Rupert Murdoch and his son James were being questioned by MPs about News Of the World (NOTW) phone hacking scandal yesterday.
The media tycoon declared to be shocked and appalled by recent revelations. In a hesitant performance before MPs, he denied ultimate responsibility for the hacking scandal and blamed people he trusted for having let the newspaper group down.
His son James tried to reply for him several times, but MPs ensured Mr Murdoch senior answered himself; he confessed his regret over not calling in the police when he approved a £ 700,000 payout to a phone-hacking victim three years ago. In fact, he did not know it was common practice.
The pair’s evidence was followed by that of Rebekah Brooks, the NOTW chief executive who resigned her post last week, before being arrested on Sunday. The most powerful woman in British newspapers admitted she knew about the use of private detectives while she was editor of the NOTW, but declared that she would not have approved specific payments to investigators.
Yesterday Mr Murdoch was fighting to save his empire after two weeks of negotiations, apologies and arrests. In fact, before Ms Brooks was arrested on suspicion of corruption, Mr Coulson, the former official spokesman for PM David Cameron and the former editor of the News Of The World, had been arrested as well. Moreover, both Sir Paul Stevenson, who was Britain’s most senior police officer and the Met Assistant Commissioner, Mr John Yates, had resigned amid phone-hack scandal.
The most famous media empire appointed heir, James Murdoch, said he and his father would like over the next six months, years and years, to be judged on the actions the company takes to put this right.
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