong. Indeed, if recent allegations are true, it was inhuman and has no place in our company. The News of the World is in the business of holding others to account, but it failed when it came to itself.”
Celebrities have used Twitter to express their views on the newspaper’s axing today. Singer George Michael said; "Today is a fantastic day for Britain. These beliefs are in no way an excuse for any of my behaviour in recent times. I was happy to do my time, because I was so ashamed. But... I believe every individual, whether privileged or the average citizen, deserves the law. And many of us rich or poor have been denied it by News International. You gotta have faith in Karma. Today it's very real. And I hope the families of Milly Dowler and all the others who died...."
Former editor of the Daily Mirror Piers Morgan lamented the move, although he did slam their actions; “Shocked and saddened by closure of the News of the World. Scandals of past week indefensible, but has been a great British newspaper."
Founded in October 1843, the News of the World has an annual circulation of 3million readers today, despite the powers of 24-hour rolling news, social networking sites and the radical growth of the internet. It is famous for its hard-hitting interviews and massive investigations that send celebrities into a pit of shame. Some of its most famous moments included the undercover sting that exposed Sven-Goran Eriksson into agreeing to take over as Aston Villa manager in January 2006. Eriksson, contracted to England at the time announced his departure after the 2006 World Cup finals just days following the ‘fake sheikh’ investigation. It has also revealed Prince Harry’s experimentation with drink and drugs in 2002 and the spot-fixing involving Pakistan cricketers during last summer’s test series in England. Unsurprisingly, the News of the World has also had to fight many libel cases. England footballers Ashley Cole and Wayne Rooney have received damages out of court for sleazy stories that made the front page headlines, whilst former FIA president Max Mosley used an invasion of privacy into allegations regarding his private life in March 2008. Mosley won £60,000 in damages, but lost the battle to change privacy laws in the UK only two months ago. The News of the World has been underneath Rupert Murdoch’s News International banner since 1969.
MY VIEW
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| My symphony is with those affected by the disgusting practices |
Although the celebrity phone hacking scandal is totally the wrong way to go, the cynics would say that to be famous, you are going to get negative headlines and therefore, these sort of practices. However, once bereaved families are targeted, it becomes totally indefensible and inexcusable. The practices are sick and I can’t believe that some rogue journalists would stoop so low to get a story. Clearly there was no news in the world! I am very saddened by the whole issue and of course, I have every symphony with the families of Milly Dowler, Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, the 7/7 victims and families who have lost their loved ones at war. For their families to basically go through the whole nightmare in the public eye once again is really sad.
I am not saddened by the closure of the News of the World. Frankly, I felt the paper was full of unproven gossip and garbage. I already boycotted The Sun anyways, due my anger over their coverage of the 1989 Hillsborough football stadium disaster. Who I do feel sorry for are the innocent journalists, who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own. However, Rebekah Brooks keeps hers. It is unbelievable that she can still be backed by News International, especially after being the editor while Milly Dowler’s phone was being hacked into. How can she sleep at night! If she had any decent piece of soul in her body then she should do the honourable thing and resign.
I do hope the BSkyB takeover doesn’t go through either. Murdoch did introduce the concept of 24-hour rolling news into the UK and has revolutionised English football with the Sky Sports Premiership deal. Great things for sure, but I don’t think it would be in the audience’s interest for a rogue media organisation to own BSkyB, no matter how viable and profitable it is.
Will people miss the News of the World? Honestly, I don’t think so. The Today newspaper was the last major paper to get the chop and that was owned by Murdoch in November 1995. No-one remembers it today. Rumours are already flying around that The Sun on Sunday will be launched, so it will probably just be same stories, and similar angles with different name.
If there is a winner this week, it has to be Ed Miliband. The Labour leader has really managed to show some steel and determination to push for change in the British press industry this week. Miliband has put David Cameron under pressure and for me; the Prime Minister has not been convincing enough. If Andy Coulson is charged by police, it puts David Cameron in a very difficult and stressful position.
Ultimately, one of the main losers will be those studying journalism at colleges and universities. The Press Complaints Commission code needs a total rework and the new restrictions and ratifications that will come into force will just make the job for journalists even tougher. Fewer jobs will be around and if any budding journalism student had commonsense, don’t work for Rupert Murdoch! He doesn’t care about people’s feelings; he’s only after money and that’s all he’s ever thought about. So, he is the male version of Janine Malloy from EastEnders then!
It has been a sad and damaging week for the British press industry. The phone hacking scandal has dragged the reputation of many names in media through the mud and there are many losers in this. The story won’t go away and is going to drag on for the rest of the year, especially with enquiries and investigations likely to continue. If News International can ditch a newspaper and think it will solve the problems, they are seriously mistaken!
One more message; RESIGN REBEKAH! YOU’RE A DISGRACE!
