News International Reviewing Standards

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News International, which is the parent company for News Corp’s UK news outlets, told Yahoo News it is reviewing its “journalistic standards.”

According to Yahoo News, the company began its review “a number of weeks ago,” and law firm Linklaters is involved. Also, the investigation is being led by News Corp’s board “through the independent director Viet Dinh, [former New York City schools chancellor] Joel Klein and the Management and Standards Committee.”

In July, James and Rupert Murdoch were questioned before Parliament regarding the phone hacking accusations against Rupert Murdoch-owned News Corp. But, as iMediaEthics has written, that testimony was not under oath.  In the days after the testimony, two former employees of News International, Tom Crone and Colin Myler, alleged James Murdoch provided incorrect information during his July 19 testimony.

The Telegraph has reported this week that the two will be called again before Parliament to answer more questions. But this time, it will be under oath and the two could be held responsible for any untrue comments.

The Murdochs won’t be alone in testifying, though.  According to the Telegraph, UK prime minister David Cameron “and other senior politicians are also likely to be questioned over their links to News International.”

Former News of the World editor Rebekah Brooks, who resigned as CEO of News International in July, may testify.  Also, former News of the World editor Andy Coulson, who stepped down as Cameron’s communications director in January amidst new claims of hacking during Coulson’s time at News of the World, may testify.

Meanwhile, UK police have prohibited the publication of the names of the News of the World employees who authorized phone hacking, the Guardian reported.

As StinkyJournalism wrote last week, former News of the World private investigator Glenn Mulcaire identified the newspaper’s employees who asked him to hack phones in a letter for comedian Steve Coogan’s lawyer.  Coogan is suing News of the World accusing the newspaper of hacking his phone.

According to Bloomberg, a UK appeals court called for Mulcaire to reveal any News of the World employees implicated in phone hacking so it could be shown that “there was a conspiracy at News of the World.”

Bloomberg noted that despite claims that only Mulcaire and former News of the World reporter Clive Goodman were involved in hacking, four and a half years ago, Mulcaire’s attorney claimed Goodman hadn’t asked Mulcaire to hack voicemails “left for people other than the royal family.”

Instead, Mulcaire’s attorney reportedly said Mulcaire was instructed by “others in the same organization.”  Mulcaire and Goodman both went to jail in 2007 for six and four months, respectively, over phone hacking charges.  Goodman was arrested again in July of this year to be asked about the accusations of police bribery, according to the Telegraph.

 

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