Is this Armageddon for Murdoch and NewsCorp?

Badboy wrote:THE WALL STREET JOURNAL,PART OF THE MURDOCH EMPIRE, HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN A SCAM TO BOOST CIRCULATION,THEY PAID OTHER COMPANIES TO BUY THE PAPER BOOSTING THE FIGURES MISLEADING POTENTIAL ADVERTISERS ETC INTO THINKING THE JOURNAL HAD HIGHER CIRCULA\tion than they really

Wow, thanks for that Badboy, I"m sure the big Shareholders will force the Murdochs to resign even though they have 70% of the voting
rights. I think in the U.S. A. there is a body who can intervene under Good Governance guidelines, something like that.

BskyB latest accounts show the Company has done very well, selling more items like Films and increasing it"s Broadband sales.

A Meeting of the Board will maybe be swayed by these Figures and it will affect whatever decision it intended to make regarding Richard and James Murdoch.

A big rift has developed between Rupert Murdoch and his Son James. After the NOTW Scandal, Rupert gave James an ultimatum, "get back to
the U.S. or your"e out." James is now in the U.S. working at Newscorp. However, the Shareholders vote on Friday about a vote of confidence
in Rupert and James and something will have to be done about the voting rights of Shareholeders, some big Investors are demanding a change
when the Murdoch family own 40% of Newscorp, but have 70% voting rights. Rupert Murdoch named his successor, an American CEO, not
James a couple of months ago.

Murdoch critics press for changes at Newscorp.

An American Asset Manager was asked what he thought of the Murdochs and shareholders attempts to oust them from the Board of Newscorp.

He replied that Rupert Murdoch was a great moneymaker and his first duty, regardless of personal opinion was to make as much money for his
Clients as he could.

So much for ethics because although bskyb made a big profit this year, Newscorp as a whole lost money. No News about James Murdoch
meeting the Committee, maybe Cameron had a word., James is living in America now.

Investors in Newscorp seek to oust Murdoch but the Family own 40% shares, the Middle East another 5 or 6% which would make it very difficult for Murdoch to be voted off, he would have to stand down voluntarily.

The hacking scandal lingers at Newscorp and the cost to Newscorp for all these payments to those who have been hacked , plus new claims
is not helping.

A U.K. Lawyer, Watson, who wants the Murdochs ousted from the Board of Newscorp.........he plans to release new revelations at Newscorp
meeting.

Breaking News


4:14pm UK, Friday October 21, 2011





£3m Payout Over Milly Dowler Phone Hacking

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Rupert Murdoch is personally donating £1m to charity as part of a compensation deal agreed with Milly Dowler's family.







Milly Dowler's family are being paid £2m by News International




The family of the murdered schoolgirl, whose phone was
allegedly hacked during her disappearance, are to receive a £2m payout
from News International.


Mr Murdoch will also personally give £1m to six charities which have been selected by the Dowlers.


The media tycoon described the alleged hacking by the News of the World as "abhorrent" and "awful" as the payout was revealed.


In a statement, he said: "When I met with the Dowlers in July, I
expressed how deeply sorry I was for the hurt we had caused this family.


"The behaviour that the News Of The World exhibited towards the
Dowlers was abhorrent and I hope this donation underscores my regret for
the company's role in this awful event.


"I also hope that through the personal donation something positive can be done in memory of their daughter."







Milly Dowler was 13 when she was killed in 2002





The deal was announced in a joint statement from the family and News International.


The charities have been selected based on "causes close to Milly and
those that provide support to other victims of crime", it explained.


They are Shooting Star Chase, Child Victims of Crime, Suzy Lamplugh
Trust, Hampton Pool Trust, Braintumouruk.org and Cancer Research.


Sky News had already revealed the charities set to benefit and how the money will be split.


Half the money will go to Shooting Star Chase, a children's hospice close to the Dowler family home in Surrey.


The Suzy Lamplugh Trust, named after the missing London estate agent and which helped the Dowlers after Milly disappeared, receives £100,000.


Another £100,000 is going to the schoolgirl's local swimming pool, the Hampton Pool Trust.


The three other charities also receive £100,000 each.







Rupert Murdoch is personally donating £1m to charity





The Dowler family said: "Nothing that has been agreed will ever bring
back Milly or undo the traumas of her disappearance and the horrendous
murder trial earlier this year.


"The only way that a fitting tribute could be agreed was to ensure
that a very substantial donation to charity was made in Milly's memory.


"We hope that projects will be undertaken so that some good can come from this."

The behaviour that the News Of The World exhibited towards the
Dowlers was abhorrent and I hope this donation underscores my regret for
the company's role in this awful event.

Rupert Murdoch







Allegations that the News Of The World hacked into the schoolgirl's voicemails when she was missing emerged earlier this year.


Messages were apparently accessed and voicemails left for Milly were deleted to make room for more recordings.


This gave the family false hope she was still alive because messages were disappearing.


The revelations proved a turning point in the hacking row and led to the Sunday tabloid being shut down.


Mr Murdoch personally apologised to the Dowler family at a meeting this summer, where the foundations of the payout were agreed.


Former bouncer Levi Bellfield is serving life for the schoolgirl's murder.

The first AGM since the Hacking Scandal is being held later today by Newscorp. Many Shareholders are demanding the Murdoch"s step down ,
but others realise the voting shares favour the Murdochs and there is a suggestion that the way this is structured is not Legal.. Some also recognise that James Murdoch has been responsible for the increase in profits of bskyb and that Rupert Murdoch is a moneymaker. It all boils
down in the end on whether greed overrides principles.

It appears the AGM is quite heated. Rupert Murdoch has apologised for the hacking saying there was no excuse for it and we must learn by our mistakes. Tom Watson, described as a Lawmaker in the House of Commons? bought shares in Newscorp so that he could attend the meeting. He says the Police have hard drives from NOTW Computers and apparently someone was impersonating the PM. He also says Direct TV were
overcharged by bskyb for showing Football Matches. It appears Rupert Murdoch has no intention of stepping down .

Rupert Murdoch survived angry shareholders protest and remains Chairman and CEO, with the same privileges of the Family"s 40 % shares but
70% voting rights.

Watson, flew from London after buying shares so he could attend the AGM. He says there is more damaging information to come and there
are currently 200 SY Police investigating.

Les Hinton (don"t know who he is) is facing questioning today. Just announced....Les Hinton is the ex CEO of Dow Jones who resigned when
the phone hacking scandal surfaced. He has been a close confidante of Rupert Murdoch for 52 years and is meeting today with British Law Makers.

Lachlan Murdoch following media company's annual meeting

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• Dominic Rushe
  
• guardian.co.uk, Monday 24 October 2011 23.28 BST
  
• Article historyJames Murdoch's future is hanging in the balance after News Corp's shareholders lodged a massive protest vote. Photograph: David Cheskin/PA
  
  James Murdoch's future at News Corporation looks increasingly precarious as shareholders delivered a damning verdict on his tenure amid widespread criticism of his handling of the hacking scandal.
  Following a contentious meeting in Los Angeles last week News Corporation shareholders lodged a massive protest vote against James and his brother Lachlan Murdoch.
  A majority of independent shareholders voted against the re-election of chairman Rupert Murdoch's sons James and Lachlan Murdoch. James Murdoch received the largest vote against his re-election at 35%.
  James, 38, faces a second grilling in the Parliament next month over phone-hacking at The News of The World, one of News Corp's UK newspapers. Some 34% of shareholders voted against Lachlan Murdoch 40.
  After subtracting the shares controlled by Rupert Murdoch, 67% of the votes went against James Murdoch and 64% against Lachlan, said Julie Tanner, assistant director of News Corp investor Christian Brothers Investment Services (CBIS), who last week called for Rupert Murdoch to step down as chairman after the "extraordinary scandals" at the company. "Shareholders are saying loud and clear that this board has failed as a group," she said.
  Rupert Murdoch, chairman and chief executive officer, proved far more popular with investors, receiving 86% of votes, although a sizeable number of shareholders, representing 12 million votes, abstained.
  The votes are a particular embarrassment as Murdoch went into the meeting with at least 47% of voting shares on his side, thanks to the family's control of the company's voting shares and the support of their largest outside shareholder, Saudi Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal.
  Thanks to the Murdoch's controlling share interest the company defeated attempts to throw the Murdochs and others off the board from major shareholders including the giant Californian pension funds CalPERS and CalSTRS, the Church of England and Hermes, the BT pension fund.
  A combative Murdoch faced hostile shareholders at the company's meeting in Los Angeles on Friday and said News Corp was dealing with the situation. While he acknowledged the seriousness of the hacking scandal Murdoch described attacks on News Corp as "unfair" and said the company was the "stuff of legend."
  Shareholder critics called for the Murdochs to step down at the meeting and criticised the pay deals of the company's top executives.
  The firm delayed releasing the results of the ballot until late Monday. Father Seamus Finn of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, who attended the meeting, said: "The vote clearly demonstrates a profound lack of confidence in this company's leadership."
  Earlier Les Hinton, former chairman of News International, which runs the company's UK newspapers, had defended James Murdoch saying he saw no reason why he should resign his position.
  Michael Wolff, Murdoch biographer and author of The Man Who Owns the News, said it was now inevitable that James Murdoch would leave.
  "James will probably go by himself, that's what everybody will be waiting for. I wonder too if Lachlan will step off the board. But could this drag on for another year? Yes."
  Wolff said the size of the vote against Murdoch's son had created "a very difficult family moment."
  Chief operating officer Chase Carey received strong support from the company's shareholders, garnering 91% of the votes cast. Former New York city school Chancellor Joel Klein collected 96% of the votes cast.
  Natalie Bancroft, scion of the family that sold Dow Jones to News Corp, also received a huge vote against, as shareholders called for greater independence on the News Corp board.
  Tanner said the votes against the Murdoch sons and Bancroft showed shareholders were serious about wanting more independence at News Corp. "The overwhelming influence of the Murdoch family is not acceptable anymore," she said.
  
  

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World news

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More news

• More on this story
  
• 
  Rupert Murdoch: News Corp's great dictator on the brink
  
  Michael Wolff: He was as combative, up against it and past his prime as 2011's other fallen tyrants. This was likely his last shareholders' meeting
  
• Les Hinton: I was right to say phone hacking was not rife
  

}

Shareholders who attended the AGM of Newscorp were very angry, both because of the bad publicity of the phone hacking scandal and the
compensation they are having to pay the victims. However, since Newscorp is making money for them many shareholders were against any
action or abstained.

James Murdoch is due to appear in front of the Committee again in a couple of weeks, this time without his Father and the knowledge that
two NOTW Managers have disputed his claim that he didn"t know what was going on.

At the AGM 36% of shareholders voted against James Murdoch remaining on the Board of Newscorp and 34% for his brother Lachlan.

Just Announced, Investors have lodged a protest vote.

Rupert Murdoch speaks of 'unfair attack' in face of shareholder revolt

News Corp chairman and chief executive makes defiant address at annual shareholder's meeting in Los Angeles

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• Dominic Rushe, Dan Sabbagh and Jason Deans
  
• guardian.co.uk, Friday 21 October 2011 20.34 BST
• Article history
A protester dressed as Rupert Murdoch at Fox Studios in Los Angeles. The News Corp CEO said his company's history was the 'stuff of legend'. Photograph: Nick Ut/AP

Rupert Murdoch has made a defiant and uncompromising address in front of his company's shareholders in Los Angeles, insisting News Corp's history was the "stuff of legend" as he prepares to face down the most serious investor revolt in the company's history.
The 80-year-old chairman and chief executive of the media giant said he was "personally determined" to clean up the phone hacking scandal that had led to the closure of the News of the World, but said the issue needed to be set in context at a company that had been under "understandable scrutiny and unfair attack".
He argued that the business had a famous history – from the time he took over a single newspaper in Adelaide in 1953 – which had to be set against the revelations that several reporters at the News of the World had been engaged in hacking into voicemails left for crime victims, their families, public figures and celebrities.
Speaking at the start of the company's annual shareholder meeting, Murdoch offered no fresh concessions. With 40% of the votes in his control, there was no prospect of either Murdoch or his heir apparent and son, James, being voted off the board. However, the scale of the rebellion was expected to exceed 20% of non-family shareholders.
Those attending included Edward Mason, secretary of the ethical investment advisory group of the Church of England, which owns about $6m of News Corp shares. "There needs to be decisive action in terms of holding people to account," he told the Guardian before the event, noting that it was the first time his group had attended a company annual meeting. Later, at the meeting, Murdoch criticised the church's investment track record, describing it as "not that great".
Julie Tanner, assistant director of News Corp investor Christian Brothers Investment Services (CBIS), which represents more than 1,000 Catholic institutions worldwide, was the first to question Murdoch's track record at the meeting itself, saying that the "extraordinary scandals" in the UK required corporate overhaul.
Tanner proposed a motion that News Corp appoint an independent chairman, "to empower the board in relation to the Murdoch family", and asked that the company launch a "truly independent investigation" into the phone-hacking allegations, instead of the work by its London-based internal management and standards committee.
The Labour MP Tom Watson, a persistent thorn in Murdoch's side, who travelled to Los Angeles to attend the AGM, commented on the "deepest irony" of Friday's opening presentation, which included images of Prince William – who he alleged had been targeted by former News of the World private investigator Glenn Mulcaire – and Kate Middleton, who he claimed had been targeted by another private investigator employed by the now closed Sunday tabloid, Jonathan Rees.
Watson warned News Corp investors that they were facing "Mulcaire 2" in the UK as victims of alleged computer hacking took action against News International. "You haven't told any of your investors what is to come," he told Murdoch, although the News Corp boss insisted in response that his company was co-operating fully with police inquiries.
Investors, critics and the press were bussed into the high security event from a parking lot in Century City to the Zanuck Theatre at Fox Studios, where a collection of Oscars was on display outside. Investors were deciding whether to reappoint the company's directors, including Rupert Murdoch and his sons James and Lachlan, whether to endorse a remuneration scheme that paid Murdoch $33.3m last year, and whether to appoint an independent chairman.
A few hours before the meeting began, News Corp confirmed it had reached an agreement to pay the family of murdered teenager Milly Dowler £2m in compensation, with Rupert Murdoch personally donating an additional £1m to six charities. The settlement relates to the hacking of the missing schoolgirl's phone messages by the News of the World after she went missing in March 2002. "Nothing that has been agreed will ever bring back Milly," the Dowler family said. "The only way that a fitting tribute could be agreed was to ensure that a very substantial donation to charity was made in Milly's memory."

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MPs Publish 'Damning' Phone-Hack Documents

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Former News of the World editor Colin Myler and legal
director Tom Crone at the committee


3:45pm UK, Tuesday November 01, 2011


Emails potentially damaging to News International have been published by the
House of Commons committee investigating allegations of phone-hacking.


The Commons Culture, Media and Sport committee data
includes a memo from former News International legal manager
Tom Crone to the-then News of the World editor Colin Myler.

It appears to show senior figures at News International were aware of
widespread phone-hacking, despite claiming there was one "rogue reporter" -
Clive Goodman.

The note, written in 2008, said lawyers for Gordon Taylor had obtained a list
of News of the World journalists implicated in "data protection infringements"
from the Information Commissioner.

He said a "number of those names are still with us and some of them have
moved to prominent positions at the News of the World and The Sun.

"Typical infringements are 'turning around' car registration and mobile phone
numbers (illegal)," the email states.

Mr Crone then says: "This evidence...is fatal to our case."





He adds: "Our position is very perilous. The damning email is genuine and
proves we actively made use of a large number of extremely private voicemails
from Taylor's telephone in June/July 2005."

This may be a reference to the so-called "For Neville" email which has become central to when News
International bosses became aware of the extent of the problem.

It is believed to have been a transcript of hacked private information about
Mr Taylor intended for Neville Thurlbeck, the chief reporter at the time.

The latest batch of documents were sent to the
committee by the law firm Farrer and
Co, which used to advise News International.

Mr Taylor, from the Football Association, settled out of court with the
now-defunct Sunday tabloid.

In a second document dated 2008, QC Michael
Silverleaf told News International bosses there was "overwhelming
evidence of the involvement of senior News Group Newspapers journalists in
illegal enquiries".

Mr Silverleaf was offering his legal opinion on how News International could
handle the claim made by Mr Taylor, who was hacked by Mr Goodman and
investigator Glen Mulcaire.

He continued: "In addition there is substantial surrounding material about
the extent of NGN journalists' attempts to obtain access to information
illegally in relation to other individuals.

"In light of these facts there is a powerful case that there is (or was) a
culture of illegal information access used at NGN in order to produce stories
for publication.

"Not only does this mean that NGN is virtually certain to be held liable to
Mr Taylor, to have this paraded at a public trial would, I imagine, be extremely
damaging to NGN's public reputation," he added.


It is understood that there will be a T.V.Link for James Murdoch"s meeting with the Committee since he is now living un the U.S.

James Murdoch is to appear before the Committee on 10th November. Specifically to explain what he knew of the payment of £725, 000 paid to Gordon
Taylor.A Memo from a Barrister 3 yrs ago warned senior Executives of the NOTW of the culture of such payments and it is thought James Murdoch knew
what was going on. Newscorp will be closely monitoring this latest claim and it has given more ammunition to the angry Shareholders.

Newscorp announced Profits of 32 cents per share beating estimates and hopefully appeasing angry shareholders. the result buys time for James Murdoch
and the result of his meeting with the Committee next week will also be watch with interest .

With the latest scandal involving The Sun, can the Murdochs stay in power? Newscorp will be furious at this latest revelation that the Sun was paying
Police Officers .

Panda

It can't get any worse can it?

I would imagine one could almost hear the sawing and banging of wood as the construction of the "imaginary gallows" at the forthcoming appearance of James Murdoch. Maybe that's why he remains in the US.

Angelique wrote:Panda

It can't get any worse can it?

I would imagine one could almost hear the sawing and banging of wood as the construction of the "imaginary gallows" at the forthcoming appearance of James Murdoch. Maybe that's why he remains in the US.

I read somewhere that James is going to be interviewed by Televiewer, aftrais he might get locked up if he sets foot in Britain.!!!!

This revelation about the Sun really will upset the Shareholders of Newscorp already angry about the dirty practices of the Murdoch Family but as long
as Newscorp is making money, which it is, Institutional shareholders will keep quiet.

Murdoch gave loyal lieutenant Rebekah Brooks £1.7m pay-off, car and office

News International chairman may face questions in Commons over generous severance deal despite phone-hacking scandal

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• Daniel Boffey, policy editor
  
• guardian.co.uk, Saturday 5 November 2011 21.00 GMT
• Article history
Rupert Murdoch with Rebekah Brooks, who quit as News International chief executive in July. Photograph: Barry Batchelor/PA

Rebekah Brooks, the former News of the World editor who resigned as chief executive of News International
at the height of the phone-hacking scandal, received £1.7m in cash, the
use of a London office and a chauffeur-driven limousine as part of her
severance package from the newspaper group.
Brooks, a favourite of Rupert Murdoch
who rose from being a secretary on the features desk of the Sunday
newspaper to the very top of the mogul's UK operation, quit in July amid
claims over the alleged illegal activities carried out by her
executives and reporters. Days after she resigned, she was arrested and
bailed in connection with allegations of phone hacking and corruption.
Records at Companies House show that she has resigned from 23 directorships related to the firm. However, the Observer
has learned that, along with a generous payoff and continued use of her
company limousine and driver for two years, Brooks, 43, has been given
an office for the same period of time in an affluent central London area
which her spokesman asked the Observer not to reveal for security reasons.
The decision to give Brooks an office will inevitably be raised on Thursday when James Murdoch,
the 38-year-old son of Rupert and chairman of News International,
returns to Westminster to answer questions from the Commons culture,
media and sport select committee about his knowledge of illegal
activities by his employees.
Tom Watson, the Labour MP who helped lead the fight to expose the phone-hacking practices carried out by News of the World
journalists, queried the company's decision. He said: "It is remarkably
curious that such an generous package is given to Ms Brooks when others
have been cut loose. It is almost as if she hasn't really left the
company. I am sure Mr Murdoch will want to explain the decision to his
shareholders."
James Murdoch is set to make his second appearance
before the Commons committee this week after discrepancies arose between
his previous testimony and that of his key lieutenants.
During the session he is also likely to be questioned about previous claims that illegal practices did not take place at the Sun newspaper,
where Brooks was editor between 2003 and 2009 before being elevated to
the role of chief executive of News International.
The investigation into police corruption and newspapers' illegal payments to officers was extended to the Sun last week, as detectives arrested one of its reporters at his home near Windsor.
Jamie
Pyatt, 49, the first journalist from the title to be arrested by
Scotland Yard's Operation Elveden into payments to police officers, has
been at the Sun since 1987 and worked under Brooks when she was editor there.
Dave
Wilson, the chairman of Bell Pottinger, the public relations group
hired by Brooks to deal with the fallout from her resignation, declined
to comment on the "confidential" details of her severance package.
News International also declined to comment.





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I HAVE HEARD ON NEWS THAT NOTW WAS HACKING AND FOLLOWING LAWYERS FOR HACKING VICTIMS.
IT IS SPECULATED MEMBERS OF THE COMMONS SELECT COMMITTEE ON MEDIA MAY ALSO HAVE HAD THEIR PHONES HACKED.

THINGS CAN ONLY GET BETTER ON THIS WHOLE THING!
WHATEVER NEXT,MURDER?

Badboy wrote:I HAVE HEARD ON NEWS THAT NOTW WAS HACKING AND FOLLOWING LAWYERS FOR HACKING VICTIMS.
IT IS SPECULATED MEMBERS OF THE COMMONS SELECT COMMITTEE ON MEDIA MAY ALSO HAVE HAD THEIR PHONES HACKED.

THINGS CAN ONLY GET BETTER ON THIS WHOLE THING!
WHATEVER NEXT,MURDER?

Hi Badboy,

I know, the shareholders of Newscorp will not be happy about the Sun also involved in Murdoch"s dirty tricks and the Directors of Newscorp are already
annoyed at the amount of claims still to be paid for the NOTW Hacking. Just watching Channel 4 News and it appears one of the Lawyers was acting
for Milly Dowler, the other one for Charlotte ? There were supposed to be photos available but Jon Snow apologised saying they were unable to be
shown, I presume they are part of the investigation.

James Murdoch faces the CSC on Thursday, should be interesting

MARK LEWIS WAS THE NAME OF ONE LAWYER IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY