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News of the World shuts down


Zoë Sumra

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...and Rebekah Brooks resigns as CEO of News International. I didn't see that one coming - thought Murdoch would stand by her.

News International has confirmed Rebekah Brooks has resigned as chief executive of the group. In an email to staff, the former News of the World editor said she feels a “deep sense of responsibility for the people we have hurt and I want to reiterate how sorry I am for what we now know to have taken place”, and adds her continued presence at the company “is now detracting attention from all our honest endeavours to fix the problems of the past”. She concludes: “Therefore I have given Rupert and James Murdoch my resignation. While it has been a subject of discussion, this time my resignation has been accepted. Rupert's wisdom, kindness and incisive advice has guided me throughout my career and James is an inspirational leader who has shown me great loyalty and friendship. I would like to thank them both for their support.”
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Also surprised. It would have seemed more natural for her to resign earlier or cling on longer...

She has submitted her resignation a couple of times before, but the Murdochs have rejected it. Clearly, the strategy of having her around to soak up as much of the pressure as possible wasn't working, so there was no further need to keep her.

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I'm surprized.

But I remember that Mormont made the call further up thread (or maybe in UK Politics?) that she would go, so I take my hat off to the Bear Island Boy and acknowledge his shrewdness!

Didn't think that Murdoch would throw her to the wolves, but I was wrong.

ETA

And I'm happy that I'm wrong too, not that I think it will make a difference to how UK newspapers go about their business in future, maybe I'm just vindictive :dunno:

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She has submitted her resignation a couple of times before, but the Murdochs have rejected it. Clearly, the strategy of having her around to soak up as much of the pressure as possible wasn't working, so there was no further need to keep her.

Fact.

The timing coincides too well with the Commons summons yesterday to be a coincidence. Rebekah lost all value to the Murdoch's, so they discarded her in the same way they discarded 200+ other employees.

The difference being she deserved it.

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This just in:

Disgusted, Satan returns Murdoch's soul.

"Satan never wants to be the last one to desert a sinking ship,” said Mr. Langromstone. “He always takes his lead from British politicians."

I think it'll get even more interesting if the FBI probe turns up something in the US. It was instigated by a Republican too.

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Slightly disagree. I actually think the fact they hadn't accepted her resignation was in itself acting as a negative. Hell, even Cameron had said they should have accepted. Having her around was increasing the flack.

So they accepted it.

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This just in:

Disgusted, Satan returns Murdoch's soul.

I think it'll get even more interesting if the FBI probe turns up something in the US. It was instigated by a Republican too.

Nice.

On the news the commentators are saying that the payment of metropolitan police officers by news international is sufficient to bring charges of bribery against Murdoch in the US anyway.

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On the news the commentators are saying that the payment of metropolitan police officers by news international is sufficient to bring charges of bribery against Murdoch in the US anyway.

Yep - this comes under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act* which prohibits a US company from bribing foreign officials. As I understand, News International would be responsible for their UK-based subsidiaries' employees' conduct.

*Incidentally, isn't the FCPA a wonderfully-named law? It just sounds so exotic and illicit... :blushing:

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*Incidentally, isn't the FCPA a wonderfully-named law? It just sounds so exotic and illicit... :blushing:

You're a very naughty girl who enjoys wicked thoughts far too much. **sighs** This probably comes from reading too much of the Murdoch press.

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And now she's apparently been arrested. I wonder if Murdoch suspected she would be arrested and that was why he let her go?

For what it's worth NI insiders claim that the decision to accept the resignation came first.

There is one interesting side-effect, Ms Brooks can now refuse to answer any Select Committee questions on the grounds that she dare not risk prejudicing the investigation.

Which is, strangely enough, a fortunate turn of events for both Ms Brooks and the police.

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There is one interesting side-effect, Ms Brooks can now refuse to answer any Select Committee questions on the grounds that she dare not risk prejudicing the investigation.

I know that's what she's been saying but is that so legally? I can see that she could prejudice her own defense, but I can't see how she could prejudice the investigation except by withholding evidence.

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And, as expected, the Republican Fetish for 9/11 is completely forgoten the minute it's no longer useful.

Damn, even I didn't think Fox would go this far:

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2011/07/the-most-incredible-thing-fox-news-has-ever-done/242037/

http://gawker.com/5821626/fox-and-friends-hilariously-pathetic-coverage-of-the-murdoch-hacking-scandal

For those not wanting to read through, they basically come out and imply that it was News Corp that got hacked and not the other way around.

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Damn, even I didn't think Fox would go this far:

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2011/07/the-most-incredible-thing-fox-news-has-ever-done/242037/

http://gawker.com/5821626/fox-and-friends-hilariously-pathetic-coverage-of-the-murdoch-hacking-scandal

For those not wanting to read through, they basically come out and imply that it was News Corp that got hacked and not the other way around.

Yea, i read this. Morally reprehensible.

Funny that some of the long time proponents of Fox on the board are all rather mum about this ordeal.

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