The stakes are getting higher for News Corp.’s international CEO, as the phone “hacking” scandal resurfaces this week…
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MP grilling: James Murdoch will face questions from the House Of Commons’ Culture, Media & Sport Committee for a second time on Thursday morning, after being recalled to answer perceived inconsistencies between evidence the committee has received. Watch it live here from 11am GMT (6am EST, 3am PST).
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Questions to answer: In a letter to the committee, former News International legal affairs manager Tom Crone claims James Murdoch had in May 2008 been sent an email advising him that “hacking” was practised by more than just one “rogue reporter”. Murdoch has claimed he only became aware of the practice’s scale during the recent scandal. But Crone’s letter repeats the recent assertion he gave in person to the committee, contradicting Murdoch. Via Guardian.co.uk.
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More muck: The News Of The World hired a private investigator to conduct surveillance, which is not necessarily illegal, on two lawyers representing phone hacking victims after the hacking came to light, Guardian.co.uk reports. One of the lawyers is reportedly to take legal action. An investigator also followed over 100 high-profile figures for the paper, Newsnight reports.
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New Aussie role:The CEO and chairman of News Corp.’s Australian news division, News Limited, John Hartigan, has shocked staff by stepping down after 41 years in the company. He is being replaced as CEO by Foxtel chief Kim Williams and as chairman by Rupert Murdoch.
James Murdoch, only survived recent re-election to News Corp.’s board because the balance of voting power was exercised by the Murdoch family itself.
If he cannot convincingly explain what parliament’s committee says are discrepancies in evidence, he will be seriously wounded.
» Watch the committee session live here from 11am GMT (6am EST, 3am PST) on Thursday.