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Tuesday, 24 April 2012

Hacking: Murdochs To Face Media Inquiry

Katie Stallard, media and technology correspondent
James Murdoch will give evidence to the Leveson Inquiry into press standards later, followed by his father, Rupert, on Wednesday.
The inquiry is moving into a new phase, focusing on the relationship between the press and politicians.
But both men can expect further questions about phone hacking at the now-defunct News Of The World (NOTW), as well as questions about their dealings with senior political figures.
James Murdoch, who has now arrived at the Royal Courts of Justice ahead of his appearance from 10am, is only the second witness - after the information commissioner, Richard Thomas - to have a full day set aside for his testimony.
Two days have been scheduled for Rupert Murdoch's evidence later this week.
Both men will give evidence under oath in Court 73, but are appearing as witnesses.
The Leveson Inquiry was established at the request of the Prime Minister after a series of allegations about phone hacking at the NOTW last summer, which led to the 168-year-old paper being closed down.
The inquiry heard on Monday from the head of Sky News, John Ryley, who said managers at the channel had twice authorised the illegal interception of emails, but said it was "highly unlikely" anything similar would be sanctioned in the future.
Mr Ryley said the decision to allow emails to be accessed was made after detailed consideration and because management believed the stories involved - including one about John Darwin, who faked his own death in a canoeing accident - were in the public interest.
Both James Murdoch and Rupert Murdoch gave evidence to the Culture, Media and Sports Select Committee last July where they denied any knowledge of phone hacking and apologised sincerely to the victims.
Rupert Murdoch declared it "the most humble day of my life".
The NOTW was the first British newspaper he bought, back in 1969, marking the beginning of more than four decades' involvement with the British press.
James Murdoch, who was chairman of News International (NI) when the hacking allegations surfaced, returned to the Select Committee in November to give further evidence.
He has since stepped down from his position at NI, as well as the chairmanship of BSkyB, but he remains a non-executive director of the broadcaster.
News Corporation dropped its bid to buy the 60.9% of BSkyB shares it does not already own in the wake of the allegations.
Ben Fenton, media writer at the Financial Times, told Sky News: "They will be asked about phone hacking and exactly what they knew, and when, and I wouldn't be surprised if they were asked directly about their answers to questions before the Culture, Media and Sports Select Committee last July."
When asked last year about meetings with British prime ministers during his career, Rupert Murdoch joked: "I wish they would leave me alone."
He told the committee he had visited David Cameron in the days after the 2010 general election, but had been asked to use the back door.
He explained that it had been: "To avoid the photographers at the front, I imagine. I don't know. I was asked, I just did what I was told."
He continued: "I was invited within days to have a cup of tea and to be thanked by Mr Cameron for the support. No other conversation took place. It lasted minutes."
Mr Murdoch was said to be close to Margaret Thatcher, but not all politicians were so regarded.
In the run-up to the closely-fought general election of 1992, The Sun's front page declared: "If Neil Kinnock wins today will the last person to leave Britain please turn out the lights."
When John Major got in instead, the front page duly proclaimed: "It's The Sun wot won it!"
So when a youthful Tony Blair was elected leader of the Labour party in 1995, his first overseas trip was to Australia, to address the News Corp annual conference.
Fenton explained: "Rupert Murdoch is the most important person, I believe, in the thought processes of British prime ministers over the last 20 to 30 years.
"Election experts will tell you that newspaper articles don't influence voting intentions, but as long as politicians think that they do, it doesn't matter whether they do or not."
So far this year Mr Cameron has already had to admit riding a retired police horse, which had been loaned to former NI chief executive Rebekah Brooks, whose racehorse-trainer husband is a close friend of Mr Cameron.
There will be plenty of powerful people listening anxiously over the next 48 hours to what James and Rupert Murdoch have to say.

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