News Corp.

Eight "Scathing" Passages From The News Corp. Report

Eric Lach | May 1, 2012, 4:14PM

In the world of the News Corp. phone-hacking scandal, "scathing" is the word of the day. It's the word that has been widely used to describe the report released today by the UK Parliament's select committee on culture, media and sport -- though harsh, severe, berating, or critical would also serve.

Even observers in the UK were surprised at the 100+ page report's language. "Everyone was kind of astonished," Steve Hewlett, a columnist at The Guardian and host of the BBC Radio 4 Media Show, told TPM today. While the practical and political implications of the report are still being sorted out, its tone is unambiguous. See for yourself. Below, we've highlighted eight of the most, yes, "scathing" passages written by the UK lawmakers. (And you can read the full report here.)

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News Of The World

Murdoch Faces New Pressure Following Parliamentary Report

Eric Lach, Ryan J. Reilly, David Taintor | May 1, 2012, 10:48AM

The latest twist in the News Corporation phone hacking scandal came today in the form of a scathing UK parliamentary report that, among other things, states that its patron Rupert Murdoch "is not a fit person to exercise the stewardship of a major international company."

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News Of The World

James Murdoch: Ex-NOTW Employees Misled Parliament When They Said I Misled Parliament

Jillian Rayfield | November 10, 2011, 12:13PM

James Murdoch on Thursday again denied that he misled Parliament when he said he did not know the extent of the practice of phone hacking at News Of The World, claiming that former News International employees gave Parliament testimony that was "not right."

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Rupert Murdoch

What You Need To Know Before James Murdoch's Second Parliament Hearing

Jillian Rayfield | November 9, 2011, 7:45PM

As News Corp deputy CEO James Murdoch prepares to make his second appearance before Parliament on Thursday, here's what you need to know about his testimony over the News Of The World phone hacking scandal.

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News International

Key Ex-NOTW Reporter Tries For Whistleblower Status In Wrongful Termination Suit

Jillian Rayfield | September 28, 2011, 1:56PM

A former News Of The World reporter, who is a central figure in the phone hacking scandal, is claiming whistleblower status in a wrongful termination lawsuit against the defunct tabloid's parent company News International.

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News International

News Corp May Face Legal Action In The U.S.

Jillian Rayfield | September 23, 2011, 11:14AM

A British attorney, who represented the family of a murder victim whose phone was hacked by News Of The World journalists, says he is teaming up with a lawyer in the U.S. to begin legal proceedings against the Murdochs and News Corporation.

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News Corp.

Scotland Yard Drops Bid To Force The Guardian To Reveal Phone Hacking Sources

Jillian Rayfield | September 20, 2011, 5:15PM

New Scotland Yard

British police have backed off their attempt to force The Guardian to reveal its confidential sources who helped uncover the News Of The World phone hacking scandal.

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News Of The World

DOJ Reportedly Asking News Corp For Info Related To Police Bribery Probe

Jillian Rayfield | September 20, 2011, 4:54PM

U.S. prosecutors have reportedly sent News Corporation a letter requesting information for an investigation into whether the company violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, in relation to allegations that News Corp reporters bribed police officers in Britain.

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News International

News International Reportedly Offers $3M Phone Hacking Settlement To Family Of Murdered Teen

Jillian Rayfield | September 19, 2011, 4:46PM

Rupert Murdoch with News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks

Rupert Murdoch's News International has reportedly offered upwards of 2 million pounds (over $3 million) as a settlement to the family of Milly Dowler, a 13-year old murder victim whose voice messages were hacked by journalists working for News Of The World.

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The Guardian

UK Police Trying To Force The Guardian To Reveal Phone Hacking Sources

Jillian Rayfield | September 16, 2011, 6:08PM

New Scotland Yard

The UK's Metropolitan Police Department is trying to force The Guardian to reveal its confidential sources who helped the paper uncover the News Of The World phone hacking scandal.

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News Corp.

JK Rowling, Hugh Grant Among 'Core Participants' In News Of The World Public Inquiry

Jillian Rayfield | September 14, 2011, 12:19PM

Accio witnesses!

Harry Potter author JK Rowling and actor Hugh Grant are among those listed as "core participants" in the UK's public inquiry into the News Of The World phone hacking scandal.

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James Murdoch

James Murdoch To Be Recalled By Parliament Over Allegations He Lied

Jillian Rayfield | September 13, 2011, 9:33AM

James Murdoch

British Parliament will recall News Corporation's James Murdoch to testify regarding claims by former News International employees that he misled the culture, media and sport select committee during his initial testimony in July.

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News Of The World

New Testimony Refutes James Murdoch's Claim Of Ignorance In Phone Hacking

David Taintor | September 6, 2011, 10:55AM

Former News International executives on Tuesday undermined James Murdoch's claim that he was unaware of phone hacking at the now-defunct News of the World tabloid.

Tom Crone, formerly News of the World's legal manager, told a House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee that he is "certain" James Murdoch knew of an email that implicated several reporters in phone hacking, the Guardian reports.

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Rupert Murdoch

James Murdoch Declines His $6M Bonus But Rupert Murdoch Gets $12.5M

Jillian Rayfield | September 2, 2011, 5:29PM

James Murdoch declined his $6 million bonus from News Corporation in light of the phone hacking scandal, calling it "the right thing to do."

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Rupert Murdoch

News International Reviewing Standards At All Its Papers In Wake Of Phone Hacking

Jillian Rayfield | August 30, 2011, 2:05PM

News Corporation subsidiary News International says its conducting reviews of journalistic standards at all of its U.K. publications, in the wake of revelations about widespread phone hacking at its now-defunct News Of The World tabloid.

The news was first reported by Mark Hosenball and Georgina Prodhan of Reuters.

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Rupert Murdoch

NYC Kills $27M Education Deal With News Corp Over Phone Hacking

Jillian Rayfield | August 29, 2011, 2:45PM

New York City ditched a $27 million education contract with News Corp subsidiary Wireless Generation, citing the ongoing investigations into the phone hacking allegations related to News Corp's now-defunct News Of The World tabloid.

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Andy Coulson

News International Reportedly Paid Former Editor While He Was Working For The Conservative Party

Jillian Rayfield | August 23, 2011, 12:47PM

Former News of the World editor Andy Coulson

News International reportedly made payments to former News Of The World editor Andy Coulson after he had been hired to serve as communications chief in the Conservative Party.

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News Corp.

Convicted Private Investigator Ordered To Name Names In Phone Hacking Scandal

Jillian Rayfield | August 19, 2011, 4:40PM

Glenn Mulcaire

Glenn Mulcaire, the private investigator convicted of hacking into cell phones on behalf of News Of The World, was ordered to reveal who at the tabloid told him to hack into the phones of several public figures.

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Rupert Murdoch

Police Arrest News Of The World's Hollywood Reporter Over Phone Hacking

Jillian Rayfield | August 18, 2011, 12:56PM

Scotland Yard made its thirteenth arrest related to the News Of The World phone hacking scandal, this time taking award-winning Hollywood reporter James Desborough into custody on Thursday.

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Rupert Murdoch

Former NOTW Employees: James Murdoch Knew Another Reporter Was Involved In Phone Hacking

Jillian Rayfield | August 16, 2011, 12:56PM

James Murdoch

In what one MP called "devastating" documents, several former News Of The World employees and a law firm contest parts of James Murdoch's testimony to Parliament, and allege that he knew more about the extent of the scandal than he has claimed.

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Rupert Murdoch

News Corp: Phone Hacking Scandal Might Be Bad For Our Rep

Jillian Rayfield | August 15, 2011, 3:49PM

News Corp has allowed that the ongoing UK and US investigations into the News Of The World phone hacking scandal might just hurt its reputation and business interests.

"It is also possible that these proceedings could damage our reputation and might impair our ability to conduct our business," the company said its annual report, filed to the SEC on Monday.

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News Corp.

British MP Planning Lawsuit Against News International

Jillian Rayfield | August 12, 2011, 5:29PM

Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats Simon Hughes

Simon Hughes, a Liberal Dem MP, is planning to file a civil law suit against News International over allegations that the company's News Of The World tabloid hacked into his phone.

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Rupert Murdoch

James Murdoch Has Until Thursday To Respond To Allegations He Misled Parliament

Jillian Rayfield | August 10, 2011, 4:25PM

James Murdoch

News Corp's James Murdoch has until Thursday to respond to questions from Members of Parliament, relating to allegations that he misled them during his testimony in July.

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News Corp.

Scotland Yard Makes Another Arrest In Phone Hacking Investigation

Jillian Rayfield | August 10, 2011, 12:11PM

Scotland Yard has made its twelfth arrest in connection with the News Of The World phone hacking scandal -- reportedly Greg Miskiw, a former News of the World newsdesk executive.

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News Corp.

News Corp's Sunday Times Reportedly Bans Subterfuge

Jillian Rayfield | August 9, 2011, 10:56AM

The Sunday Times

News Corp's Sunday broadsheet the Sunday Times has reportedly banned the use of subterfuge -- including the use of pseudonyms and alter egos -- in the wake of the News Of The World phone hacking scandal, according to The Guardian.

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News Corp.

British MPs Call On Piers Morgan To Respond To Heather Mills Phone Hacking Claims

Jillian Rayfield | August 4, 2011, 11:22AM

Piers Morgan

Though members of the British Parliament say they have no plans to call Piers Morgan to testify before them just yet, two lawmakers have called on the celebrity CNN host to answer questions about his connection to Heather Mills' allegations about phone hacking at Trinity Mirror.

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Rupert Murdoch

Heather Mills: Trinity Mirror Reporter Admitted He Hacked My Phone

Jillian Rayfield | August 3, 2011, 6:35PM

Heather Mills walks with now ex-husband Paul McCartney and Russian PM Vladimir Putin

Former model Heather Mills alleged on Wednesday that a reporter working for the British newspaper publisher Trinity Mirror admitted to her that he hacked into her cell phone to get a story about her and then-boyfriend Paul McCartney.

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News Corp.

Key Former News Of The World Editor Arrested Over Phone Hacking Scandal

Jillian Rayfield | August 2, 2011, 10:37AM

British police have arrested another key figure in connection with the News Of The World phone hacking scandal, taking former News of the World managing editor Stuart Kuttner into custody Tuesday.

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Rupert Murdoch

News Of The World Also Accused Of Computer Hacking, Mass E-Mail Deletion

Jillian Rayfield | August 1, 2011, 11:23AM

Scotland Yard announced Saturday that it will set up a new task force to investigate allegations that News Of The World reporters took part in computer hacking as well as phone hacking.

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Rupert Murdoch

New York Post Employees Told To 'Preserve' Documents Related To Phone Hacking

Jillian Rayfield | July 29, 2011, 6:04PM

Employees of the New York Post were instructed Friday to "preserve and maintain" any documents that may relate to the practice of phone hacking or bribing of public officials.

The legal department for News Corp, the Post's parent company, explained in a memo to Post staff that "we are sending this notice not because any recipient has done anything improper or unlawful. However, given what has taken place in London, we believe that taking this step will help to underscore how seriously we are taking this matter."

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Rupert Murdoch

Parliament May Call Back James Murdoch Over Allegations He Lied

Jillian Rayfield | July 29, 2011, 12:00PM

James Murdoch

Members of the British Parliament say they could call James Murdoch back to testify, amid allegations that he misled a committee in his testimony on the News Of The World phone hacking scandal.

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Lord Justice Leveson

News Of The World Reportedly Hacked Phone Of Another Murder Victim's Mother

Jillian Rayfield | July 28, 2011, 1:05PM

Rupert Murdoch with News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks

News Of The World reportedly hacked the phone of another woman whose daughter had been murdered -- and the phone may have been given to her by former NOTW editor Rebekah Brooks.

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Rupert Murdoch

UK Parliament 'Very Keen' To Hear From Three Men Who Dispute James Murdoch's Testimony

Jillian Rayfield | July 27, 2011, 12:01PM

James Murdoch

After three people came forward to dispute parts of James Murdoch's testimony before Parliament, the chair of the Committee who held the hearings said Tuesday that he'd be very interested to hear more from them, and "if they have doubts about any testimony they should get in touch with us immediately."

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Rupert Murdoch

British Terrorism Victims Suspect Scotland Yard Leaked Phone Numbers To News Of The World

Jillian Rayfield | July 25, 2011, 11:47AM

Lawyers for survivors of the July 2005 terrorist attack in London are looking into whether Scotland Yard officers leaked their phone numbers to News Of The World.

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Rupert Murdoch

Report: Justice Department Prepping Subpoenas For News Corp Inquiry

Jillian Rayfield | July 22, 2011, 9:20AM

The Department of Justice is preparing subpoenas for preliminary investigations of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, according to the Wall Street Journal.

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James Murdoch

Two Ex-News Of The World Employees Claim James Murdoch Misled Parliament

Jillian Rayfield | July 21, 2011, 4:38PM

James Murdoch

A former reporter and the former legal manager for News Of The World are disputing part of James Murdoch's Tuesday testimony before Parliament, saying he knew there were other reporters involved in the phone hacking before News Corp settled a phone hacking lawsuit by the former head of Professional Footballers' Association.

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Rupert Murdoch

Other British Papers May Soon Be Implicated In Phone Hacking Scandal

Jillian Rayfield | July 21, 2011, 12:03PM

British Prime Minister David Cameron

Britain's phone hacking scandal isn't likely to go away any time soon, as allegations begin to surface that other news outlets took part in the practice as well.

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News Of The World

David Cameron Defends Himself Against 'Conspiracy Theories' About Phone Hacking

Jillian Rayfield | July 20, 2011, 12:03PM

In a rowdy special session of Parliament on Wednesday, UK Prime Minister David Cameron was grilled by the House of Commons over his hiring of a former News Of The World editor who has been implicated in the phone hacking scandal, telling Labour leader Ed Miliband to "stop hunting feeble conspiracy theories and start rising to the levels of events."

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Rupert Murdoch

Parliament Report: News International 'Deliberately' Tried To 'Thwart' Phone Hacking Investigation

Jillian Rayfield | July 20, 2011, 10:44AM

The British House Of Commons released a scathing report Wednesday accusing Rupert Murdoch's News International of "deliberately trying to thwart" the initial investigation into the News Of The World phone hacking allegations.

"We are astounded at the length of time it has taken for News International to cooperate with the police but we are appalled that this is advanced as a reason for failing to mount a robust investigation," the report said.

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Rupert Murdoch

Murdochs At The Phone Hacking Hearings: We Didn't Even Know There Was Anything To Know

Jillian Rayfield | July 19, 2011, 2:35PM

Though the substance of the Parliamentary hearings over the News Of The World phone hacking scandal threatened to be overshadowed by Rupert Murdoch's plate of shaving cream to the face, the upshot of the almost three-hour session was the Murdochs' repeated assertions that they had no idea that many of the most egregious instances of phone hacking were occurring.

The hearing began with profuse apologies over the hackings, with James Murdoch saying that "these actions do not live up to the standards that our company aspires to," and News Corporation chief Rupert Murdoch calling Tuesday "the most humble day of my life."

But most of the hearings were characterized by the odd dynamic between James Murdoch's convoluted claims to "no direct knowledge" of the phone hackings, and his father's claims to "no direct knowledge" of essentially anything he was asked. James Murdoch repeatedly interrupted his father to give carefully worded answers about the sprawling allegations, while Rupert Murdoch's answers were characterized by long pauses and curt responses that he was never informed about the details.

When at one point James Murdoch tried to say that it'd be "more helpful" if he could answer about the particular details of what the company knew, one Committee member replied: "It's revealing in itself what he doesn't know and what executives chose not to tell him."

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