News of the World phone hacking scandal

[computer_rock]

tom watson on c4 news basically said there is a lot more shit to be dredged up in the coming weeks, some of which implicates the sun under rebekah wade's editorship. there is no way she's going to come out of this with a job...

 

[DannyL]

Christ, Milliband's a fucking muppet isn't he? You think he might have learned not just to repeat the same stock phrases over and over. David Cameron can sleep a bit easier.

 

[Leo]

also, broadcast/film are (by far) the most profitable and top priorities for the future of news corp. print accounts for only 13% of revenue, and while NOTW might be profitable (i'm not clear on that), it's peanuts to news corp if it means they can appear to be absolved and move forward with BSkyB.

 

[crackerjack]

also, broadcast/film are (by far) the most profitable and top priorities for the future of news corp. print accounts for only 13% of revenue, and while NOTW might be profitable (i'm not clear on that), it's peanuts to news corp if it means they can appear to be absolved and move forward with BSkyB.

Indeed (especially so when James, who couldn't give a toss about papers, takes over from his old inky dad), but judging from the response so far, it's not working. M3dia coverage has been universally cynical about his motives, closing down NotW to save RW's arse isn't a remotely clever move – it's a PR disaster.

What has she got on them? Let's play the hackergate Wade tapes.

 

[IdleRich]

Surely her days are numbered. Maybe when she has more time on her hands she can put more effort into Blood and Fire.

 

[IdleRich]

"I feel sorry for (some of) the people losing their jobs, but they obviously figured this is the only way to turn the story round."

Why feel sorry for them? From what I've read in the News of the World they will be living the life of riley on the dole, subsidized by the hardworking, honest taxpayer.

 

[Sectionfive]

http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0708/newsoftheworld_gallery.html

 

[IdleRich]

Anyone heard a rumour that the Daily Star has been raided?

 

[DannyL]

It's on the Guardian live blog, but nowt else so far.

I have to say I am fucking loving this.

And why sympathize with NotW journalists? Save it for someone who deserves it.

 

[Sectionfive]

Cops were there for two hours and took a disc with a record of all Goodman's computer activity.

Surely any of the paper that were not in the spotlight have themselves well covered by now?

 

[IdleRich]

This is interesting (from the Guardian live updates)

Renault has become the first advertiser to publicly extend its advertising boycott to cover all News International newspapers despite the publisher's decision to close the News of the World, Brand Republic reports. It reports that Renault - which spent £343,829 with the News of the World in the 12 months to the end of April, 2011, according to Nielsen - said in a statement:
As a result of the seriousness of the continued allegations of phone hacking by News of the World, Renault is reviewing its media advertising plans.
Pending the formal investigations, we currently have no advertising planned in any News International press titles in the immediate future.

If more follow suit then it shows that killing the NOW isn't working at all inn removing the taint from the Digger's company.

 

[crackerjack]

Surely her days are numbered. Maybe when she has more time on her hands she can put more effort into Blood and Fire.

And why sympathize with NotW journalists? Save it for someone who deserves it.

My sympathy is finite, and it extends to anyone sacked to save the hides of the rich and guilty. Not all NoW hacks are phone-hacking immigrant-baiting, lynch-mob-leading Tory-voting wankers, though I concede it might seem that way.

re Renault - if memory serves, they were the ones who pulled the plug on the Sun's "Hop off you Frogs" campaign by pulling advertising. Glad to see they haven't forgotten. (Don't buy French cars though - the parts cost a bomb and the computerised diagnostics means you have to get any minor engine repairs done at their own garages).

 

[gumdrops]

this story is truly amazing. but i wonder how much normal ppl really care. surely if the notw kept going, in a month or two no one would care so much. its wrong to tap into soliders families phones and so on BUT i think most ppl accept that thats just how low down and dirty journalism goes.

 

[Sectionfive]

xfactor's starting soon isn't it?

 

[crackerjack]

this story is truly amazing. but i wonder how much normal ppl really care. surely if the notw kept going, in a month or two no one would care so much. its wrong to tap into soliders families phones and so on BUT i think most ppl accept that thats just how low down and dirty journalism goes.

There's a world of difference between the down & dirty journalism that taps a rich celeb's phone and the kind that jeopardises the investigation of a murdered schoolgirl fo the sake of a story. People realise that, they're not that amoral.

 

[IdleRich]

Star are saying that they were just helping the police by giving them some emails relating to Goodman freelancing for them. We'll see I guess.

 

[crackerjack]

Star are saying that they were just helping the police by giving them some emails relating to Goodman freelancing for them. We'll see I guess.

Seen talk from people with good reason to know that Star is too penny-pinching to pay for hackers. They're not one that's really been in the loop over this (Mirror and Mail should definitely be next in line) so that makes sense.

 

[Leo]

There's a world of difference between the down & dirty journalism that taps a rich celeb's phone and the kind that jeopardises the investigation of a murdered schoolgirl fo the sake of a story. People realise that, they're not that amoral.

yeah, and pretty much every business article about this scandal implies the NOTW brand was too damaged to recover. and again, multitudes of unfazed faithful reader don't keep a paper financially afloat, it's the advertising. and major advertisers won't want to be associated with it.

i guess i can feel a little bit sorry for current reporters who weren't even there back when this stuff happened, and the non-writers who weren't involved (printers, delivery drivers, admin staff, etc.), but they still work for a sleazy tab, so sympathy is limited.

 

[crackerjack]

Steve Coogan just battered Paul McMullan on Newsnight. Even Greg Dyke piled in for a kick. McMullan must love it, loves the attention, cos he keeps coming back.

 

[baboon2004]

Have to say I think Coogan comes across badly here. If he is taking the same cash as is being earned by these methods (and he doesn't deny it), and so calling someone else 'morally bankrupt' is a bit rich. Obv the other guy is morally bankrupt, but still!

People buy these papers - closing down the NotW, however welcome temporarily, ain't gonna change this. To me, the real question is, why the fuck do people feel the need to read in depth about the murder of a child, or the murder of a random person? We all do to some extent or other, and so a bit of self-interrogation rather than lambasting admittedly below-scum journalists is what's really needed. We ALL have dressed extremely morbid curiosoity up as something else at some stage or another. It's like blaming arms dealers for war or something - yes they're reprehensible, but come on!

And all these companies withdrawing their advertising from NotW - let's see what things they've been more than happy to put their money INTO... start with Lloyds?

And why are Tory minsiters not eviscerated like this on Newsnight, for putting into place cuts which have no purpose other than to destory lives? Thsi whole thing reeks of a massive outpouring of sanctimony/people feeling good about themselves to me. which again, we all do, but let's fucking admit it!

All that said, of course i'm glad the NotW is closing. I just don't think it's (a) completely because of this scandal (b) gonna change all that much in the end. And those families' lives are still fucked, however sanctimonious Steve Coogan gets (and most of what he says seems to be about him!).