Murdochgate

Do journalists’ arrests mark the end of the British scandal sheet?

Mick Fealty on February 17, 2012, 11:35 am | Readers 57

Phillip Stevens nails a few things in the FT. And it picks up some themes from Blair Jenkins point that the transparency principle applies not just to politicians, but journalists too: By the time the myriad investigations end quite a few journalists may have gone to jail. The process will raise justified concerns about press freedom. For all their flaws, Britain’s rumbustious newspapers are a vital check and balance on the abuse of power. The big challenge, however, does not …

Family ownership hindered News Corps’ ability to choose its own destiny, as a company

Mick Fealty on July 29, 2011, 8:37 am | Readers 3

So James Murdoch is to be retained as head of BSkyB. If you missed Simon Jenkins on the matter on Newsnight last night, try Alison Smith in the FT this morning As for BSkyB, the case for refreshing the board is compelling and goes well beyond the position of James Murdoch, newly bolstered as chairman. It has been for a long time. The enduring thought that Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp would buy the outstanding 60.9 per cent stake undoubtedly hindered …

Murdoch’s ‘total victory’ over the press unions may prove his company’s demise…

Mick Fealty on July 28, 2011, 1:04 pm | Readers 6

Now, I am not sure I completely accept the story that Eamonn McCann tells about the demise of the NUJ (it possible, with hindsight at least, to suggest they picked the wrong fight with the wrong man) as an active force within the Murdoch empire, but the washing out of individual conscience of the journalist, certainly at the News of the World, seems to have important factor in the slow undermining of News International’s news product over time: The absence …

Why not appoint a Scottish judge to investigate Murdochgate?

Mick Fealty on July 25, 2011, 11:24 am | Readers 1

Fascinating and thoughtful analysis from Lallands Peat Worrier on the subject of …the issue is one of the objective appearance of impartiality, which is clearly potentially compromised when the judge moves in the social milieu as the journalists, executives and officers they are examining. On twitter and in a comment after an article by David Allen Green at the beginning of July, I asked – why not appoint a Scottish judge to lead the inquiry? This wasn’t intended as rank …

Another case of another police force ‘looking the other way’?

Mick Fealty on July 13, 2011, 6:28 pm | Readers 8

There’s a striking similarity between the strange behaviour of Gardai, in three cases in which were just forgotten, or in which no serious inquiries were commenced and the behaviour of John Yates, who in 2009 dismissed within eight hours the suggestion that there were any further evidence of wrong doing in the case of the News of the World: Yates was asked by the commissioner to “establish the facts”. It is clear that he failed to do so. On Tuesday, …

Best of #Hackgate commentary (4)

Mick Fealty on July 10, 2011, 3:32 pm | Readers 5

Okay, so the list is getting longer each day, but if you and to get to grips with the latest on one of the biggest post war stories in UK politics and media, you can surf this lot. News International found “smoking gun” emails in 2007 An answer to quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Digital Networks. World’s End Shouldn’t Cost Freedom of the Press YouGov on the phone hacking scandal Leaked Labour email: lay off Murdoch Dizzy: Meanwhile, in the (un) …

Best of #Hackgate commentary (3)

Mick Fealty on July 9, 2011, 1:32 pm | Readers 5

Some of the best analysis of the last few days (with more to come): Cameron Says He’d Have Taken Brooks’ Resignation Ed’s Glass House 22 Dublin staff to lose jobs as Irish NOTW also axed July 2009: “No efforts were made to properly control reporters activities and the finances” The Greatest Publicity Stunt of a Generation News of the World: The paper that died of shame Cameron attempts to reassert his authority Phone hacking scandal: enemies of free press are …

Murdochgate: Time to stop feeding a desparate and overbearing ferryman..?

Mick Fealty on July 15, 2009, 12:55 pm | Readers 2

The #Murdochgate affair trundles on with big guns coming out on both sides. On Sunday Tim Montgomery one of the most respected figures (on all sides) of the British blogosphere came out with not so much a defence of Mr Coulson (no one who looks closely at his alleged role in a NOTW fishing expeditions can do that) as a spirited attack on the Guardian. Meanwhile Nick Davies at the Committee for Culture, Media and Sport yesterday, has named the …

Murdochgate: A scandal that’s only just beginning…

Mick Fealty on July 10, 2009, 5:01 pm | Readers 34

If you were watching closely enough yesterday you’ll have noticed that there was a buzz all around Westminster and associated media ports over the revelation that two of Rupert Murdoch’s papers have been conducting regular fishing trips against public figures (some political, some not), and that they had settled with three ‘victims’ for £1 million (or ’shut-the-f*ck-up’ payments as Rick puts in this excellent piece on where all of this is really heading). That’s a public interest story, if ever …

Hacking row widens as Yates of the Yard investigates.

Brian Walker on July 9, 2009, 4:16 pm | Readers 1

The very idea of a gagging out of court settlement in the News of the World hacking case is highly dubious in this age of trumpeted accountability. That a media group should seek such a settlement is typical hypocrisy of a high order. That a court should grant it and that the police and the CPS should take no further action when, as it appears, they knew most of the Guardian’s facts boggles the mind. Without the Guardian’s scoop who …