#PhoneHackingScandal
The Fall of a British Tabloid
#PhoneHackingScandal
The Fall of a British Tabloid
The News of the World phone hacking scandal was a major media and political controversy in the United Kingdom that came to light in the early 2000s and peaked in 2011. Journalists and private investigators working for the British tabloid were found to have illegally accessed the voicemails of celebrities, politicians, members of the royal family, and even victims of crime, most notably murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler. The revelation that the tabloid had deleted voicemails from Dowler’s phone sparked public outrage and led to the closure of the 168-year-old newspaper in July 2011. The scandal prompted multiple police investigations, high-profile arrests, and the Leveson Inquiry—a public investigation into press ethics and regulation. It exposed deep ethical failures within parts of the British press and raised serious concerns about media power and accountability.
Murdoch Declines $6m Bonus Amid NoW Phone Hacking Controversy
- Friday, 02 September 2011
James Murdoch declined a $6m bonus due to the controversy over phone hacking at News of the World, while his father Rupert received a $12.5m bonus. James' total remuneration for the year was $33.3m, up 47%. He stated that declining the bonus was the "right thing to do" and will consult with the compensation committee about future bonuses.
Journalist Arrested in Phone Hacking Probe: Ex-News of the World Writer Bailed Until October
- Thursday, 18 August 2011
James Desborough, a 38-year-old man and former News of the World journalist, was arrested on suspicion of conspiring to intercept communications as part of the phone hacking investigation. He was later bailed until October. Leslie Ash and her husband Lee Chapman settled their claim against the newspaper over allegations of illegal voicemail listening, with the couple planning to take action against other newspapers. The arrest is the 13th by the Met Police in Operation Weeting, and News International has declined to comment on the matter.
Former Phone Hacker's Letter Reveals News of the World Knew of Hacking Practices
- Tuesday, 16 August 2011
A letter from former royal editor Clive Goodman, who was jailed for phone hacking, alleges that senior figures at News of the World knew about the practice and that he was promised his job back if he didn't implicate the paper in court. The letter claims that hacking was "widely discussed" at the paper and that Goodman had been promised his job back by Tom Crone and Andy Coulson. A separate submission from James Murdoch, News Corp's deputy chief executive, revealed that £243,502 was paid to Goodman in relation to his claim of unfair dismissal.
Mirror Group Journalist Accused of Phone Hacking by Heather Mills
- Wednesday, 03 August 2011
Heather Mills claims that a senior Mirror Group journalist admitted to hacking her voicemails left by her then-boyfriend Sir Paul McCartney. The journalist allegedly rang her quoting parts of the recording, which Mills challenged as illegal. Trinity Mirror denies any wrongdoing, stating all their journalists work within the law and the Press Complaints Commission code of conduct.
