U.K. Paper Under Scrutiny In Phone Hacking Probe

by Philip Reeves, NPR

The British police have launched a new inquiry into claims of illegal phone-hacking by journalists at one of the country's biggest newspapers. Reporters at the News of the World, which is owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp., are alleged to have hacked into the voicemails of members of the royal family, senior politicians and media celebrities, hoping to discover scandalous details of their private lives. Although News Corp. initially denied the allegations, the affair has led to the resignation of the prime minister's head of media, a former News of the World editor, and the sacking of a senior editor at the paper.

Broadcast Dates

• All Things Considered, January 27, 2011