Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: The scandal that keeps on giving

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  • Simon Bennett,

    Good sound and pictures coming from the BBC website:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-14193124

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 174 posts Report Reply

  • webweaver,

    Lordy this home affairs committee hearing is fascinating.

    If Fedorcio says Yates did due diligence on Wallis and Yates says that was Fedorcio’s responsibility, can we assume no-one did it?

    …Except to ask him if anything embarrassing might come out of them employing him. Amazing.

    Oh - and 10 of 45 members of the Met's Dept of Public Affairs are former News International employees. Bloody hell.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 332 posts Report Reply

  • Tamsin6,

    Rebekah Brooks apparently due to appear at 3.30pm - so that's 2.30am NZ time. Murdochs due around 2.30pm - 1.30am NZ. Though they seem to be running on a bit just now. Feels quite odd to be watching this on Sky News....

    London • Since Dec 2007 • 133 posts Report Reply

  • Tamsin6,

    Here we go....

    London • Since Dec 2007 • 133 posts Report Reply

  • webweaver, in reply to Tamsin6,

    Bring on the popcorn!

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 332 posts Report Reply

  • Tamsin6,

    Most humble day of Rupert's life. Excellent. I want popcorn too.

    London • Since Dec 2007 • 133 posts Report Reply

  • webweaver,

    I'm liking Tom Watson's questioning of Rupert. Good idea to keep on at the father and keep the son quiet. Much too much time-wasting blahblahblah by James...

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 332 posts Report Reply

  • Tamsin6,

    Lord Sugar is furious though - reckons questions are a waste of time, as poor old Rupert Murdoch couldn't have known about this kind of micro-detail. Durrrr. For me, part of the point of this whole thing is that there are people in positions of responsibility (Murdoch father and son, Brooks, Yates at the Met etc) who SHOULD have known. Who cares if Murdoch owns so much he can't touch the edges of his vast empire? He ought to have done. Also, I don't believe for one second that he isn't at all times aware of the editorial position of his tiny little NI operation, so why should we believe he didn't know there were other issues. I mean, he didn't KNOW about the Max Mosley blackmail revelations? Seriously, what? And, why not?

    London • Since Dec 2007 • 133 posts Report Reply

  • webweaver, in reply to Tamsin6,

    Absolutely! Especially as he said earlier he was in daily contact with both James and Rebekah Brooks - that's a lot of contact for a 1% part of his vast empire....

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 332 posts Report Reply

  • Tamsin6, in reply to webweaver,

    They were probably chatting about other things. Dinner, a show, la la la...

    London • Since Dec 2007 • 133 posts Report Reply

  • Tamsin6,

    Oh my goodness - Murdoch just attacked! Actual running around and shoving!

    London • Since Dec 2007 • 133 posts Report Reply

  • webweaver,

    I'm a few minutes behind (cigarette breaks and the joy of MySky) so I have that to look forward to. In the meantime I am being bored stupid by James,. Which I guess is his strategy.

    Ooh here's a screengrab of the shaving foam custard pie incident http://twitpic.com/5sk38w

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 332 posts Report Reply

  • Tamsin6,

    Laying odds that the white substance is whitewash...

    London • Since Dec 2007 • 133 posts Report Reply

  • Tamsin6, in reply to webweaver,

    Hearing suspended now, boo hiss. Probably NI plant. Mrs Murdoch none too pleased though.

    London • Since Dec 2007 • 133 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to webweaver,

    Ooh here's a screengrab of the shaving foam custard pie incident

    Totally OTT. A simple lamington atop the head would have sufficed.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Campbell,

    after seeing his pie throwing protest on TV he was tweet-dumped by his girlfriend: "Not funny. Not clever. Not your girlfriend."

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    And here's the "foam hacking" clip you're all gagging for:

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Hilary Stace,

    Not sure how many people know about global people's network AVAAZ. Campaign on injustice anywhere. Tried to post the link but got the whole message,below, about their Murdoch campiagn.

    "For decades Murdoch has ruled with impunity -- making and breaking governments with his vast media empire. But we're fighting back, and winning! We played a key role in stopping Murdoch's grab for media control in the UK. Now we're taking our red-hot UK campaign global, to roll back the Murdoch menace everywhere with campaigns, investigations and legal action. Click to donate:

    Hacking murdered children's phones, paying off police, destroying evidence of crimes, threatening politicians -- UK leaders say Rupert Murdoch's empire has "entered the criminal underworld". For decades, Murdoch has ruled with impunity -- making and breaking governments with his vast media holdings and scaring opponents into silence, but we're fighting back, and winning!

    Through almost 1 million actions, 7 campaigns, 30,000 phone calls, investigations and countless stunts and legal tactics, we've played a lead role and stopped Murdoch from buying over 50% of UK commercial media! Now we're taking our red-hot UK campaign global, to roll back the Murdoch menace everywhere.

    Here's the plan: together we can a) hire investigators to expose Murdoch's corrupt tactics beyond the UK b) organize prominent voices to break the cycle of fear and speak out on this issue and c) mobilise people in key countries behind new laws and legal actions that stop Murdoch and clean up our media for good.

    Avaaz members live in every country where Murdoch works, making our movement the only one that can truly take a campaign against his global empire and win. The time is now -- If just 20,000 of us donate a small amount each, we can seize this once-in-a-generation chance. Click below to chip in:

    https://secure.avaaz.org/en/stop_rupert_murdoch_donate/?vl

    For weeks, nearly daily revelations have uncovered the extent of Murdoch media's corruption in the UK. His operatives hacked the phones of thousands of people, including grieving widows and soldiers who died in Iraq, stole a Prime Minister's bank information and harassed him for 10 years, paid huge sums to police officers, and Rupert's son, James Murdoch, himself authorized hush money to victims.

    But this is the tip of the iceberg -- Murdoch is a global problem. He's famous for dictating editorial positions to his papers. He corrupts and controls democracies by pushing politicians to back his extremist ideas on war, torture and a host of other planetary ills, and destroying the careers of politicians with smear campaigns unless they do his bidding. In the US, he helped elect George W. Bush and has most of the Republican presidential candidates actually on his payroll (see sources below). His Fox News Network spread lies to promote the war in Iraq, pushed resentment of Muslims and immigrants and spawned the right-wing tea party. Maybe worst of all, he has helped block critical global action on climate change.

    Murdoch's reign of fear is breaking down, and many are on the edge of speaking out against his tactics. The dam is about to break in the US, Australia and elsewhere, but we need to give it an urgent push by investigating Murdoch further, organising high profile opposition, and making sure that our politicians pass laws that will clean up our media for good. Let's make it happen together:

    Our community kept campaigning on this issue when almost everyone else in the UK gave up hope. Because we're people-powered, we don't have the same fear of Murdoch that almost everyone else does. It's part of the promise that people power has for change in the world. Today, hope is breaking out in the UK -- let's take it global.

    With determination,

    Ricken, Emma, Maria Paz, Giulia, Luis, Alice, Brianna and the rest of the Avaaz team

    SOURCES:

    Decision on BSkyB takeover could take weeks after surge in online campaigning (Huffington Post)
    http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2011/07/07/decision-on-bskyb-takeove_n_892244.html

    BSkyB bid final clearance unlikely to be given before September (The Guardian)
    Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt will take 'several weeks' to review 100,000-plus submissions on News Corp/BSkyB takeover
    http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jul/07/bskyb-bid-final-celarance-september

    Murdoch maimed by social media (The Scotsman)
    http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/opinion/Lesley-Riddoch-Murdoch-maimed-by.6799263.jp?articlepage=1

    Who is Rupert Murdoch? (Center for American Progress)
    http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2004/07/b122948.html

    The global reach of Murdoch's News Corp (BBC)
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-14104349

    Rebekah Brooks must go over Milly 'hacking' - Miliband (BBC)
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-14027879

    Latest Updates on British Phone Hacking Scandal (New York Times)
    http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/07/12/latest-updates-on-british-phone-hacking-scandal/

    Fox News 2012? Nearly All Potential GOP Presidential Candidates On FNC Payroll (Huffington Post)
    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/27/fox-news-has-nearly-all-p_n_740070.html

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

  • Ben Austin,

    Guys, spoilers tags on the pie incident!

    ;)

    London • Since Nov 2006 • 1027 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    When is the fall out going to reach NZ?

    Currently, the prime minister says that it's "not in the National interest" to talk about the police-central-server-illicit-data-capture scandal, but the Israeli ambassador has just been summoned to appear on Nine To Noon.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • Bart Janssen, in reply to Tamsin6,

    people in positions of responsibility

    That's the key, whether or not they knew is irrelevant, they are, by virtue of their position responsible. If they were smart they would have made sure they knew everything.

    Denial at this stage is merely a publicity exercise it has no relevance to legal responsibility.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report Reply

  • Raymond A Francis,

    While we are all enjoying dancing on the supposed Murdock grave I just wonder if the political fall out might just go the other way
    Thinking of the rather delicate legal privilage that journalists currently enjoy to not give up their informants, might this be a good time for the pollies to knock that on the head with regulations which could lead to no one being able to put any light on the murky shadows

    45' South • Since Nov 2006 • 578 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz, in reply to 3410,

    It seems to be a bit cavalier to allow open USB ports on machines with PNC access. Really, information like that should be on locked-down machines with no USB or drives, no internet connectivity and controlled access.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    It seems to be a bit cavalier to allow open USB ports on machines with PNC access. Really, information like that should be on locked-down machines with no USB or drives, no internet connectivity and controlled access.

    and why [-tf?] have they let someone who doesn't understand that do their security? Utterly amateurish.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Raymond A Francis,

    Oh, I’m sure the political establishment are going to try riding the public wave of sympathy for increased regulation as far as it will possibly go.

    But while the rest of the media pack are getting their Murdoch schadenfreude on, they might want to take a deep breath and think about what comes next. After all, I’d respectfully suggest there are a lot of current (and ex-) MPs in all parties will will neither forgive, nor forget, The Daily Telegraph for kicking off the expenses scandal that ended careers, and put four people in prison.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

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