Tag Archives: News of the World

MediaGuardian: News of the World’s phone-hacking defence unraveling

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Glenn Mulcaire, the private investigator at the centre of the News of the World phone-hacking scandal, has said that the paper’s assistant editor commissioned him to intercept voicemail messages, MediaGuardian reports.

Mulcaire’s claim leaves the newpaper’s ‘rogue reporter’ defence, which lays the blame for the practice solely at the feet of royal reporter Clive Goodman, in tatters.

Accortding to the MediaGuardian report, Mulcaire submitted a statement to the high court yesterday confirming that Ian Edmondson, the paper’s assistant editor (news), asked him to hack into voicemail messages left on a mobile phone belonging to Sky Andrew, a football agent who is suing the paper for breach of privacy.

Edmondson was suspended by the New of the World last week after what the paper called a “serious allegation” of phone-hacking that emerged during a civil case brought by actress Sienna Miller.

Full story on MediaGuardian at this link.

Observer: How the phone-hacking scandal fits together

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As the CPS begins a fresh assessment of Met police evidence in the News of the World phone-hacking case, and coverage of the convoluted scandal is once again on the rise, the Observer has produced a graphic for the confused, showing how the major players fit together.

See the full graphic at this link [PDF].

Today: Cameron defends Coulson, refuses to comment on resignation rumour

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David Cameron defended his director of communications, Andy Coulson this morning on Radio 4, refusing to comment on speculation that Coulson had offered his resignation after mounting pressure over the News of the World phone-hacking scandal.

I think there is a danger at the moment that he is being punished twice for the same offence … I gave him a second chance, I think in life sometimes its right to give a second chance.

Presenter John Humphrys pressed the prime minister on the rumours of a resignation offer but he refused to comment: “I don’t go into private conversations.”

Here the full programme at this link (skip to 18:40 for Coulson questions).

The Guardian: Met asks News of the World for new phone-hacking evidence

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The Metropolitan Police has asked the News of the World for fresh evidence as part of the phone-hacking investigation, the Guardian has reported.

The Met wrote a letter to the newspaper on Friday “requesting any new material they may have in relation to alleged phone-hacking following the suspension of a member of their staff.”

The News of the World responded in a statement, saying: “We have received a letter from the Metropolitan police and will co-operate fully.”

Later this week the Met is expected to hand over previously undisclosed documents to the lawyers of sports agent Skylet Andrew, who represents cricketer James Anderson and footballer Sol Campbell, among others. Glenn Mulcaire, the private investigator paid by the News Corp publication, pleaded guilty to intercepting telephone messages in 2006.

Full story at this link.

MediaGuardian: What do the new phone-hacking developments mean for News Corp’s Sky bid?

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Dan Sabbagh added a new angle to the News of The World phone-hacking scandal this morning, connecting the scandal to News Corp’s takeover bid for BSkyB. Culture secretary Jeremy Hunt is due to make a decision over the controversial bid this month.

Hunt, whose verdict is due this month, would have to argue that there is no danger of about the media power of an enlarged News Corp/Sky at a time when the tactics of its senior reporters are in the spotlight again.

He may yet do so, but the political risks of him letting the Murdoch deal go through at the first time of asking just multiplied – when he has the easier alternative of asking for the Competition Commission to look at the implications of the deal in more detail.

Sabbagh’s full comment piece can be found here.

Related content:

News of the World executive suspended over ‘serious allegation’ of phone-hacking

Guardian: Andy Coulson denies phone-hacking at Sheridan trial

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Downing Street director of communications Andy Coulson was yesterday forced to once again deny that as editor of the News of the World “he ordered reporters to ‘practise the dark arts’ by illegally hacking phones and ‘blagging’ confidential information”, according to the Guardian.

Coulson was giving evidence at the perjury trial of Tommy Sheridan, a timeline of which is available at the BBC.

Coming face-to-face with Sheridan – who is conducting his own defence – Coulson told the high court in Glasgow that he had no idea his newspaper had used private detectives to illegally “hack” phone messages from members of the royal family and other targets. He repeatedly denied promoting a “culture” of hacking and “blagging”, where people’s confidential data such as tax details, criminal records or phone bills were illegally accessed, in the NoW’s newsroom.

According to the Guardian report Coulson also denied knowing private investigator Glenn Mulcaire, who, along with former News of the World royal correspondent Clive Goodman, was convicted of conspiracy to intercept telephone calls in 2007.

Inforrm: Mulcaire ordered to identify journalists involved in phone hacking

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Private investigator Glenn Mulcaire has been ordered to provide information identifying News of the World journalists who had asked him to hack voicemail messages, the Guardian’s Nick Davies reported yesterday.

The judgment opens the door to the eventual disclosure of evidence that could have a powerful effect on News International, Scotland Yard, the Press Complaints Commission and the prime minister’s media adviser, Andy Coulson, all of whom have claimed that Mulcaire acted without any official sanction from the News of the World.

This morning, the Inforrm blog reports on the judgement issued by Mr Justice Mann.

The judgement, handed down yesterday in the case of Phillips v News Group Newspapers, orders Mulcaire to provide information “relevant to the claim being brought by Nicola Phillips, a former employee of publicist Max Clifford’s company” against the News of the World in relation to allegations of phone hacking, Inforrm reports.

Mr Mulcaire sought to resist providing answers on the basis of the “privilege against self-incrimination”.  Mr Justice Mann agreed that the privilege was applicable but held that the evidence would be covered by section 72 of the Senior Courts Act, which removes the privilege in  inter alia, “proceedings for infringement of rights pertaining to any intellectual property or for passing off”.  As a result, the judge ordered that Mr Mulcaire should provide the information.

MediaGuardian: Scotland Yard uncovers new material in phone-hacking case

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On Friday evening the Guardian reported that Scotland Yard had uncovered new material following fresh allegations of phone-hacking at the News of the World and had sent “a file of evidence” to prosecuters to decide if there is case.

The controversy presents a danger to David Cameron’s communications director, Andy Coulson, who was editor of the News of the World when a reporter and private investigator were convicted and jailed for hacking voice messages involving Princes William and Harry.

The Guardian continues to say a number of journalists have come forward to say the practice “was more widespread than the tabloid has admitted” and that they were known about by the former editor. Coulson has always denied these claims.

Coulson under pressure again after police interview and questions over civil service help

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The News of the World phone-hacking scandal continues to make the headlines this week as former editor Andy Coulson, now director of communications for Downing Street, was questioned by police.

According to the Press Association, Downing Street confirmed that Coulson had “attended a meeting with Metropolitan Police officers voluntarily on Thursday and was interviewed as a witness”.

Yesterday the Financial Times reported that shadow Cabinet Office minister Jon Trickett is to write to the head of the civil service to “seek assurances” that no civil service time has been spent advising Coulson.

Coulson has consistently denied accusations that he was aware of phone hacking at the tabloid.

Starsuckers filmmaker accuses UK tabloids of increasingly ‘murky newsgathering’

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The tabloid press is adopting increasingly ‘murky newsgathering’ tactics according to a documentary maker who exposed UK tabloids for publishing false celebrity stories.

Speaking at a Media Society debate on Wednesday night, ‘Starsuckers’ director Chris Atkins called for better self-regulation among British newspapers and accused them of colluding to keep the public ignorant of media malpractice.

“When pharmaceuticals and the police are up to no good, everyone reports it. But when journalists are up to no good, no one reports it,” he said.

Atkins focused his criticism on the News of the World after it attempted to stop the release of his film, which showed one of the newspaper’s journalists taking details of a false story.

“They will fight privacy laws and restrictions, but when you criticise them, they will do everything to shut you down.”

In the course of making the Starsuckers documentary, Atkins’ team planted a fake story about Amy Winehouse’s hair catching fire.

“It’s the same journalists who write about Amy Winehouse’s hair [catching fire] who then write something about global warming,” he said.

He added that a tabloid tendency to promote showbiz reporters to senior editorial positions took the problem beyond celebrity gossip stories. “Why do [the Sun’s] Bizarre reporters get to be editors? They don’t check facts, and then you have the Sun saying there are weapons of mass destruction in Iraq,” he said.

But former editor of the People Bill Hagerty defended tabloid behaviour:

“I disagree that people lie about news across all areas. I reject the thought that many journalists start out to falsify news. It’s a few bad apples, and it’s not huge.”

Hagerty also held the online ‘welter of media’ responsible for falling standards in print journalism, but maintained that false reporting was not a widespread practice:

“It’s true that reporters don’t go out any more, and news is often web driven. The press is in very bad shape, but it isn’t driven by people who want to make up stories.”

Related reading on Journalism.co.uk:

Documentary’s legal battles reveal ugly truth about UK media culture

Starsuckers’ Chris Atkins: ‘Every news organisation is churning every other. It’s like a Barium meal’

Former News of the World journalist defends phone-hacking at lively debate