By now, every man and his dog has heard about the fact that Britain’s biggest-selling newspaper, the News of The World will close its doors and print its final paper this Sunday after 168 years.
Dogged by allegations of phone-hacking, corruption and bribery, News International exec Rebekah Brooks apparently fought back tears to break the news to staff yesterday. About 200 members of staff face redundancy not to mention the 30 sub editors who walked out appalled at the treatment of their colleagues.
The paper, owned by media magnate Rupert Murdoch has been the object of intense scrutiny over the past few months after it emerged that the phones of various celebrities and public figures had been hacked. Worse still it was reported that the paper had crossed all lines of decency by hacking victims’ phones including that of murdered teen Milly Dowler as well as families and victims of 7/7 and soldiers in Iraq.
Controversially, News International exec Rebekah Brooks- editor of the News of The World when the hacking was going on, held on to her job and was even defended by James Murdoch who said: “I am satisfied that Rebekah, her leadership of this business and her standard of ethics and her standard of conduct throughout her career, are very good.”
Today it was reported that former News of The World editor and ex Head of Communications to PM David Cameron, Andy Coulson is to present himself at a central London police station today along with four other journalists, one of whom is said to be Brooks.
As the saga rolls on, what are your thoughts?
