Hacking the news

Posted at 1:09 PM on July 18, 2011 by Michael Olson (6 Comments)
Filed under: Media

The first sign of the Rupert Murdoch/News of the World scandal meant something to the lives of people across the pond came when Attorney General Eric Holder confirmed that the U.S. Department of Justice was investigating claims that the tabloid hacked into voice-mail accounts of Sept. 11 victims.

The once untouchable Murdoch became "wounded" and "suddenly appears mortal, and his enemies are emboldened" writes Politico.

In an otherwise defiant editorial, Murdoch's Wall Street Journal ended on a note of contrition.

Phone-hacking is deplorable, and we assume the guilty will be prosecuted. More fundamentally, the News of the World's offense--fatal, as it turned out--was to violate the trust of its readers by not coming about its news honestly. We realize how precious that reader trust is, and our obligation is to re-earn it every day. (Wall Street Journal)

Has the phone hacking scandal changed your view of news media?

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Comments (6)

Did not change my view of "news of the world". I already thought they were kind of a sleazy tabloid. Is that wrong?

Posted by John P. | July 18, 2011 3:23 PM

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It makes me very angry at Murdoch, yes. Also makes me really angry about the power leveraged by the ultra-wealthy.

Posted by vjacobsen | July 18, 2011 4:19 PM

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I hope this is the beginning of the end for Murdoch and I hope all of his holdings slowly migrate back into more reasoned thinking hands. I hope this is a turning point of some sort ( beginning of the end of Fox News?) That he has been able to wield such power and influence because of his wealth is a disgrace. But he's not the only one...

Posted by Bonnie | July 18, 2011 5:14 PM

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I just read an AP report that the whistleblower who exposed this mess is dead. The police have already indicated that they do not consider the death suspicious.

This rapid interaction of broom and carpet has me reconsidering the reach of the rich/powerful.

Here's the
AP story...

Posted by kennedy | July 18, 2011 5:27 PM

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At long as we can still get news from irreproachable publications like the National Enquirer, US Weekly, People and the Onion, I am unconcerned.

Posted by DanA | July 18, 2011 6:26 PM

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News Corp. donates money to politicians at record levels. Funding to NPR is threatened. News Corp. scandal is uncovered. I am concerned for the world I am bringing a child into.

Posted by Tom | July 18, 2011 9:16 PM

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