Rupert Murdoch apologized to victims of criminal phone hacking by one of his tabloids and accepted the resignations of News Corp's top two newspaper executives, Rebekah Brooks and Les Hinton.
Moving to gain control of a scandal washing over his global business, the U.S.-based magnate made a personal apology to the parents of a murdered schoolgirl in what appeared to be an admission that the News of the World, then edited by Brooks and overseen by Hinton, had in 2002 hacked into the voicemails of their missing daughter.
It was that damning allegation, in a rival newspaper 10 days ago, which reignited a 5-year-old scandal that has forced Murdoch to close the News of the World, Britain's best-selling Sunday paper, and drop a $12 billion plan to buy full control of highly profitable pay-TV operator BSkyB.
The crisis has broken the grip that Murdoch, 80, had over British politics for three decades as leaders from Margaret Thatcher, through Labor's Tony Blair to current Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron sought his support.
It has also forced him to make concessions to public calls that the executives who were in charge at the time of the scandal be held accountable.
Somebody left a comment on another thread that I should not get my hopes up about this scandal damaging Fox News, or destroying their credibility along with the other News Corp entities.
Yeah maybe not, but this has been a pretty satisfying summer so far, so I think I will follow my President's advice and embrace the audacity of hope.
How about you guys?
I think The Dark Lord is going down.
ReplyDeleteTo answer your headline: I sure hope not!" I agree that he is in a panic. The FBI is starting on the 9/11 hacking accusations.
ReplyDeleteHe's going to blame it on his age, get some doctor to write something better that Cathy Baldwin Johnson did for the governor who (thank heaven) quit, and then go behind the scenes and pull puppet strings.
ReplyDeleteI'm still holding out hope, but honestly, this guy is as slippery as they come. This apology is a little too late. The damage has been done to the families and friends of the victims. He's taking out full page ads in all the papers in the UK with his fake apology.
ReplyDeleteFox may escape the full wrath of the FBI, but my fervent hope is they're forced to back their stories and be held accountable for their journalistic malpractice and the bullshit they sling with Republican Candidates being given a platform to foment hate.
The uninformed take what they say as gospel truth, and he knows the power that gives him. Fox may remain, but not in the same form we've come to know it. It's hard to trust a company that exploits people's private communications, some at the most intimate time before their iminent death and after, to make money.
Gee don't u think it's funny that his head of fox news was the media consultant for RICHARD NIXON.
ReplyDeleteOh definitely, my hopes are up. First, FOX does their best to ignore the scandal (and maybe they were in the right to do so as that is their "mother company")however, I read today that with today's developments, I suppose FOX has had to at least address what is happening and their posture is "well, we are the victims." Oh poor them! No wonder Palin fits so well at FOX - play the victim card. Well, I hope it does not work. Does anyone honestly believe that FOX has never hacked someone's emails or voice messages, or at the very least that hacking was done on their behalf. Reminder: it was once said that Bush's White House fed FOX their talking points! To what extent (how high up in the U.S.) will this scandal go? Well, who knows. All I can personally say is that from the information I could glean in the early 70's, I was not surprised when Nixon was forced to resign and I would not be surprised in this case to see Murdoch/News Corp linked to the Bush/Cheney White House - especially about 911. And yes, my heart hurts a little, but my anger is stronger than the hurt. 911, Iraq, Swiftboat attacks on Kerry, on and on for the last 8+ years!
ReplyDeleteI'm embracing it with all my heart and strength.
ReplyDeleteKarma Mr Murdoch karma !
ReplyDeleteI'm loving it. And I click on every Murdoch story and comment. I fully support every Murdoch investigation. And Fox is complaining about the heavy coverage. Bwahaa!
ReplyDeleteI hope.
ReplyDeleteI hope ever son of a bitch and bitch involved in the hacking and deleting of that young girl's voice mail burns forever in the hell I don't believe in. But sure hope for right now.
No desire to hijack the thread - but...
ReplyDeleteYou can go to http://www.the-numbers.com/
and rate the Palin propaganda film.
wakeupAmerica: thank you, well said. I too will embrace it with all my heart and strength.
ReplyDeleteAnd to Anonymous at 5:13, by the Dark Lord, are you referring to Rupie? Or to Darth Cheney?
ReplyDeleteThe WSJ editor quit today. I wonder if Murdoch will hire Journaism whiz Sarah Palin to run it? She knows about hacking computers too.
ReplyDeleteYou can't destroy Fox News' credibility. It doesn't have any.
ReplyDeleteGreetings Mr. Gryphen,
ReplyDeleteI don't know about him shaking in his boots. The apology and firings are happening all too smoothly as if it was planned out "just in case". I'm not buying it. My thinking is that they are still going to rule just through another made up company like Palin did for her speaking fees.
They've mastered the art of deception and marketing, so the quicker they document the apology, the faster it seeps out of people's minds. Then it's back to business as usual.
Besides, this isn't the worst of what they are truly hiding. He's taking everything in stride with no fight flight or self preservation mode on display whatsoever. I think this iceberg is plenty deep underneath the surface and Mr. Murdoch (and Koch) are still sleeping easy.
It's like Christmas in July!
ReplyDeleteK-eep the Dream
ReplyDeleteA-live! Demand
R-upert
M-urdoch's
A-rrest.
Thanks, wakeUpAmerica -- me too.
And Fox News thinks that this scandal has been 'handled well' in Britain and is getting way too much attention here in the United States of Delerium. According to their stellar anchors, it is over, done, kaput, and I assume that the only reason it's in the news is that Obama wants it there, yes? I mean, we all know he spends his days dreaming up names to call Sarah, and perfectly rotten things to say about Fox News. I am praying they all go down, and soon.
ReplyDelete@DaisyDem, what I really meant was: Palpatine in Star Wars (The Emperor)
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palpatine
People Power is still powerful,that is why we will not falter or fail.The Bullies like Fox thought they could control everyone,but it is time to call out all the enablers,the politicians,who run to fox,who do their dirty work.Tar them with the same Murdoch brush and make it stick.Most of all, go after the companies who advertise on Fox.Look at the effect it had on Beck.By doing so we will bring back honesty and decency in our country.
ReplyDeleteWas Rupert Murdoch's mother a sharpei?
ReplyDeleteHis counsel is jumping ship, when your counsel wants out , that is not good. It is starting a lot like Enron, and we know how that ended.
ReplyDeleteJust let's not forget that the scandal involved bribing and according to the Hugh Grant video it involved generations of endemic bribery. I think Fox will make it out okay but my hope is that George Soros will buy it. Ha!
ReplyDeleteI'm wishin' and hopin'...and believin' that things are going to get worse for Murdoch.
ReplyDeleteDon't miss Bill Maher's New Rules on tonight's show! He lays into the criticism of critics of Michelle Bachmann and Sarah Palin and explains why we don't like them. He lets Newsweek have a piece of his mind, too.
His shareholders are upset about the scandal. The 2nd largest shareholder is the Saudi prince, who I believe, is forcing Murdock to apologize and fire the ones at the top in order to tamp down the scandal. It's big money (shareholders) who Murdock is listening to, otherwise, he really wouldn't give a damn.
ReplyDeleteThe end or marginalization of Fox News would drastically change the political climate in this country. Maybe we could all get along and congress could get something done. Dare to dream baby!
ReplyDeleteI am LOVING THIS!
ReplyDeleteMurdoch is a fetid turd that has polluted our nation's politics for FAR too long.
I really think he overplayed his hand and that events are far beyond his control. He has been a bully and blackmailer for decades and it appears that British politicians sense that this is the time that they can be rid of him forever.
Murdoch inspires fear, but little loyalty. Guaranteed there will be SOMEONE from within News International or News Corp that will be looking to cut a deal for themselves by rolling over on Murdoch. Remember, Murdoch hired most of these lowlifes specifically because they are liars, thieves, and character assassins. Why should Murdoch be surprised that there might be some of his employees that hate him enough to use their special skills to bring him down?
Over on FauxNews their first real mention of the story was Steve "Juicy Fruit" "Douchenozzle" Doocy whining about how the mean ol' media was "piling on" FauxNews and News Corp. I wonder what Douchenozzle will say when they drag Murdoch's wrinkled old ass to prison?
I don't see anyway that Murdoch survives this. Even if he manages to beat criminal charges, he faces the specter of THOUSANDS of lawsuits on both sides of the Atlantic. Additionally, he is extremely toxic to investors and becoming more poisonous by the day.
At the very least, Murdoch emerges a neutered shadow of his former self. He will no longer inspire fear, he will no longer be able to cow politicians.
I also think that his days at the helm of FauxNews are numbered, which means FauxNews as we know it is moribund and on a death watch.
Wouldn't it be absolutely magical if George Soros bought FauxNews? Can you imagine how apeshit the teabaggers would go?
If FauxNews disappears, there may actually be hope for a change in the political landscape in this country. For without FauxNews, the GOP and the teabaggers will not have an uncritical forum to peddle their sewage.
Excellent!
THERE is no question based on what is available already that this scandel CAN bring murdoch and his empire down.
ReplyDeletewhy do you think you see him doing what he is doing??
he is hoping people will say " o look he is really sorry and admits to what he has done so lets give him a break". well its all a bunch of bullshit becaue this guy doesnt give a rats ass about harming ANYONE.
the real question and the thing to warch is whether the politicians (you listening democrats????) and even obama who suffer from fox propaganda decide to go after him.
remember ge has lots of powerful friends but just as many powerfull enemies.
this i s obamas justice depts chance to go after this guy something a republican president would never do!
hahahaha
ReplyDeleteOn another funny note, Willow may be one of the hottest girls EVER but her prom dress this past spring was butt as ugly. Pic to follow shortly.
He has money. He will suffer some but will get off. Sad but true
ReplyDeleteO/T Palin Campaign HQ Launches Palin Documentary 'The Undefeated'
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHBlh9H6T88&feature=player
_embedded#at=146
A behind-the-scenes look at the intricate political chess game that went on behind the scenes at Palin Campaign. Release timing of Stephen K. Bannon's political documentary 'The Undefeated' about Sarah Palin has the campaign director upset, angry and in a rage. The launch date coincides with the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. The emotion is palpable. A moving look behind the scenes of political marketing and propaganda.
Gryphen, while I tend to think that Nurdoch just may get away with this, I also think the wrong peeps were attacked by him.
ReplyDeleteI truly think that the 9/11 victims are not just one areas victims, but the victims that most americans hold much feeling for.
I doubt that this will put Murdoch in prison like he belongs, but t may keep him out of the USA.
Maybe to pay for his defense Faux would have to get rid of the political pundints(yes I spelled it the Palin way)Palin way) and pay for his defense using their salaried
Murdoch and his son belong in prison, though they may never live in one, I hope they are relegated to living in forgiegn countries to avoid prison sentences in the USA and Europe( I truly believe other European nations will jump on the band wagon as infoo becomes public).
He's got too many friends in positions of power to go to jail but what would really, really hurt him is being sued and losing buckets of money because Murdock is a greedy, greedy man.
ReplyDeleteProbably won't occur, but the corrupt sob and his organization's criminal minions deserve to have "the book" thrown at ALL of them, need to be taken down and brought to justice.
ReplyDeleteWould LOVE to see Fox decimated as a result of this scandal. While it's possible, it's rather improbable that they will suffer any great damage, even if they are found to have been involved in these type of criminal actions. The loss of the rethugs' huge propaganda machine would be a setback so severe for them, they would have difficulty recovering. Fox being put in serious jeopardy would be bad for rethug business. Ergo, the "R" power brokers will do everything possible to prevent that from happening.
Gryph, there's the excellent article on Nick Davies in an Australian paper (The Sydney Morning Herald).
ReplyDeletehttp://www.smh.com.au/business/media-and-marketing/the-journalist-who-brought-down-a-newspaper-20110714-1hf5f.html
Nick is the courageous Guardian reporter who has been sticking to the phone-hacking story like a burr over several years. despite intimidation from the Murdoch empire *and* UK police in Murdoch's pocket.
He's the Woodward & Berstein of England's Watergate. A real hero, and an inspiration to us all.
Does anyone remember the South Park take on the BP oil spill? With the BP guy saying "blah blah blah... we're REALLY sorry." This is what rupee is doing now "blah blah blah... we're really sorry." HAHA!
ReplyDeleteHey $arah...your so called "hacker" got a year in prison....how much time to you think your sugar daddy, puppetmaster should get for the massive hacking he did? Just askin' hon........
ReplyDeleteAnonymous @ 7"01 PM said...
ReplyDelete"Was Rupert Murdoch's mother a sharpei?"
No. His Father was the sharpei.