End of the World

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That long-running News of the World phone-hacking scandal has finally torpedoed Rupert Murdoch's British tabloid. The 168-year-old publication (Dickens almost certainly read it) will close on Sunday, 7.10, in an attempt to flush out sewage backwash from the Murdoch empire.

"The good things the News of the World does...have been sullied by behavior that was wrong," said James Murdoch, son of Rupert, in an official statement. "If recent allegations are true, it was inhuman and has no place in our company." "If"?

"The move to close The News of the World was seen by media analysts as a potentially shrewd decision: jettisoning a troubled newspaper in order to preserve the more lucrative broadcasting deal and possibly expand the company's other British tabloid, The Sun, to publish seven days a week." -- from Sarah Lyall and Brian Stelter's N.Y. Times story on the development.

Additionally: "British Metropolitan police have informed Andy Coulson, former media adviser to British Prime Minster David Cameron, that he will be arrested Friday in connection with the News of the World phone-hacking scandal. Coulson, who resigned as Cameron's director of commuications in January, was contacted by detectives on Thursday and told to appear for formal questioning on Friday."

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on July 7, 2011 at 9:36 AM

comment #1

MechanicalShark says ...

"You should try real journalism, Paul, because, you're not an idiot! You could really do it!"

ICE BURN. Okay, this is awesome, Hugh Grant is awesome. And that guy is a fucking weasel who got caught red-handed.

Posted by MechanicalShark at July 7, 2011 10:43 AM

comment #2

Eloi Wrath says ...

Murdoch's apparently been planning a downsizing for a while now. They'll wait a few weeks and relaunch as The Sun on Sunday, and use The Sun's existing editorial staff on a 7-day basis. So in one fell swoop, he's cleared himself of a toxic brand name and managed to sack 200 innocent journalists to save money on overheads, yet will still operate the paper under a different name.

He's quite a bastard.

Posted by Eloi Wrath at July 7, 2011 11:05 AM

comment #3

Kristopher Tapley says ...

Man. Grant owned that dude.

I remember working at The Times, in that giant complex (which also houses NOTW and The Sun). A well-oiled machine, that one. Helm's Deep.

Posted by Kristopher Tapley at July 7, 2011 12:13 PM

comment #4

bluetide says ...

This is a big deal; even they essentially relaunch as the "Sun on Sunday," the brand of both papers was strongly linked, it hurts them even with their most loyal readers. It's a big deal because Murdoch had to blink.

The bigger deal will be if the bSkyb deal is actually blocked by the government. That is a lose/lose for Cameron and co now because, if they allow it to go through, Labour has a hammer to beat them with for the next few years. Because of the coalition, Cameron always has the threat of a no-confidence vote hanging over his head and pushing through the bSkyb takeover might just instigate it.

So Murdoch can either pull every string and potentially bring down a conservative government to get a business deal he wants or he can lose a shit ton of money and credibility with stockholders on a deal he has coveted from over a decade. It will be fun to watch.

Posted by bluetide at July 7, 2011 2:49 PM

comment #5

Terry McCarty says ...

here's Piers Morgan via Twitter complaining about Hugh Grant on BBC's QUESTION TIME:
"You don't have to have any sympathy for the News of the World to think Hugh Grant's being a screechy, sanctimonious little prick."

Posted by Terry McCarty at July 7, 2011 3:18 PM

comment #6

moorish says ...

People are feeling all victorious now because the NOTW is being closed down, but ghink twice - apparently by putting the firm into liquidation Murdoch can just destroy all records, as liquidators seek to minimise liabilities. So all the other filth they've pulled? Buried forever. Satan laughs last.

Posted by moorish at July 7, 2011 4:08 PM

comment #7

Eloi Wrath says ...

Piers Morgan is an absolute twat.

Posted by Eloi Wrath at July 7, 2011 4:28 PM

comment #8

Kakihara says ...

bluetide: Plus, Cameron already let the Lockerbie bomber go. So enabling two faceless corporations to buy the law will not look good one bit.

Posted by Kakihara at July 7, 2011 6:33 PM

comment #9

JR says ...

Piers Morgan is such a piece of shit; who the fuck watches his show?

Kudos to Hugh Grant. He deserves lots of credit for this result.

Posted by JR at July 8, 2011 4:33 AM

comment #10

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Posted by olivia at August 30, 2011 11:14 PM

comment #12

charlesjmm says ...

Capatalism is what allows people like murdoch gain so much power. No political system is perfect.

The best way around government corruption is to spread news unoffically throughout the internet. State ran media is ran by the governments and private money hungry corporations and should never be taken 100% seriously.

Posted by charlesjmm at November 11, 2011 5:04 AM

comment #13