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Seshmeister
07-07-2011, 02:47 PM
I don't usually post much about UK news but this may be of interest.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14070733


To summarize Murdoch has had to shut down the biggest Sunday newspaper in the UK with 3 million readers because of their sordid shitty evil practices.

For months there has been a scandal on this when it was discovered that for years journalists had been hacking peoples cell phone voice mail. It may work in the US too so worth checking, basically if you don't change the default security(PIN) number on your phone then it's quite easy for someone else to pick up your messages. This was bad enough when it was thought they were doing it just to get sex stories about celebrities but in the last week it was discovered that the News International people had done it with the phones of crime victims.

A kid who had gone missing had her messages hacked and then when they deleted them, obviously the parents and everyone else thought they may still be alive. Kid turned up dead 6 months later. They have been doing this with terrorist victims families and all sorts.

Final sting in the tail is it seems they were bribing cops to get the phone numbers of the victims.

If anyone ever had any doubt that News International are evil fucks then that's over.

FORD
07-07-2011, 03:20 PM
Yeah, I've been paying attention to this story. Not that the whore media in the US are covering it, but Hartmann, Olbermann, and Malloy have.

Murdoch and his minions are accessories to that girl's murder, as far as I'm concerned. And what's with the report that they were also hacking into the cellphones & laptops of troops in Iraq?

And if they're doing this in the UK, does anybody doubt that they aren't doing the same thing here? Or do they just outsource it all out to Breitbart and his little "pimp" boyfriend James O'Keefe?

sadaist
07-07-2011, 03:53 PM
Such a shitty fucking world we live in when so many care so little for their fellow man. We need Van Halen more than ever!

Seshmeister
07-07-2011, 05:46 PM
Half the fucking newspapers here aren't even mentioning it because either Murdoch owns them or they also have closets full of skeletons.

I bet Fox News hasn't either.

Shows just how important a diversity of ownership of the media is.

James 'Damien' Murdoch wants the BBC broken up which is the biggest argument I've ever heard for it.

Seshmeister
07-07-2011, 05:53 PM
Yeah, I've been paying attention to this story. Not that the whore media in the US are covering it, but Hartmann, Olbermann, and Malloy have.

Murdoch and his minions are accessories to that girl's murder, as far as I'm concerned. And what's with the report that they were also hacking into the cellphones & laptops of troops in Iraq?

And if they're doing this in the UK, does anybody doubt that they aren't doing the same thing here? Or do they just outsource it all out to Breitbart and his little "pimp" boyfriend James O'Keefe?

Another thought if you want to be paranoid is that up until very recently News International and Murdoch owned Myspace.

How many people use the same passwords for their email and their social networking sites...?

sadaist
07-07-2011, 06:02 PM
I bet Fox News hasn't either.




Correction. I was watching Casey Anthony stuff earlier and FOX did say some stuff about this but I wasn't really paying attention. So I don't know if they maybe glossed it over or not.

chefcraig
07-07-2011, 06:40 PM
NBC Nightly News is featuring this as a lead story as I type this (6:35 PM), including the details of the armed forces.

Seshmeister
07-07-2011, 06:41 PM
He's just closed the biggest selling newspaper in the Western world which has been running for 168 years.

His newspapers here led today with the royals canoeing in Canada.

Maybe it's just got too big.

BITEYOASS
07-07-2011, 07:19 PM
In honor of this occasion:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZHQ4M6IqVs


Lyrics to Dear Mr. Murdoch :
(Roger Taylor)

Dear Mr. Murdoch, what have you done
With your news of the screws and your soaraway sun?
You sharpen our hatred
You've blunted our minds
We're drowning in nipples and bingo and sex crimes
How many time must they poke and they pry
Must they twist and lie?
Just to add to the grime they even screwed up the times
Love to kick their arse goodbye oh wouldn't i!

Dear Mr. Murdoch you play hard to see
But with your bare-arsed cheek you should be on page three
And dear Mr. Murdoch you're really the pits
Bad news is good business, you're the king of the tits

They stain all they touch, they're real woman haters
But we're on their trail
They go straight for the lowest common denominators
How could they fail? go straight to jail - (no bail)!

Dear Mr. Murdoch you're a powerful man
You control half our media whose values don't scan
And dear Mr. Murdoch we're not so amused
Just line up the people whose lives they've abused

Dear Mr. Murdoch what do you know
With your minions like vultures and carrion crow
They've sunk just as low as humans can sink
For profit they tell us how mass murderers think

And dear Mr. Murdoch you come down from on high
You even bought up the air waves, you control all our sky

Dear Mr. Murdoch you're a dangerous chap
With your jingoist lingo we're drowning in crap

Dear Mr. Murdoch where are you coming from?
Getting so hard to tell if you're a yank, oz or pom

Dear Mr. Murdoch you're really the pits
Bad news is good business, you're the king of the tits

Dear Mr. Murdoch you do it with zing
At lowering the standards you're really the king

And dear Mr. Murdoch what have you done?
You're not quite as nice as attila the hun

chefcraig
07-07-2011, 08:40 PM
George Michael Thrilled That 'News of the World' is Shutting Down

Singer takes to Twitter to criticize former editor Rebekah Brooks in phone hacking scandal

ROLLING STONE (http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/george-michael-thrilled-that-news-of-the-world-is-shutting-down-20110707)

George Michael has responded to the news that Rupert Murdoch's News International has shut down the scandal-plagued British newspaper News of the World by declaring that today is a "fantastic day for Britain." The paper has been accused of eavesdropping on the phone messages of murder victims, politicians and celebrities such as Michael. According to the Associated Press, the News of the World got a lead on the singer's DUI arrest last year by hacking his phone.

In a series of tweets earlier today, Michael accused News of the World editor Rebekah Brooks of corruption. "Rebekah Brooks sat two feet from me in my own home and told me that it was never the public that came to them with information," the singer wrote, "or celebrities, and that the police always got there first." He further explained that Brooks had not been invited into his house and that he had no idea how she got in.

Michael clarified that his attack on Brooks is "in no way an excuse for any of my behavior," referring to his substance abuse issues and imprisonment for driving under the influence of drugs. "I was happy to do my time, because I was so ashamed."

"I believe every individual, whether privileged or the average citizen, deserves the law," the singer tweeted. "And many of us, rich or poor, have been denied it by News International."

standin
07-07-2011, 09:24 PM
Cheers!

Seshmeister
07-07-2011, 11:20 PM
I don't see a lot of media reporting it in the US but just to clarify, next week Murdoch is awaiting the decision on whether he is allowed to take over 1/3 of the TV in the UK which is worth a fuck of a lot more than any newspaper. Dominance that would breach the law in the US or Australia but we don't have that protection.

Also a lot of advertisers had already announced in the last days or two that they were pulling out in disgust from the News of the World.

Nitro Express
07-08-2011, 01:46 AM
Newspapers are pretty much a dinosaur. I used to get the Wall Street Journal, the local paper, and the USA Today. Now everything I used to read in the Wall Street Journal is on the internet in real time. Many local papers have disappeared or are owned by a larger conglomerate. They are basically a rehash of what you already read on a major internet news site with some local news added. Our local paper has a website with ads so if I want a local story I just go there instead of subscribing to the paper. The USA Today was great in the 1980's. The problem is if you need to line the birdcage or start a fire, you can't find any damn newspaper in the house anymore.

standin
07-09-2011, 08:44 PM
UK tabloid closure points to Murdoch savvy

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Rupert Murdoch's decision to close the 168-year-old weekly British tabloid at the center of a phone-hacking scandal is an example of what the controlling shareholder of News Corp. does best — seize the news agenda, and when necessary, cut his losses.
He's also got his eye on a much bigger prize.

The surprisingly bold move to shutter News of the World, a financial pipsqueak, is the best way to stem the flow of damaging headlines at rival newspapers and clear regulatory hurdles that stand in the way of News Corp.'s pending multi-billion-dollar acquisition of British Sky Broadcasting, a cash cow that will boost earnings of the media giant.

"This is, to me, Murdoch taking back control," said Louise Cooper, a markets analyst at London-based BGC Partners. "The whole thing is an utter mess. He's trying to make the best of it he can."

Murdoch, 80, has a long history of daring business decisions. He was born in Australia, the son of a newspaper magnate, and started his own newspaper empire there. He's purchased assets, like Wall Street Journal owner Dow Jones & Co., and created others from scratch, like the Star tabloid and Fox broadcast network.
As the company's chief executive, Murdoch presides over an empire with a wide array of media assets, including the Fox broadcast network, cable channels such as FX and Fox News, TV stations, the 20th Century Fox movie studio and newspapers around the world, including The New York Post and The Sun in the U.K. Murdoch controls 40 percent of News Corp.'s voting stock, mostly through a family trust.

News of the World's value as an enterprise is "a drop in the bucket" compared to News Corp.'s overall $46 billion market capitalization, said Collins Stewart analyst Thomas Eagan. Closing the paper is a small sacrifice to try to save News Corp.'s $12 billion proposal to takeover BSkyB, which still needs U.K. government approval.
"I think it assuages some of the concern over ongoing problems at 'News of the World,'" Eagan said. "It's unclear what it means for the actual (BSkyB) deal approval."


Read more...
http://news.yahoo.com/uk-tabloid-closure-points-murdoch-savvy-211802604.html

sadaist
07-09-2011, 09:24 PM
I'm really surprised how fast this decision was made. The paper wasn't even losing money ...quite successful actually. To just pull the plug so fast and so completely i dont know. This had to be something that was being considered for a long time.

Seshmeister
07-10-2011, 06:43 AM
No it's because the scandal is huge and going to get worse. The editor at the time of most of it was arrested on Friday had become the chief adviser to the British PM. Murdoch's cunt son James has been personally signing bribe checks. The cop in charge of the first investigation into this a few years ago that found nothing was given a big fat job at News International.

There is just a chance this could bring down the whole stinking tower of shit and people of all political persuasions should be dancing in the streets.

Seshmeister
07-10-2011, 07:24 PM
Phone hacking: 9/11 victims 'may have had mobiles tapped by News of the World reporters'

by David Collins, Daily Mirror 11/07/2011


DESPERATE Rupert Murdoch yesterday flew to London to try to save his crumbling empire.

He arrived in a cowboy-style hat to be hit by claims News of the World reporters hacked the phones of 9/11 victims.

Murdoch held talks with News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks, amid fears nine staff and three cops may face jail.

HIS media empire is crashing around him, he’s just shut down a scandal-hit newspaper and his BSkyB bid is in tatters, but Rupert Murdoch still came out grinning yesterday.

And this cosy picture of him giving his backing to smiling Rebekah Brooks will no doubt infuriate the 200 loyal staff at the defunct News of the World who were sacrificed while she clung to her job.

As Labour leader Ed Miliband vowed to scupper Mr Murdoch’s bid to own all of BSkyB, the News Corp boss seemed to brush off his troubles to joke with the under-fire News International chief executive – who was editor when murdered teenager Milly Dowler’s phone was hacked. Asked what his first priority was, he gestured at Mrs Brooks and said: “This one.”

Mr Murdoch arrived in London yesterday, wearing a Panama hat and clutching a final copy of the News of the World, in a bid to save his crumbling organisation after the phone-hacking scandal saw the 168-year-old paper axed.

But he flew straight into another storm as it was claimed 9/11 victims may have had their mobiles tapped by News of the World reporters. And there was more bad news when it was revealed nine reporters allegedly at the centre of the phone scandal and claims of police corruption could face jail, along with three officers.

After he spent time at News International’s Wapping HQ in East London, 80-year-old Mr Murdoch held crisis talks with Mrs Brooks, 43 - who denies any knowledge of the Milly phone tapping - at his home in Mayfair.

The pair chatted behind closed doors as a former New York cop made the 9/11 hacking claim. He alleged he was contacted by News of the World journalists who said they would pay him to retrieve the private phone records of the dead.

Now working as a private investigator, the ex-officer claimed reporters wanted the victim’s phone numbers and details of the calls they had made and received in the days leading up to the atrocity.

A source said: “This investigator is used by a lot of journalists in America and he recently told me that he was asked to hack into the 9/11 victims’ private phone data. He said that the journalists asked him to access records showing the calls that had been made to and from the mobile phones belonging to the victims and their relatives.

“His presumption was that they wanted the information so they could hack into the relevant voicemails, just like it has been shown they have done in the UK. The PI said he had to turn the job down. He knew how insensitive such research would be, and how bad it would look.

“The investigator said the journalists seemed particularly interested in getting the phone records belonging to the British victims of the attacks.”

The News of the World was shut after 11,000 documents seized from a private investigator revealed the ugly truth behind many of its scoops.

One police source said: “These documents show the hacking was not just one or two attempts at accessing voicemails. More than 4,000 people had their phone hacked. This was hacking on an industrial scale.”

Mr Murdoch’s son James, who is chairman of News International, admitted to approving out of court settlements to hacking victims and misleading Parliament – which he claims was not deliberate.

The fresh tapping claims prompted Mr Miliband to declare war on Mr Murdoch’s bid to control BSkyB.

In his most outspoken attack on the media mogul yet, he said yesterday: “The idea that this organisation, which has engaged in these terrible practices, should be allowed to take over BSkyB... without that criminal investigation having been completed, and on the basis of assurances from that self-same organisation… frankly that won’t wash with the public.”

Labour will table a motion on Wednesday calling on Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt to delay signing off the takeover deal until the criminal investigation into the hacking allegations is wrapped up. Lib Dem ministers are thought to be prepared to back the Labour leader.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Business Secretary Vince Cable are said to be “totally united” against the bid.

Lib Dem deputy leader Simon Hughes lent his support yesterday. He said: “I will be suggesting to my colleagues that we as a party, a party that’s never been close to Murdoch, should make clear that we think there should be a postponement of the decision.”

Mr Murdoch also owns the Sun, the Times and the Sunday Times.

Former News of the World editor Andy Coulson, 43, was arrested on Friday over phone hacking and police corruption allegations.

Ex-royal editor Clive Goodman, 53, was also held along with a unnamed 63-year-old man. All three were freed on police bail after being quizzed by officers.

Mr Coulson was hired as David Cameron’s press aide, despite warnings to the PM over his possible knowledge of the hacking while at the News of the World.

And last night criticism of Mr Cameron’s judgment grew louder as senior political figures lined up to reveal they had urged him not to take Mr Coulson into government.

Lib Dem Lord Paddy Ashdown and Energy Secretary Chris Huhne claimed they warned the PM after the election - but were ignored.

Mr Huhne said: “Well I raised it with Nick and Nick raised it with the Prime Minister and it was made clear to us that this was a personal appointment to the Prime Minister.

“It wasn’t a Government appointment and therefore we didn’t have any standing to object to it, but it was very clear from what I had said previously that I think there were big reputational risks.

“The Prime Minister has said that he wanted to give Andy Coulson a second chance and that’s very commendable. The reality is that there were very serious risks being run there. We knew with Andy Coulson that anybody in charge of a newspaper needs to know what’s going on and at the very least either Andy Coulson was complicit in criminal acts or, alternatively, he was a very incompetent editor by the standards of Fleet Street.”

Milly Dowler’s parents Sally and Bob and sister Gemma are due to meet Mr Clegg today. They will also see Mr Cameron later in the week, Downing Street has said.


Read more: http://www.mirror.co.uk/2011/07/11/phone-hacking-9-11-victims-may-have-had-mobiles-tapped-by-news-of-the-world-reporters-115875-23262694/#ixzz1RkQCziU0

Nitro Express
07-10-2011, 07:57 PM
What's scary is it seems like you would have to be a big governmental agency to hack into so many different networks. You would have to have the access codes to various networks and systems and the press has this access? How did they get it is what I wonder.

Seshmeister
07-10-2011, 08:21 PM
My understanding is that it wasn't that difficult.

What they did was find out the default PIN code for each telephone network so for say AT&T it might be 1234. The networks have a number you could call to pick up your voicemail. The corruption with cops was to get victims cell phone numbers.

Most people don't access their voicemail from another phone so never bothered to change the default PIN. Actually I would have been ok because I did years ago when I was in South America on business and it made sense for me to access it a different way.

Most of this happened a few years ago I think a lot of networks now text you if your voicemail is accessed from another phone.

It's the usual thing of companies being reactive to a security threat rather than proactive.

For example when cell phones first took off they used to be able to listen into other peoples calls from across the road with a basic scanner but they are now scrambled so much more sophisticated devices are needed.

Seshmeister
07-12-2011, 06:54 AM
http://www.independent.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00622/newscorp-graphic_622942a.jpg

FORD
07-12-2011, 07:04 PM
And as usual, the best summary of the entire fucked up situation comes from The Daily Show......

<div style="background-color:#000000;width:520px;"><div style="padding:4px;"><embed src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:cms:video:thedailyshow.com:391535" width="512" height="288" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" base="." flashVars=""></embed><p style="text-align:left;background-color:#FFFFFF;padding:4px;margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><b><a href="http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-july-11-2011/have-no-fear--england-s-here">The Daily Show - Have No Fear, England's Here</a></b><br/>Get More: <a href='http://www.thedailyshow.com/full-episodes/'>Daily Show Full Episodes</a>,<a href='http://www.indecisionforever.com/'>Political Humor & Satire Blog</a>,<a href='http://www.facebook.com/thedailyshow'>The Daily Show on Facebook</a></p></div></div>

chefcraig
07-12-2011, 08:30 PM
And as usual, the best summary of the entire fucked up situation comes from The Daily Show......


Saw this last night in real time, and fell out of my chair. John Oliver is freaking brilliant: “That’s right, the guy who got car head from an L.A. road prostitute is now the moral compass of my nation!”

bueno bob
07-12-2011, 09:53 PM
I could think of so many wonderful fitting things to have happen to Murdoch. Decency prevents me from repeating, but I do believe you can rent adult movies in the "fetish" section that would give you a good idea of where to start with him.

And that's START - not finish. START.

FORD
07-13-2011, 02:18 AM
Keith Olbermann says he was blackmailed by Murdoch and his goons while working for FAUX Sports.....


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5VO7fxupGo

Nitro Express
07-13-2011, 03:07 AM
I did my internship with Herb Allen's investment banking outfit. Herb throws a big media mogul conference every July. Nobody from Fox showed this year. Murdoch or one of his kids usually attends.

http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/2011/07/08/summer_in_sun_valley_moguls_convene/#

GreenBayLA
07-13-2011, 04:02 AM
Where is Olberman banished to these days? local cable access?

Seshmeister
07-13-2011, 05:20 AM
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jul/13/phone-hacking-reaches-us



Phone-hacking scandal reaches US

A key US senator has called for an investigation into whether any of News Corporation's organisations in the country have hacked US citizens.

Senate commerce committee chairman Jay Rockefeller has asked the authorities to investigate if any journalists working for Rupert Murdoch had targeted US citizens, and warned of "serious consequences" for the media group if that were the case.

The Democratic senator is the first noteworthy figure in Congress to call for an investigation into the phone-hacking scandal, which on Sunday resulted in the closure of the 168-year-old News of the World after the paper was accused of hacking into the phones of murdered teenager Milly Dowler and the families of British soldiers killed in action, as well as celebrities and politicians.

Murdoch is a major player in the US media landscape, owning the New York Post, Wall Street Journal, Fox News and publisher Harper Collins.

In a written statement, Rockefeller expressed concern that victims of 9/11 and their families could have been targeted by News Corporation journalists, although he did not offer any evidence to suggest that may be the case.

"I encourage the appropriate agencies to investigate to ensure that Americans have not had their privacy violated," he said.

"The reported hacking by News Corporation newspapers against a range of individuals - including children - is offensive and a serious breach of journalistic ethics. This raises serious questions about whether the company has broken US law," he said.

The news comes as Murdoch faces further pressure in the UK to abandon his proposed takeover of BSkyB. MPs vote in parliament on Wednesday on an opposition motion that "this House believes that it is in the public interest for Rupert Murdoch and News Corporation to withdraw its bid for BSkyB", with a further statement expected from the prime minister, David Cameron.

Have you got anyone left over there in the US that could do a major investigation that Murdoch hasn't bought? I heard the New York Times was cut back a lot recently.

Seshmeister
07-13-2011, 05:23 AM
I could think of so many wonderful fitting things to have happen to Murdoch. Decency prevents me from repeating, but I do believe you can rent adult movies in the "fetish" section that would give you a good idea of where to start with him.

And that's START - not finish. START.

His son in jail would be a great start. That would maybe need it to spread to the US as I think he is technically a US citizen.

chefcraig
07-13-2011, 08:10 AM
Where is Olberman banished to these days? local cable access?

Countdown is now on something called Current TV, way out in the upper fringes of the cable listings. It's part of a tier package that gets you some fairly dubious movie channels (well-worn crap from the seventies and eighties, the junk that ran on independent channels decades ago) and one or two sports offers. Before Olbermann showed up, the channel filled it's broadcast hours with leftover shows from Court tv and documentaries, as well as a handful of movies that played last month on Spike tv. If it came with the basic cable package, fine. But to have to pay extra for it? Not a chance.

Nitro Express
07-13-2011, 11:41 PM
Television is a cut throat business. Olbermann's ratings died after Bush was out of office and Rachel Maddow stole his fire. He might have also stepped on the wrong toes and once they had an excuse to get rid of him they did. You have to remember all these networks are owned by a few conglomerartes.

standin
07-14-2011, 03:32 AM
Over 75% of the funding for American Majority comes from the Sam Adams Alliance. In 2008, the year in which American Majority was founded, 88% of the alliance's money came from a single donation, of $3.7m. A group that trains rightwing libertarians to distort online democratic processes was, in other words, set up with funding from a person or company with a very large wallet.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/libertycentral/2010/dec/13/astroturf-libertarians-internet-democracy



Could Murdoc have created the Sam Adams Alliance as a sort of promotions for his hate machine?

Is there a common thread among their board of directors?

http://www.samadamsalliance.org/about/our-board.aspx


One line that caught my attention was this one:

Under his leadership, the Sam Adams Alliance (SAM) has established some of the most active and respected organizations in the freedom movement. Most recently, SAM set up American Majority to train potential candidates and campaign organizers and the Franklin Center, which helps train and place investigative journalists in non-profit organizations. <- what exactly does that mean?

O'Keefe isn't that the kid who created an Ace Diamond story and trolled some weak hearted ones in RL? :umm:

Nitro Express
07-14-2011, 03:52 AM
100% of the Immoral Majority funding comes from theft.

Seshmeister
07-14-2011, 05:30 AM
I was interested to hear that bribery abroad is a serious crime in the US.

The CEO of News International has admitted they gave money to cops.

So if you can link that to US citizen James Murdoch bingo.

standin
07-14-2011, 05:46 AM
Original source links please.

standin
07-14-2011, 06:09 AM
LONDON (AP) — The police officer who decided two years ago not to reopen an investigation into a phone hacking scandal says the News of the World newspaper did not cooperate fully with police.
Assistant Commisioner John Yates said Tuesday that the British tabloid did not give police all the information it had on allegations that some of its employees hacked into phones.
Yates added that he regrets a decision he made in 2009 not to investigate the allegations further.
Also Tuesday, former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown accused Rupert Murdoch's newspapers of employing criminals to obtain confidential information about his family, his private financial affairs and the lives of ordinary people who were at "rock bottom."
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
LONDON (AP) — British prime minister David Cameron says his heart goes out to his predecessor Gordon Brown after reports that The Sun newspaper obtained confidential information that Brown's infant son Fraser had cystic fibrosis.
Cameron said Tuesday that the case looks like "yet another appalling invasion of privacy," and said it was unacceptable and heartbreaking for the family concerned.
In an interview with the BBC, Brown said he and his wife Sarah were in tears after being informed by Rebekah Brooks, then the editor of The Sun and now the chief executive of News International, that the paper knew about his son's illness.

http://news.yahoo.com/uk-police-news-world-didnt-cooperate-105558087.htm

standin
07-14-2011, 08:41 PM
FBI to probe News Corp 9/11 hacking allegation

http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/FZN6924R0WZ__x92.x6.GA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9Zml0O2g9Mjc-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/logo/reuters/d0c3eb8ca18907492a4b337b5cec5193.jpeg

NEW YORK/LONDON (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation is examining allegations that Rupert Murdoch's News Corp may have tried to hack into the phone records of victims of the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, the agency said on Thursday.
"We are aware of the allegations and are looking into it," said Peter Donald, an FBI spokesman in New York.
The FBI probe was prompted by a call by U.S. congressman Peter King of New York to investigate the hacking claims, first reported by Britain's The Daily Mirror newspaper on Monday.
But U.S. Senator John McCain, who sits on the committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, on Thursday said he had not heard any evidence of News Corp wrongdoing in the U.S.
"I have heard of no evidence of allegations yet of anything being done in the United States of America," McCain, a Republican from Arizona, said.
News Corp declined to comment on the FBI probe.

~
Why hello Mr. McCocacian. I think we have found our source. Is't that nice. :)

standin
07-14-2011, 08:43 PM
no evidence of allegations <- What exactly does that mean? :umm: ;)

Seshmeister
07-14-2011, 09:41 PM
Original source links please.




http://business-ethics.com/2011/07/12/1608-how-murdoch-reporters-bribes-to-british-cops-violate-u-s-law/

Seshmeister
07-14-2011, 09:56 PM

FORD
07-15-2011, 02:12 PM
Media Titan Loses Closest Ally

LONDON (The Borowitz Report) – In a blow that many insiders saw as the last straw for embattled media titan Rupert Murdoch, Satan today returned Mr. Murdoch’s soul to him and demanded his money back.

“Rupert Murdoch has done my bidding for decades, but that relationship is now terminated,” read the terse statement from the Prince of Darkness, who close associates said has been “disgusted” by Murdoch’s recent activities.

Purchased by Satan in Melbourne, Australia in 1951, Mr. Murdoch’s soul is estimated to have a current value of nine dollars (US).

Around the media world, observers were stunned by this latest setback for Mr. Murdoch, who in Satan is losing one of his closest and most powerful allies.

But according to Ian Langramstone, who at his post as the University of Nottingham has studied Mr. Murdoch’s relationship with Satan for years, the slap in the face from the Lord of Misrule should not come as a surprise.

“Satan never wants to be the last one to desert a sinking ship,” said Mr. Langromstone. “He always takes his lead from British politicians.”

In what many saw a tacit admission of the depth of his current problems, Mr. Murdoch today cancelled plans to purchase the remainder of the British government that he does not already own.

Elsewhere, pitcher Roger Clemens celebrated his steroid case being declared a mistrial by throwing a car across the courthouse parking lot.

Seshmeister
07-15-2011, 02:27 PM
“Satan never wants to be the last one to desert a sinking ship,” said Mr. Langromstone. “He always takes his lead from British politicians.”


:biggrin:

FORD
07-16-2011, 12:50 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Wksf4I0GKs

FORD
07-16-2011, 12:53 PM
The only possible downside to the Murdochs being taken down, is that FAUX and his other media companies might survive, and have this terrorist funding asshole in charge.....


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kOincVzFj4

FORD
07-16-2011, 01:03 PM
FAUX's Steve Douchey attempts a lame defense of his employer.

"Hey, never mind us. What about the Chinese? What about the Martians landing in New Jersey, for God's sake???"


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtC4gT-_Nj0

FORD
07-16-2011, 01:11 PM
Meanwhile, in other FAUX uh..... news.......


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsXc0hHvTxM

sadaist
07-16-2011, 01:13 PM
Man, that guy is living the life. I find it a little weird how some of the wealthiest people on the Earth are Muslims, yet true Muslims are extremely charitable to their fellow man and do not flaunt wealth. Hell, they even fast as Mohammed did and while doing so think and pray for their brothers who are not eating because they are poor. You don't become worth $20 BILLION by being a good charitable guy. Sad, but it just doesn't happen.

FORD
07-16-2011, 01:37 PM
The prince also owns a big chunk of Citibank, and considering their interest rates on credit cards, "charitable" ain't a word I'd use to describe him.

And much like the Bible, the Quran has several verses regarding usury, so he can't exactly claim to be doing Allah's work either......



Those who charge usury are in the same position as those controlled by the devil's influence. This is because they claim that usury is the same as commerce. However, God permits commerce, and prohibits usury. Thus, whoever heeds this commandment from his Lord, and refrains from usury, he may keep his past earnings, and his judgment rests with God. As for those who persist in usury, they incur Hell, wherein they abide forever (Al-Baqarah 2:275)

God condemns usury, and blesses charities.God dislikes every disbeliever, guilty. Lo! those who believe and do good works and establish worship and pay the poor-due, their reward is with their Lord and there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve. O you who believe, you shall observe God and refrain from all kinds of usury, if you are believers. If you do not, then expect a war from God and His messenger. But if you repent, you may keep your capitals, without inflicting injustice, or incurring injustice. If the debtor is unable to pay, wait for a better time. If you give up the loan as a charity, it would be better for you, if you only knew. (Al-Baqarah 2:276-280)

O you who believe, you shall not take usury, compounded over and over. Observe God, that you may succeed. (Al-'Imran 3:130)

And for practicing usury, which was forbidden, and for consuming the people's money illicitly. We have prepared for the disbelievers among them painful retribution. (Al-Nisa 4:161)

The usury that is practiced to increase some people's wealth, does not gain anything at God. But if people give to charity, seeking God's pleasure, these are the ones who receive their reward many fold. (Ar-Rum 30:39)

Nitro Express
07-16-2011, 01:50 PM
Muslims are just like Mormons. They both claim to be the true religion and say their mission is to fill the earth. They both have lots of strict rules regarding almost every aspect of life. The thing is, money and human nature is still the strongest force. The middle east is full of porn shops and they drink alcohol. Everything is done in secret just like Utah while they tow the religious line in public. When they go on vacation to western countries it's booze and ass and then they go home and act all spiritual and obedient. Some of the most materialistic people I have ever met are very religious people.

Nitro Express
07-16-2011, 01:56 PM
The oligarchs and robber barons are back. Their puppet politicians have changed the regulation laws in their favor. What we need is a modern Teddy Roosevelt to put these assholes back in their place. Of course it's multinational now and none of these multinational corporations are loyal to any country. Corporations are becoming more powerful than nations. Pretty damn scary. Feudalism is coming back.

chefcraig
07-17-2011, 02:24 PM
Brooks arrested in hacking scandal

By Mohammed Abbas | Reuters (http://news.yahoo.com/murdoch-says-sorry-pressure-mounts-uk-police-004818292.html)

LONDON - Rebekah Brooks, the former head of Rupert Murdoch's UK newspaper business, was arrested on Sunday in the latest twist of a phone-hacking scandal that has tainted British police and politicians and shaken the tycoon's global media empire.

Several sources familiar with the situation said Brooks, 43, was being questioned as part of an investigation into allegations of illegal voicemail interception and police bribery at the News of the World tabloid she once edited.

Brooks quit as head of News International, the British unit of Murdoch's News Corp, on Friday, but has denied she knew of the alleged hacking of thousands of phones, including that of a murdered schoolgirl.

The revelations have shocked the public and raised concerns not only about unethical media practices but about the influence Murdoch has wielded over successive British leaders and allegations of cozy relationships between some of his journalists and the police.

With politicians from Australia to the United States demanding to know if similar abuses occurred elsewhere in Murdoch's global media business, the 80-year-old has been forced on the defensive and the position of his son James as heir-apparent has been called into question.

In Britain, Prime Minister David Cameron has come under fire for his friendship with Brooks and for employing another former News of the World editor, Andy Coulson, as his press secretary even after Coulson had quit the paper in 2007 following the jailing of a reporter for phone-hacking.

"The waters are very definitely lapping around the Murdochs' own ankles," Chris Bryant, a member of parliament for Britain's opposition Labor Party who has campaigned for years against press malpractice, told Reuters.

Tim Bale, politics professor at the University of Sussex, told Reuters: "I think this was pretty uncomfortable for Cameron already and it will get more uncomfortable now over the next week.

"It brings the whole thing closer to him. If one believes all the talk of a Chipping Norton set, it reinforces this impression of a cozy elite at the top of the media/political complex," he added, referring to a town in Cameron's affluent countryside constituency where Brooks also has a home.

Brooks and Rupert and James Murdoch are due to be questioned in Britain's parliament on Tuesday, including over reports that News International misled parliament during earlier hearings.

But Brooks' spokesman said her arrest may cast doubt on whether she could appear before politicians.

"I think there will clearly be some discussions between her lawyers and the select committee on whether it is still sensible for her to appear," David Wilson told Reuters, adding she was "shocked" by the arrest.

"Anything that will be said at the select committee hearing could have implications for the police inquiry."

Adrian Sanders, a Liberal Democrat politician who sits on the parliamentary media committee, questioned the timing of the arrest and said he hoped it would not scuttle the hearing.

"If this is designed to take the spotlight off the police, at the same time as in a sense giving a shield to Rebekah Brooks, that's a very serious matter indeed," he told BBC television news.

TOUGHNESS AND CHARM

The flame-haired Brooks became the focus of widespread anger over the phone-hacking scandal but was initially protected by Murdoch, who guided her rise through the male-dominated world of UK tabloid journalism to become editor of the News of the World in 2000 and the Sun's first female editor in 2003.

Flying into London a week ago to take charge of the crisis, Murdoch appeared before journalists with his arm around her. Asked what was his first priority, he gestured at her and replied: "This one."

Known for her networking skills, Brooks rose quickly through the ranks of tabloid journalists, combining a tough demeanor that could intimidate hardened 'hacks' with an ability to charm largely male editors.

But her initial refusal to quit, and a faltering speech she delivered when she closed the News of the World and ended the careers of dozens of colleagues, prompted some journalists to say she was out of touch.

The News of the World, which published its final edition a week ago, is alleged to have hacked up to 4,000 phones including that of murdered 13-year-old Milly Dowler, sparking a furor that forced Murdoch to close the paper and drop a $12 billion plan to buy all of highly profitable broadcaster BSkyB.

Murdoch, who some media commentators say at first misjudged the strength of public anger, published apologies in several British newspapers at the weekend.

He lost another loyal executive on Friday when Les Hinton, another former head of his UK newspaper business, resigned as chief executive of Murdoch's Dow Jones & Co which publishes The Wall Street Journal.

"There are no excuses and should be no place to hide ... We will continue to cooperate fully and actively with the Metropolitan Police Service," News International said in an announcement on Sunday.

Leading British politicians renewed calls for greater media plurality and press regulation -- a direct threat to Murdoch's empire, which includes The Sun, The Times and Sunday Times broadsheets, and 39 percent of BSkyB.

The Sunday Telegraph reported that members of the board of BSkyB, where James Murdoch serves as chairman, are due to meet in a special session on July 28 to discuss his future.

If James were to be felled by the scandal, British media speculated that his sister Elisabeth could secure the eventual succession to their father.

The scandal has also embroiled Britain's police, who are accused of being too close to News Corp, of accepting cash from the now defunct News of the World and other newspapers, and of not doing enough to investigate the phone-hacking allegations that surfaced as far as back as 2005.

In 2003 Brooks admitted that the News of the World had made payments to police in the past but could not remember any specific examples.

Seshmeister
07-17-2011, 03:08 PM
Good stuff, the net tightens...

chefcraig
07-17-2011, 04:02 PM
Jesus, talk about a bloody Sunday. Heads continue to roll...

Top British police chief resigns over phone hacking

By Mohammed Abbas | Reuters (http://news.yahoo.com/top-british-police-chief-resigns-over-phone-hacking-185818829.html)

LONDON - Britain's senior police chief Paul Stephenson, London's police commissioner, resigned on Sunday over allegations about the police's handling of phone hacking investigations.

In a statement he read to TV news channels, Stephenson said he had no knowledge of the extent of phone hacking allegations at the now defunct News of the World newspaper, owned by News International, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp media empire.

Britain's police have been criticized over allegations of accepting money from News of the World and other newspapers and of not doing enough to investigate phone hacking allegations.

Stephenson said he did not want criticism of his conduct to detract from ensuring security at the Olympic Games, which are due to be held in London next year.

FORD
07-18-2011, 12:24 AM
Looks like Keith Olbermann is going back to his sportscaster roots, and doing the "play by play coverage" of Murdoch's testimony before Parliament......



Current TV
‘Countdown’ Breaks Out of Primetime to Cover Murdoch Testimony
By Alex Weprin on July 16, 2011 7:55 PM

For the first time since re-launching his show on Current TV, Keith Olbermann will be breaking free of primetime. On Tuesday morning, Olbermann will host special live coverage of News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch‘s testimony before Parliament.

“Time of our live Murdoch Parliament coverage next Tuesday AM is TBD but 9:30 ET is a good guess (just leave TV on @Current all day: win/win)” Olbermann tweeted Friday.

Olbermann has already dedicated a number of segments to the scandal, including this one questioning whether it would spread to the U.S.:

<embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&isUI=1" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="videoId=1052915865001&linkBaseURL=http%3A%2F%2Fcurrent.com%2Fshows%2Fcou ntdown%2Fvideo%2Fwill-the-news-corp-scandal-spread-to-america&playerID=1040141195001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAA3B3xrZk~,HJshEnrCBsRvDMbCheku3P jss6-I6ruG&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="480" height="270" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" swLiveConnect="true" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed>

The move shows that Current is clearly giving Olbermann some flexibility in terms of news coverage. Presumable Olbermann will be able to break into other dayparts as well, provided that the news warrants it.

link (http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/countdown-breaks-out-of-primetime-to-cover-murdoch-testimony_b76840)


And since most of us probably don't have access to Current TV on cable during the daytime (if at all) it can be streamed here (http://www.rentadrone.org/current-tv/).

Nitro Express
07-18-2011, 12:59 AM
All these media outlets are propaganda outfits. Unbiased news is a thing of the past. It's all what the oligarchs want us to hear and they profit and benefit from playing both sides.

Nickdfresh
07-18-2011, 04:13 AM
The oligarchs and robber barons are back. Their puppet politicians...

Don't kid yourself, they've always been there. But the newfangled "teaparty" pseudo-libertarian ideology only enables them far more-so than in the past....

FORD
07-18-2011, 01:30 PM
.....and now, the Murdoch mob has added murder to their list of crimes. "Not suspicious", my ass!

News of the World phone-hacking whistleblower found dead

Death of Sean Hoare – who was first named journalist to allege Andy Coulson knew of hacking – not being treated as suspicious

Amelia Hill, James Robinson, Caroline Davies
guardian.co.uk, Monday 18 July 2011 18.04 BST


Sean Hoare, the former News of the World showbiz reporter who was the first named journalist to allege Andy Coulson was aware of phone hacking by his staff, has been found dead, the Guardian has learned.

Hoare, who worked on the Sun and the News of the World with Coulson before being dismissed for drink and drugs problems, is said to have been found dead at his Watford home.

Hertfordshire police would not confirm his identity, but the force said in a statement: "At 10.40am today [Monday 18 July] police were called to Langley Road, Watford, following the concerns for the welfare of a man who lives at an address on the street. Upon police and ambulance arrival at a property, the body of a man was found. The man was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after.

"The death is currently being treated as unexplained, but not thought to be suspicious. Police investigations into this incident are ongoing."

Hoare first made his claims in a New York Times investigation into the phone-hacking allegations at the News of the World.

He told the newspaper that not only did Coulson know of the phone hacking, but that he actively encouraged his staff to intercept the phone calls of celebrities in the pursuit of exclusives.

In a subsequent interview with the BBC he alleged that he was personally asked by his then-editor, Coulson, to tap into phones. In an interview with the PM programme he said Coulson's insistence that he didn't know about the practice was "a lie, it is simply a lie".

At the time a Downing Street spokeswoman said Coulson totally and utterly denied the allegations and said he had "never condoned the use of phone hacking and nor do I have any recollection of incidences where phone hacking took place".

Sean Hoare, a one-time close friend of Coulson's, told the New York Times the two men first worked together at the Sun, where, Hoare said, he played tape recordings of hacked messages for Coulson. At the News of the World, Hoare said he continued to inform Coulson of his activities. Coulson "actively encouraged me to do it", Hoare said.

In September last year, he was interviewed under caution by police over his claims that the former Tory communications chief asked him to hack into phones when he was editor of the paper, but declined to make any comment.

Hoare returned to the spotlight last week, after he told the New York Times that reporters at the News of the World were able to use police technology to locate people using their mobile phone signals in exchange for payments to police officers.

He said journalists were able to use a technique called "pinging" which measured the distance between mobile handsets and a number of phone masts to pinpoint its location.

Hoare gave further details about the use of "pinging" to the Guardian last week. He described how reporters would ask a news desk executive to obtain the location of a target: "Within 15 to 30 minutes someone on the news desk would come back and say 'right that's where they are.'"

He said: "You'd just go to the news desk and they'd just come back to you. You don't ask any questions. You'd consider it a job done. The chain of command is one of absolute discipline and that's why I never bought into it, like with Andy saying he wasn't aware of it and all that. That's bollocks."

He said he would stand by everything he had told the New York Times about "pinging". "I don't know how often it happened. That would be wrong of me. But if I had access as a humble reporter … "

He admitted he had had problems with drink and drugs and had been in rehab. "But that's irrelevant," he said. "There's more to come. This is not going to go away."

Hoare named a private investigator who he said had links with the News of the World, adding: "He may want to talk now because I think what you'll find now is a lot of people are going to want to cover their arse."

Speaking to another Guardian journalist last week, Hoare repeatedly expressed the hope that the hacking scandal would lead to journalism in general being cleaned up and said he had decided to blow the whistle on the activities of some of his former News of the World colleagues with that aim in mind.

He also said he had been injured the previous weekend while taking down a marquee erected for a children's party. He said he had broken his nose and badly injured his foot when a relative accidentally struck him with a heavy pole from the marquee.

Hoare also emphasised that he was not making any money from telling his story. Hoare, who has been treated for drug and alcohol problems, reminisced about partying with former pop stars and said he missed the days when he was able to go out on the town.

Seshmeister
07-18-2011, 01:34 PM
Hahah I heard someone say on the radio today that if this whole scandal was a plot on The Wire it would have been thrown out for being too unlikely and now it turns again.

With the police in the dirt too then everyone is going to be as suspicious as fuck about this death.

That said though to actually get sacked as a tabloid journalist for too much booze and drugs means he must have been totally out of control. :D

Guitar Shark
07-18-2011, 03:47 PM
This is just a fascinating story all around. Every day it seems like a new wrinkle to the scandal emerges.

Seshmeister
07-18-2011, 03:57 PM
The only possible downside to the Murdochs being taken down, is that FAUX and his other media companies might survive, and have this terrorist funding asshole in charge.....



Does the US not have a law about foreigners owning the media though?

Australia and the UK don't which is why Murdoch took US citizenship allowing him to own in all 3 countries.

Seshmeister
07-18-2011, 04:02 PM
This is just a fascinating story all around. Every day it seems like a new wrinkle to the scandal emerges.

Tomorrow they get dragged in front of a parliamentary house committee. Murdoch getting cross examined for the first time ever I think.

Of course another wrinkle is the conspiracy about the police arresting his CEO Brooks the other day. By arresting her she now has the protection of being able to refuse to answer self incriminating questions from the committee. It was such a stupid schoolboy error to make people now wonder if someone pushed the cops to do it...

Seshmeister
07-18-2011, 04:05 PM
James 'Damien' Murdoch wants the BBC broken up which is the biggest argument I've ever heard for it.

Every time I visit this thread that post at the top bugs me. :)

I meant the biggest argument for the BBC. Very poor writing...

FORD
07-18-2011, 04:10 PM
Does the US not have a law about foreigners owning the media though?

Australia and the UK don't which is why Murdoch took US citizenship allowing him to own in all 3 countries.

Murdoch was able to buy his citizenship by having Newt Gingrich and the Repukes in Congress bend the rules for him, conveniently right before they passed the FAUX-Clear Channel enabling act of 1996. No doubt they would do the same for Prince Al Charming if it was necessary to save FAUX Noize. And given the Prince's stake in Shittybank, they would no doubt have the help of the Wall Street fake "Democrats" this time. :sick0020:

Seshmeister
07-18-2011, 06:36 PM
We're not way beyond this being able to be made into a movie, it would need to be a 24 part season.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jul/18/mystery-bag-bin-rebekah-brooks


Police examine bag found in bin near Rebekah Brooks's home

Detectives are examining a computer, paperwork and a phone found in a bin near the riverside London home of Rebekah Brooks, the former chief executive of News International.

The Guardian has learned that a bag containing the items was found in an underground car park in the Design Centre at the exclusive Chelsea Harbour development on Monday afternoon.

The car park, under a shopping centre, is yards from the gated apartment block where Brooks lives with her husband, a former racehorse trainer and close friend of the prime minister David Cameron.

It is understood the bag was handed into security at around 3pm and that shortly afterwards, Brooks's husband, Charlie, arrived and tried to reclaim it. He was unable to prove the bag was his and the security guard refused to release it.

Instead, it is understood that the security guard called the police. In less than half an hour, two marked police cars and an unmarked forensics car are said to have arrived at the scene.

Police are now examining CCTV footage taken in the car park to uncover who dropped the bag. Initial suspicions that there had been a break in at the Brooks' flat have been dismissed.

David Wilson, Charlie Brooks's official spokesman, told the Guardian that Charlie Brooks denies that the bag belonged to his wife. "Charlie has a bag which contains a laptop and papers which were private to him," said Wilson.

"They were nothing to do with Rebekah or the [phone-hacking] case."

Wilson said Charlie Brooks had left the bag with a friend who was returning it, but dropped it in the wrong part of the garage. When asked how the bag ended up in a bin he replied: "The suggestion is that a cleaner thought it was rubbish and put it in the bin." Wilson added: "Charlie was looking for it together with a couple of the building staff.

"Charlie was told it had gone to security, by which stage they [security] had already called the police to say they had found something.

"The police took it away. Charlie's lawyers got in touch with the police to say they could take a look at the computer but they'd see there was nothing relevant to them on it. He's expecting the stuff back forthwith."

Rebekah Brooks was arrested on Sunday under suspicion of conspiring to intercept communications, and of corrupting police officers. She is due to appear before the Commons culture, media and sport select committee today on Tuesday afternoon.

Seshmeister
07-18-2011, 06:41 PM
Looks like this is what in spy films and books they call a Dead Letter Drop i.e. a physical location where communications, documents, or equipment is covertly placed for another person to collect without direct contact between the parties.

If it is then they made a complete mess of it. :)

Or it may be nothing at all but it seems very very odd.

binnie
07-18-2011, 06:49 PM
It's a bit like being in a Jeffery Archer novel....

Seshmeister
07-18-2011, 07:03 PM
.........




http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jul/18/sean-hoare-news-of-the-world


Sean Hoare knew how destructive the News of the World could be
At a time when the reputation of News of the World journalists is at rock bottom, it needs to be said that the paper's former showbusiness correspondent Sean Hoare, who died on Monday, was a lovely man.

In the saga of the phone-hacking scandal, he distinguished himself by being the first former NoW journalist to come out on the record, telling the New York Times last year that his former friend and editor, Andy Coulson, had actively encouraged him to hack into voicemail.

That took courage. But he had a particularly powerful motive for speaking. He knew how destructive the News of the World could be, not just for the targets of its exposés, but also for the ordinary journalists who worked there, who got caught up in its remorseless drive for headlines.

Explaining why he had spoken out, he told me: "I want to right a wrong, lift the lid on it, the whole culture. I know, we all know, that the hacking and other stuff is endemic. Because there is so much intimidation. In the newsroom, you have people being fired, breaking down in tears, hitting the bottle."

He knew this very well, because he was himself a victim of the News of the World. As a showbusiness reporter, he had lived what he was happy to call a privileged life. But the reality had ruined his physical health: "I was paid to go out and take drugs with rock stars – get drunk with them, take pills with them, take cocaine with them. It was so competitive. You are going to go beyond the call of duty. You are going to do things that no sane man would do. You're in a machine."

While it was happening, he loved it. He came from a working-class background of solid Arsenal supporters, always voted Labour, defined himself specifically as a "clause IV" socialist who still believed in public ownership of the means of production. But, working as a reporter, he suddenly found himself up to his elbows in drugs and delirium.

He rapidly arrived at the Sun's Bizarre column, then run by Coulson. He recalled: "There was a system on the Sun. We broke good stories. I had a good relationship with Andy. He would let me do what I wanted as long as I brought in a story. The brief was, 'I don't give a fuck'."

He was a born reporter. He could always find stories. And, unlike some of his nastier tabloid colleagues, he did not play the bully with his sources. He was naturally a warm, kind man, who could light up a lamp-post with his talk. From Bizarre, he moved to the Sunday People, under Neil Wallis, and then to the News of the World, where Andy Coulson had become deputy editor. And, persistently, he did as he was told and went out on the road with rock stars, befriending them, bingeing with them, pausing only to file his copy.

He made no secret of his massive ingestion of drugs. He told me how he used to start the day with "a rock star's breakfast" – a line of cocaine and a Jack Daniels – usually in the company of a journalist who now occupies a senior position at the Sun. He reckoned he was using three grammes of cocaine a day, spending about £1,000 a week. Plus endless alcohol. Looking back, he could see it had done him enormous damage. But at the time, as he recalled, most of his colleagues were doing it, too.

"Everyone got overconfident. We thought we could do coke, go to Brown's, sit in the Red Room with Paula Yates and Michael Hutchence. Everyone got a bit carried away."

It must have scared the rest of Fleet Street when he started talking – he had bought, sold and snorted cocaine with some of the most powerful names in tabloid journalism. One retains a senior position on the Daily Mirror. "I last saw him in Little Havana," he recalled, "at three in the morning, on his hands and knees. He had lost his cocaine wrap. I said to him, 'This is not really the behaviour we expect of a senior journalist from a great Labour paper.' He said, 'Have you got any fucking drugs?'"

And the voicemail hacking was all part of the great game. The idea that it was a secret, or the work of some "rogue reporter", had him rocking in his chair: "Everyone was doing it. Everybody got a bit carried away with this power that they had. No one came close to catching us." He would hack messages and delete them so the competition could not hear them, or hack messages and swap them with mates on other papers.

In the end, his body would not take it any more. He said he started to have fits, that his liver was in such a terrible state that a doctor told him he must be dead. And, as his health collapsed, he was sacked by the News of the World – by his old friend Coulson.

When he spoke out about the voicemail hacking, some Conservative MPs were quick to smear him, spreading tales of his drug use as though that meant he was dishonest. He was genuinely offended by the lies being told by News International and always willing to help me and other reporters who were trying to expose the truth. He was equally offended when Scotland Yard's former assistant commissioner, John Yates, assigned officers to interview him, not as a witness but as a suspect. They told him anything he said could be used against him, and, to his credit, he refused to have anything to do with them.

His health never recovered. He liked to say that he had stopped drinking, but he would treat himself to some red wine. He liked to say he didn't smoke any more, but he would stop for a cigarette on his way home. For better and worse, he was a Fleet Street man.

chefcraig
07-18-2011, 07:05 PM
It's a bit like being in a Jeffery Archer novel....

I can not stand Archer's full length novels. His short story collections on the other hand, are without peer.

Seshmeister
07-18-2011, 07:25 PM
I can not stand Archer's full length novels. His short story collections on the other hand, are without peer.

You do know that he held a big short story competition and then stole all the best ideas from the writers and put them in his books?

Archer is a complete rogue.

chefcraig
07-18-2011, 07:34 PM
Why does that come as little surprise?

Seshmeister
07-18-2011, 07:36 PM
Start at 4 minutes.

Seshmeister
07-18-2011, 07:40 PM
Holy shit that's the websites of Murdochs two main papers in the UK, The Sun and The Times been hacked and brought down,

The people who claim to have done it are saying they got the newspapers emails too.

When I looked earlier www.thesun.co.uk was redirecting to a fake front page announcing Murdochs death but they have switched off the URL completely now.

Guitar Shark
07-18-2011, 07:44 PM
Holy shit that's the websites of Murdochs two main papers in the UK, The Sun and The Times been hacked and brought down,

The people who claim to have done it are saying they got the newspapers emails too.

When I looked earlier www.thesun.co.uk was redirecting to a fake front page announcing Murdochs death but they have switched off the URL completely now.

LULZ
http://techland.time.com/2011/07/18/lulzsec-hacks-news-of-the-world-and-the-sun-plants-fake-murdoch-death-story/?hpt=hp_t2

chefcraig
07-18-2011, 07:48 PM
Start at 4 minutes.



He does come across as quite the smug bastard, as his "explanation" of the short story incident never quite addresses the question.

Here is the hacked front page of the Sun: WIRED.COM (http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2011/07/murdoch/)

Seshmeister
07-18-2011, 07:56 PM
http://tctechcrunch2011.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/screen-shot-2011-07-18-at-2-38-00-pm.png?w=640

To be fair I think even a News International journalist would know that it needs a possessive apostrophe and should have said Media mogul's body found...

Seshmeister
07-18-2011, 08:05 PM
He does come across as quite the smug bastard, as his "explanation" of the short story incident never quite addresses the question.

Here is the hacked front page of the Sun: WIRED.COM (http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2011/07/murdoch/)

I should have mentioned that was from an interview in about 1990 long before he was jailed for perjury.

There was a later interview on the same show(why would he go back on?) a couple of years later where he hit Archer with all the dozens of lies he had told over the years but it doesn't seem to be online.

This was a favorite clip of him losing it with his nemesis a journalist who did an entertaining biography of him outlining his incredible lies and cheats over the years. I read it at the time, you almost admired his astonishing nerve. He did some time and he lost his political career before he could become mayor of London but he's out now and living the good life with millions in the bank.

ashstralia
07-19-2011, 05:45 AM
fair dinkum, you couldn't write shit this good.:)

edit: no-one would believe a single bit of it.

Seshmeister
07-19-2011, 08:14 AM
The Murdochs go in front of the committee in 90 minutes time or so.

Odd twist #265 one of the people questioning him is Louise Mensch

http://conservativehome.blogs.com/.a/6a00d83451b31c69e2015432bc10ee970c-pi

Best-selling "chick-lit" novelist (as Louise Bagshawe) before entering Parliament last year. Married Peter Mensch, manager of rock band Metallica, in June. Has been critical of police accepting media payments - but also warned against making "bogeymen" out of the Murdochs for wider press ills.



I remember when Mensch managed Def Leppard in the 1980s, he must be ancient!

Seshmeister
07-19-2011, 12:02 PM
Ironically given the title of this thread someone just tried to custard pie Murdoch in the committee. :)

Va Beach VH Fan
07-19-2011, 12:36 PM
LOL, his wife looked she came off the top turnbuckle to slap him !!!

Seshmeister
07-19-2011, 01:16 PM
I wonder what attracted her to a billionaire twice her age...

Seshmeister
07-19-2011, 01:21 PM
The custard pie thing was fucking stupid. Fox News immediately put it on a loop and it moves the story to being about a poor 84 year old man being attacked.

Murdoch did seem like a very old slightly bewildered man well past his best throughout his evidence or else he's a very good actor.

sadaist
07-19-2011, 01:47 PM
Married Peter Mensch, manager of rock band Metallica, in June.


I remember when Mensch managed Def Leppard in the 1980s, he must be ancient!



He must be one wealthy mofo as well. Def Lep in the 80's and Metallica now? Damn, guy has had some fucking prime ass jobs. My brain is wired so differently. Once I made my first $2 million or so, I'm retired for life to live modestly off interest and live in some cabana on a beach in deep Mexico. No one would ever see my ass again....except for all the poor fishes I would be yanking out of the sea for my tacos.

Shit...someone send me $2 mill. You can actually keep the principal. I just want the interest from it for the next 30 years or so. I am accepting donations at 'SendSadaistToMexicoForGoodSoHeCanFishAndDrinkBeer .com'.

:hee:

binnie
07-19-2011, 02:50 PM
The custard pie thing was fucking stupid. Fox News immediately put it on a loop and it moves the story to being about a poor 84 year old man being attacked.

Murdoch did seem like a very old slightly bewildered man well past his best throughout his evidence or else he's a very good actor.

He's a slippery old bugger.

I was dissapointed with the whole thing, to be honest. We didn't really get anywhere did we?

But, yes, the story will now be about attacking a very old man - which, in itself, is an abhorent thing to do.

FORD
07-19-2011, 03:27 PM
Ironically given the title of this thread someone just tried to custard pie Murdoch in the committee. :)

Video replay here.... sort of. You can't actually see the old bastard or the pie, but the look on Murdoch Jr's face pretty much tells the story.......


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIZNXZVNk74

FORD
07-19-2011, 03:28 PM
The custard pie thing was fucking stupid. Fox News immediately put it on a loop and it moves the story to being about a poor 84 year old man being attacked.

Murdoch did seem like a very old slightly bewildered man well past his best throughout his evidence or else he's a very good actor.

Maybe they staged the pie thing themselves?

Would it really surprise anybody to find out they did? :biggrin:

Seshmeister
07-19-2011, 04:36 PM
But, yes, the story will now be about attacking a very old man - which, in itself, is an abhorent thing to do.

Abhorrent is a bit strong.

The man has caused untold misery and did a hell of a lot to enable the war in Iraq for a start.

Actually I'm not sure even killing him would have been abhorrent, a bit strong perhaps but morally arguable.

LoungeMachine
07-19-2011, 04:39 PM
Maybe they staged the pie thing themselves?

Would it really surprise anybody to find out they did? :biggrin:

There was a second pie thrower at the ready....over there on the grassey knoll

:gulp:

WACF
07-19-2011, 04:47 PM
Abhorrent is a bit strong.

The man has caused untold misery and did a hell of a lot to enable the war in Iraq for a start.

Actually I'm not sure even killing him would have been abhorrent, a bit strong perhaps but morally arguable.

killing him abhorrent...no....killing his family while he watches...getting close.

Seshmeister
07-19-2011, 05:08 PM
A hooker wife and Damian? It's not exactly the Partridge family.

Seshmeister
07-19-2011, 05:13 PM
Proof that he is Satan. :)

http://i.imgur.com/QTmdt.png

binnie
07-19-2011, 05:16 PM
The man did a hell of a lot to enable the war in Iraq for a start.

.

I'm intrigued: how do you figure that?

FORD
07-19-2011, 05:17 PM
http://www.cosgan.de/images/smilie/teufel/d020.gif

WACF
07-19-2011, 05:20 PM
A hooker wife and Damian? It's not exactly the Partridge family.

Maybe he has a dog he really likes....

Seshmeister
07-19-2011, 05:35 PM
I'm intrigued: how do you figure that?

By a massive PR campaign by newspapers and TV.

Remember when the French said they would veto a vote for the war in the UN?

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article157330.ece

It was relentless for months. You ever watch Fox News in the lead up to the war?

Seshmeister
07-19-2011, 05:41 PM
Video replay here.... sort of. You can't actually see the old bastard or the pie, but the look on Murdoch Jr's face pretty much tells the story.......



You can see it more clearly in this one... :D






http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee43/Seshmeister/murdoch.gif

binnie
07-19-2011, 05:43 PM
Mmmmm.......it all comes back to whether the media influences public opinion or gives the publc what they want.

Blair had decided we were going, and we went. There were hundreds of thousands of people who protested - who had also lived in a society supposedly hugely influenced by Murdoch's media. He may be of dubious morality, and run some absolute trash media, but awarding him a causal role in the war is a little over the top, to my mind.

Same goes for the 'Prime Minister Maker' tag-line. I don't buy it. How many people who buy the Sun or the News of the World actually go out and vote? Given the piss-poor % of people who vote in the UK, I'd say the numbers influenced by his media is negligable. I'd also point out that he has a habit of changing allegiance only once public opinion has grown tired of the regime - i.e. he gives people what they want, rather than telling them. His papers may have 'justified' the actions once it was underway, but awarding him a 'causal' role is something very, very different.

Please note: I AM NOT DEFENDING THE OLD BASTARD. I just think that the labelling him as some kind of demogogue vastly underates the potential of the public to think for themselves.

Seshmeister
07-19-2011, 06:32 PM
It doesn't really matter that much what you think, the point is that the last 3 Prime Ministers have been in his pocket because they believed that he could swing public opinion.

With all due respect you are sounding a bit like one of those people that says 'I don't know why they spend money on advertising because it doesn't affect me'. Even if it doesn't(which it probably does) it definitely affects the herd.

binnie
07-19-2011, 07:07 PM
You really think that Murdoch is that powerful? And yet you can a) recognize his supposedly malign influence and b) disagree with the views of his papers. Aren't there some huge contradictions there?

It seems to me that people read the media that broadly agrees with their world view. Left-leaning, corduroy wearing nice people read The Guardian; nasty, right-wing biggots in blazers read The Mail; and people who aren't really that interested in 'proper' news but want a slice of easy-read gossip and salacious details read The Sun.

Newspapers give people what they want - and Murdoch is the master of it.

Sure, politicans want him on side, but he is not the King Maker.

bueno bob
07-20-2011, 12:04 AM
Personally? I don't believe for a second that that snake was in any way ignorant of this.

binnie
07-20-2011, 04:37 AM
I imagine it's a case of 'willfull blindness', an unwritten rule which states that 'get th story BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY'. It's certainly not the case that Murdoch is ordering phone-hacking, but using those methods is clearly a sign of the ethical culture in that business.

Seshmeister
07-20-2011, 05:26 AM
Murdoch is a newspaper man through and through, he will definitely have known the methods they were using.

The fucking barefaced lying that's going on is incredible.

Every other day Rebekkah Brookes as editor would say 'What stories do we have'?
'A is fucking B'
'How do we know?'
'Phone hack, you have to hear this stuff hehehe'

Every week Murdoch would phone Brookes and say
'What stories do we have'?
'A is fucking B'
'How do we know?'
'Phone hack, you have to hear this stuff hehehe'

It's impossible that this didn't happen hundreds of times.

Pretending that they didn't ask the how question is completely unbelievable considering they are going to get sued if the stories are completely untrue.

binnie
07-20-2011, 05:54 AM
I certainly believe that Rebecca Brooks new for sure. I imagine the Murdoch was not really that arsed how the stories got there, to be honest - given that the News Of THe World was only 1% of his business, I doubt he'd have gone into the nitty gritty. From his point of view, as long as they were getting the stories that sold, he probably wasn't much more concerned than that.

The interesting issue is how far other newspapers used similar methods. That is, is this a 'Murdoch' problem or a 'newspaper' problem?

From a legal point of view, do the phone-companies have to take some of the blame too. It is stupdily easy to hack a mobile (as I understand it): are mobile providers/producers not in some sense obligated to make their systems more full-proof? I'm just spit-balling here......

Seshmeister
07-20-2011, 06:24 AM
Ah you're buying the 1% line they kept selling yesterday.

It wasn't just 1% when a lot of this happened 7 or 8 years ago and the NotW was the first big newspaper he bought, his baby and the highest selling english language paper in the world. Did you notice he was saying 'we in this country' yesterday forgetting he is meant to be an American now?

By all accounts newspapers was where he had all his fun, I think it's very likely he knew that they were hacking voice mail.

binnie
07-20-2011, 07:12 AM
Maybe. I realize I'm sounding like a Murdoch apologist, which is not something I'm comfortable with.

I just think about it pragmatically. Having worked in a big business, I am aware of the fact that my old area manager (let alone the CEO) had absolutely no idea at the level of corner-cutting and rule-bending I and the other managers undertook on a daily basis to get things done.

As much as we'd all like a big bogey man to vent anger at, the idea that Murdoch has been pulling the strings in Britain -ring up successive PMs and dictating policies, then ringing the NOTW to makes sure that his evil phone-hacking plan was being put in place - seems a little far-fetched. If he IS to blame, it is for preciding over a culture so pressured to get the story that journalists eventually throw their moral compasses away to get the job done - pressure and stress of that sort can make people do awful things (not that its an excuse: it is just a job at the end of the day).

Persoanlly, I think that this will all come to nothing. Sooner or later people will get bored of it, and the papers will move on to something else. A couple of people will be prosecuted, but nothing major will happen. A bit like the last 'scandal' - MPs expenses.

Seshmeister
07-20-2011, 07:38 AM
Remember Brooks is almost like his adopted daughter.

Also NotW is a special case, previous editors, and various other people have lined up to say how hands on he was with it.

Anyway the phone hacking is just one thing, News International's bribery of cops and general tentacles in all areas of the establishment is much more worrying.

binnie
07-20-2011, 08:26 AM
Indeed: but I reckon Dirty Desmond is probably just as involved in that regard. Channel 5, The Star, The Express......it's quite a little empire he has, too.

I seem to remember some hoo-hah about Blair allowing him so much ownership back in the late '90s. but I could be wrong....

Seshmeister
07-20-2011, 08:58 AM
Des is just a grubby little pornographer, Murdoch has got right into the centre of the establishment here and in the US.

binnie
07-20-2011, 10:05 AM
True. But Des controls a lot of the media too.

Maybe I read too much Private Eye.

ashstralia
07-20-2011, 06:44 PM
this guy had an interesting op ed piece in the sydney morning herald this past weekend. it's a fairfax paper, one of the 32% of print media rupert DOESN'T own here. i'd be interested to read what you guys think.

ashstralia
07-20-2011, 09:23 PM
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/rupert-murdoch-not-totally-to-blame-20110714-1hei6.html