MURDOCK AND NEWS INTERNATIONAL ....

News Corp finally bows to huge public pressure and WITHDRAWS BSkyB bid ahead of debate

Will have to pay £38.5m 'break fee' for dropping takeover

By Daily Mail Reporter

Last updated at 2:38 PM on 13th July 2011

Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation today dramatically withdrew its bid for satellite broadcaster BSkyB in the wake of the phone-hacking scandal.

News Corp, which also owns the Sun and the Times newspapers as well as its 39 per cent shareholding in BSkyB, said it will continue to be a long-term shareholder in the company.

Chase Carey, deputy chairman, president and chief operating officer of News Corp, said: 'We believed that the proposed acquisition of BSkyB by News Corporation would benefit both companies but it has become clear that it is too difficult to progress in this climate.'

Downing Street had no immediate response to the news that the BSkyB bid had been dropped.

Shadow culture secretary Ivan Lewis said the 'remarkable' development was 'a victory for the public of this country, a victory for Parliament and a victory for the tremendous leadership that Ed Miliband has shown ever since this scandal emerged'.

Mr Lewis said it was important that the criminal investigation and judge-led inquiry continue regardless of the bid being withdrawn.

He told the BBC: 'What we mustn't allow this announcement today to do is to end the need to get to the bottom of this unethical and criminal behaviour that has so damaged our newspaper industry and has also threatened to undermine our democracy.'

Media analyst Roy Greenslade told Sky News: 'This is a great shock. There were stories overnight suggesting that they might just consider ditching News International altogether but they have ditched the idea of the bid altogether.

'I think in a sense it is the only sensible outcome as it had run into the sand. Rupert Murdoch perhaps did not want to defy the will of the people.'

He suggested that ultimately the bid could be revived if public opinion changes.

'In a couple of years time if all this cools down perhaps they will make another bid.'

Earlier today it emerged that News International executives have met to discuss selling off their remaining three remaining titles The Sun, The Times and The Sunday Times.

But there are no obvious buyers for the papers - and the executives agreed to revisit the issue in six months time, the Wall Street Journal revealed.

Today News Corp's Australian branch announced they would investigate all payments they had made for stories over the last three years as the scandal spread.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2014318/News-Corp-withdraw-bid-BSkyB.html#ixzz1RzcQCnYT

Something about all of this jars with me, LL - I simply do not believe that NI is the only news outlet that has been up to no good.

bb1 wrote:Something about all of this jars with me, LL - I simply do not believe that NI is the only news outlet that has been up to no good.

I told you to read 'Flat Earth News', Nick Davies has been banging on about this for years. One of the worst ones is the Daily Mail. I think it's more the tabloids; remember the Times and Sunday Times have, under Murdock become no better than redtops. LL

REBEKAH BROOKS QUITS NI!!!!

Message from Rebekah Brooks to staff:

"At News International we pride ourselves on setting the news agenda for the right reasons. Today we are leading the news for the wrong ones. The reputation of the company we love so much, as well as the press freedoms we value so highly, are all at risk.

As Chief Executive of the company, I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the people we have hurt and I want to reiterate how sorry I am for what we now know to have taken place. I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis. However my desire to remain on the bridge has made me a focal point of the debate. This is now detracting attention from all our honest endeavours to fix the problems of the past.

Therefore I have given Rupert and James Murdoch my resignation. While it has been a subject of discussion, this time my resignation has been accepted. Rupert's wisdom, kindness and incisive advice has guided me throughout my career and James is an inspirational leader who has shown me great loyalty and friendship. I would like to thank them both for their support.

I have worked here for 22 years and I know it to be part of the finest media company in the world. News International is full of talented, professional and honourable people. I am proud to have been part of the team and lucky to know so many brilliant journalists and media executives. I leave with the happiest of memories and an abundance of friends. As you can imagine recent times have been tough. I now need to concentrate on correcting the distortions and rebutting the allegations about my record as a journalist, an editor and executive.

My resignation makes it possible for me to have the freedom and the time to give my full cooperation to all the current and future inquiries, the police investigations and the CMS appearance. I am so grateful for all the messages of support. I have nothing but overwhelming respect for you and our millions of readers. I wish every one of you all the best."
by rebekah.cavanagh 10:10 AM

Then there were only two monkeys left....
An update from the police investigation may have contributed to this decision..??



After the hearing next week, Brooks and both Murdoch to be arrested....??

Someone on one of the new channels was suggesting that she may now be able to wriggle out of appearing before the Parliamentary committee she had agreed to testify before. Me, I don't know the ins and outs of all this. LL

She's quit!


Brooks Resigns Amid Phone Hacking Scandal


Embattled News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks has resigned amid growing political and commercial pressure over the phone hacking scandal

Full story at:

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Rebekah-Brooks-News-International-Chief-Executive-Resigns-Following-Phone-Hacking-Scandal/Article/201107316030910?lpos=UK_News_Carousel_Region_0&lid=ARTICLE_16030910_Rebekah_Brooks%3A_News_International_Chief_Executive_Resigns_Following_Phone_Hacking_Scandal

IMO, she should have fallen on her sword a week ago.

Rather looks like she's the sacrificial lamb so Murdock and son can get off the hook. But now the USA/FBI are investigating the 9/11 hacking allegations he may find this is a step too late. LL

Some public grovelling from Murdoch:



Full story at:

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Rebekah-Brooks-News-International-Chief-Executive-Resigns-Following-Phone-Hacking-Scandal/Article/201107316030910?lpos=UK_News_Carousel_Region_0&lid=ARTICLE_16030910_Rebekah_Brooks%3A_News_International_Chief_Executive_Resigns_Following_Phone-Hacking_Scandal

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/a-look-at-former-dow-jones-ceo-les-hinton-who-resigned-friday/2011/07/15/gIQA7xQsGI_story.html

Les Hinton who was in charge of Dow Jones has resigned.

Because of his age, I wonder if he simply decided he was too old to be dragged further into this mess?

I think that's possible, Bonny. He was not far off from retirement so why put yourself through it if you don't have to?

If he has worked with Murdoch since he was a teenager 52 ears ago, then he is well past retirement?

I think he said he would be retiring in 2012, Bonny. It's all happening so quickly. What's next in another 24 hours?

I just reread the article and realised it had his age on it - 67.
I wouldn't like to even try and guess what happens next, Lily, I keep thinking NI employees must have done something unspeakably awful, even worse than what has come out so far.

I think that too Bonny. It seems some of it has gone up to a level of seniority where a person can authorize payments, obviously.

Someone also has an axe to grind and that would be interesting to find out who that person or persons are. This is something that has taken time to investigate but the big question is, why choose now to come out with it?

An interesting take on matters from this side of the pond.

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/opinionla/la-ed-murdoch-20110716,0,1125672.story

There seem to be an awful lot of 'alledges' flying about...

Yes there are, Bonny. Murdoch is not liked by some in this country as his news is about the only conservative side you may watch on TV. It's important that we have it.
The media is very liberal by nature so it helps that there is another side of politics being heard. It's important to people like me, for instance, to hear both sides. That's what a democracy calls for.

I personally have no desire to see the media in the UK controlled by some ghastly coalition of the BBC and the Guardian, with the government deciding what could be printed/broadcast, Lily.
This mess needs cleared up, and those responsible held to account, but....it ill becomes any section of the UK media, or UK politics, to suddenly start acting as if they are whiter than white.

I'm totally with you there, Bonny. If two sides are not allowed then what is left? (Pardon the pun).

I also agree in that like you, I feel that there are others who are, as you say, not whiter than white.

Quite frankly, I would not be at all surprised if Mr and Mrs Average is not getting thoroughly fed up with hearing about all this, Lily - I know I am.

People were outraged by the Millie Dowler business, and the hacking of British servicemen's phones after their death.

Brooks should have gone then, not the whole NOTW. It should have been dealt with years ago, and it is largely the fault of the Labour party that it wasn't.

This business of anyone who has ever sat in the same building as Murdoch being dragged in by people with their own agenda , and it dominating the news hour after hour, day after day - I've stopped watching it.

If I was cynical, I would say Murdoch's long-term plan is to let the BBC, the Guardian, and the Labour party BORE everyone into indifference.