Conley
07-22-2011, 09:40 AM
Two former News International executives publicly contradicted James Murdoch’s testimony to a parliamentary committee, saying Thursday that they told him of evidence in 2008 that suggested that phone hacking at one of the company’s tabloid newspapers was more widespread.
The former executives said they informed Mr. Murdoch at the time that he was authorizing an unusually large secret settlement of a lawsuit brought by a hacking victim.
Mr. Murdoch, who runs the News Corporation’s European and Asian operations, including News International, the British subsidiary, told the committee on Tuesday that he agreed to pay £725,000, which was then about $1.4 million, in the case because it made financial sense. He testified that he was not aware at the time of the evidence, which most likely would have become public had the case proceeded and undermined the company’s assertion that hacking was limited to “a lone rogue reporter.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/22/world/europe/22murdoch.html?_r=2&hp
It remains to be see what action if any UK government officials will take. I am really surprised things have gotten as big as they have over there. Part of it is the PC culture but I think many also have axes to grind with Murdoch. I think he knew all about the tapping and hacking though, there have been too many settlements for too much money for him not to ask why are we spending so much to make lawsuits go away.
The former executives said they informed Mr. Murdoch at the time that he was authorizing an unusually large secret settlement of a lawsuit brought by a hacking victim.
Mr. Murdoch, who runs the News Corporation’s European and Asian operations, including News International, the British subsidiary, told the committee on Tuesday that he agreed to pay £725,000, which was then about $1.4 million, in the case because it made financial sense. He testified that he was not aware at the time of the evidence, which most likely would have become public had the case proceeded and undermined the company’s assertion that hacking was limited to “a lone rogue reporter.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/22/world/europe/22murdoch.html?_r=2&hp
It remains to be see what action if any UK government officials will take. I am really surprised things have gotten as big as they have over there. Part of it is the PC culture but I think many also have axes to grind with Murdoch. I think he knew all about the tapping and hacking though, there have been too many settlements for too much money for him not to ask why are we spending so much to make lawsuits go away.