Rupert Murdoch divulges secrets of phone hacking
Media mogul Rupert Murdoch on the second day of the Leveson inquiry into the phone hacking scandal at the Sunday edition of the Sun admitted that the news firm had a few cover-ups.
There was one very cunning lawyer, Murdoch disclosed, adding that “one or two people” at the News of the World concealed the inside stories from the senior people there.
Murdoch, however, refused to reveal names of the cover-ups saying the matter is now being dealt with by the investigators and he should not be interfering into the proceedings.
Some of the shady figures at the tabloid had made informal acquaintance with journalists and accompanied them at drink parties, Rupert Murdoch said, regretting that it was because of some individuals that the entire group suffered.
The former News Corporation CEO testified that he, James Murdoch or Rebecca Brooks were kept in the dark about what was going on in the organisation. They were being misinformed about the extent of unlawful hacking of phone calls and voicemails, he said.
Justifying his decision not to completely shut down the tabloid despite troubles brewing inside, Sr. Murdoch said he was considerate to the huge readership of the Sunday Sun and decided not to close it permanently. However, when the time for making a decision came, he did not ponder over it for too long, Murdoch said at the trial.
“It was a decision taken very quickly by my son, I think Mrs Brooks was still there, and myself. It was done, like that”, he said.
Related: James Murdoch quits as News International chairman
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