Last Sunday, The News of the World – one of the widest-read tabloids in the UK and Ireland – ceased publication after a record 168 years and a week embroiled in controversy, following revelations that its journalists ‘hacked’ the mobile phones of almost 4,000 people across the UK.
Some of the alleged victims include murdered British schoolgirl Milly Dowler and the families of dead soldiers. Others are politicians, members of the British royal family, celebrities and lots more.
There are also allegations of serious corruption by the paper. Already there are reports of collusion between The News of the World and the police, the latest regarding the theft of a ‘green book’ containing the phone numbers of Britain’s royals.
But the newspaper, one of Rupert Murdoch’s cash-cows, is not the only one to face questions over shady newsgathering practices. The Sunday Times and The Sun, which Murdoch also owns, are alleged to have illegally obtained personal information on former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown during his time as Chancellor. We believe more revelations are expected.
But the biggest question is, how did Murdoch’s media empire got entangled into this scandal? In its last edition, The News of the World offered a pitiful explanation: “Quite simply, we lost our way.”
We strongly believe that the scandal is a result of greed and competition gone mad. The only way of ensuring that this does not happen again is by bringing to justice all of those involved – journalists, executives and police alike.
news@metroeireann.com
