News of the World news...

[//\/\/]

...largest-selling English language 'newspaper' closed down yesterday following revelations that it hacked the phones of a murder victim (and deleted some messages, so her family thought their missing daughter was still alive), the families of other murder victims and the families of dead UK servicemen...

...and today it was revealed that 9/11 victims families were also targeted.

Bascially, every time you hear about a new low, you slap your head that you didn't see it coming - but only because they've stooped to such depths.

The owner? Rupert Murdoch. Who hasn't sacked his chief executive, despite the fact that she was editor of the paper at the time (but says she knew nothing because she 'was on holiday'. Y

Chickens are coming home to roost.

The Karma Monkey is sharpening his claws...

[jOHN rODRIGUEZ]

Don't even get me started on the whole Viagra party drug thing.

[Deckard]

I read Nick Davies's Flat Earth News a couple of years ago and thought I couldn't possibly be any more shocked by how the British press operate (not just Murdoch's titles), but it's been truly astounding to witness each day's new set of revelations over the past 8 days - and quite unsettling to see the extent to which politicians were apparently cowed. It's a strange time.

The latest: Gordon Brown (who's son has cystic fibrosis):

I had my bank account broken into. I had my legal files effectively broken into. My tax returns went missing at one point. Medical records were broken into. I don't know how this happened. I do know that in two instances, there is absolute proof that News International hired people to do this and the people who are doing this are criminals, known criminals in some cases with records of violence and fraud.

At the risk of citing "a source"...

Gordon insisted - despite a heavy brow-beating from Rebekah - that he was not willing to let his son's medical condition be the stuff of a Sun exclusive. So he put out a statement on PA to spike their scoop and make clear that despite his condition, Fraser was fit and healthy. The Sun were utterly furious, and Brown's communications team were told that if Gordon wanted to get into No10, he needed to learn that was not how things were done.

I've always known the tabs had a corrosive, poisonous effect on political life, but I had no idea that the press could have such a paralysing effect on parliamentary democracy itself. To hear Cameron now admitting "we were all in this together" and oily slimeballs like Mandelson admitting "we were scared" just beggars belief.

[Deckard]

So what are you feeling about NI's bid to control 100% of BSkyB now, in light of the Culture secretary's announcement that he would refer it to the Competition Commission as well as invite opinion from Ofcom?

I'm a bit uneasy about this. I think that unless the revelations involving The Sun and the Times really snowball, the delay could play into Murdoch's hands. The Competition Commission are likely to wave it through, I'd have thought. This may all come down to the actions of Ofcom.

It's quite gratifying reading all the comments from Sky News viewers (some of them definitely not lefties) warning that they'll drop the channel if it turns into a British Fox News.

[jOHN rODRIGUEZ]

f. soooooo much could/to be said here. But the only thing I can't get out of my head is the Viagra bit. I want to drive that part home. I don't know why. Sarcastic envy, maybe, in a twisted alternate reality or something.

Oh, and about G. Michael. Revenge CAN be sweet, innit bitch? :D

[Deckard]

Umm jOHN, what's viagra got to do with all this? Is this something else happening stateside? (Something else not as upright as it should be?)

[jOHN rODRIGUEZ]

You're weird.

:D

[Deckard]

Really? I'll take that as a sure sign of my sanity.

[Deckard]

The UK's three main political parties have united against Murdoch (http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jul/12/rupert-murdoch-bskyb-news-international)...
Rupert Murdoch will today face the humiliation of the Commons issuing a unanimous all-party call for his scandal-ridden News Corporation to withdraw its £8bn bid for BSkyB, the great commercial prize he has been pursuing to cement his dominance of the British media landscape.
Gotcha!! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_Sun_(Gotcha).png)

There's even a rumour swirling that he's considering the nuclear option: selling off ALL his UK newspapers. :eek:

Leaving aside Gordon McBroon's possible own goal (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-14133113), this is better than Christmas. :D

[Deckard]

BSkyB Bid Binned.

To quote our former deputy PM (https://twitter.com/#!/johnprescott/statuses/91139128263053312)

So BSkyB bid over. PCC to be abolished. Senior News International staff arrested. Inquiry into police and press on its way. Yep. I'm happy

With the two enquiries likely to last years, I don't see this coming back any time soon.

Sorry Fox News UK, you'll just have to wait.

[jOHN rODRIGUEZ]

http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/07/13/mcbride.british.journalism/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

[Rog]

I'm enjoying this:D i wonder if he'll go bust? ...........................one can always hope

[Sean]

If only the scandal would expand to his disgusting American media empire as well. As time goes by, I become more and more convinced that FOX "News" is doing deep, long-term damage to the intelligence of generations of Americans.

[Deckard]

If there's any truth to the 9/11 allegations, he's toast. While I wouldn't welcome any further heartache on those families, I find myself almost hoping they're true.

Over here, there's been at least one dramatic development a day for the last, what, 12 days - a key arrest, a new revelation, a senior resignation. Yesterday it was the turn of the most senior police officer in the country, "Sir" Paul Stephenson following allegations that seem so implicating, you just have to laugh.

The way this conspiracy appears to have straddled elements of the political establishment, the police and the press is quite unsettling. It's a miracle anything's come out about it at all, given that the three groups investigating the conspiracy are: politicians, police and press! (Three cheers for our left-of-centre politicians Tom Watson and Chris Bryant, and our financially struggling left-of-centre newspaper, The Guardian. The silence of the rest of the press over the last two years - even non-Murdoch titles - has been deafening.)

[jOHN rODRIGUEZ]

I reminds me of some movie where this drag queen looking queen says something like, "If I come tumbling down, you'll all come tumbling down right after me."

OR

Quentin Crisp saying, " . . . it's so much easier just dragging everyone down to your level."

;)

[jOHN rODRIGUEZ]

If only the scandal would expand to his disgusting American media empire as well. As time goes by, I become more and more convinced that FOX "News" is doing deep, long-term damage to the intelligence of generations of Americans.



[B]Ya know that thing called "Product Loyalty"? Well, it HAS morphed into the news cycle. I mean, strange as it MAY sound, even this has evolved in the world of creationists or something.

And boy do they CREATE!~

[?B]

[Rog]

The way this conspiracy appears to have straddled elements of the political establishment, the police and the press is quite unsettling. .)


but not suprising....................;)

[jOHN rODRIGUEZ]

This has to go down in history as the most HARDCORE Verbal Reprimand. EEEEEEEEvvvvvvvveeeeeeerrrrrrrrr.

*thumbs up*