Is this Armageddon for Murdoch and NewsCorp?

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Dear Judith,

Rupert "Fox News" Murdoch is in meltdown mode. Three of his aides face sanctions from Parliament for lying, another has been charged by UK prosecutors with "conspiracy to pervert the course of justice," and Murdoch himself is accused of having instructed then-Prime Minister Tony Blair to block the phone-hacking investigation.

In the U.S. there is no Congressional investigation yet, but over 30,000 of us have demanded one. Please demand an investigation of Rupert Murdoch - and then forward this to everyone you know who puts truth and justice above Fox News.

Thanks for all you do!


Bob Fertik
























A law-breaking U.S. company shouldn't be held accountable only by the U.K.








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Dear Activist,

For decades, Rupert Murdoch has been the most powerful media mogul on earth – anointing, manipulating and intimidating political leaders across the globe, including U.S. presidents.

Headquartered in the U.S., Murdoch’s News Corp. owns dozens of American outlets including Fox News, Fox Broadcasting, Wall Street Journal and New York Post. His outlets are powerful opinion-shapers; no one pushed harder for the Iraq invasion than Murdoch and his media.

A British Parliamentary committee recently declared Rupert Murdoch “not a fit person” to run a major company. The committee found that Murdoch had “turned a blind eye and exhibited willful blindness” while his London newspapers massively hacked into private citizens’ phones and computers – and bribed police officials.

When a U.S. company bribes foreign officials, it violates the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

Let’s urge the U.S. Senate to investigate and hold public hearings on the corrupt practices of Murdoch and News Corp.

For almost a year, while this scandal involving a U.S. company dominated the news in England, our Congress looked away. Weeks ago, the British attorney whose lawsuits broke open the scandal alleged that Murdoch’s journalists committed the crime of phone-hacking against victims in the U.S.

The Senate Commerce Committee has oversight of American business and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). While British broadcast regulators today investigate whether Murdoch is fit to hold a broadcast license in England, the American FCC shows no interest in Murdoch’s fitness to possess 27 U.S. TV licenses.

Urge Senate Commerce Committee Chair Jay Rockefeller (D-W.V.) to initiate an investigation of News Corp. corruption and law-breaking.

After it starts investigating News Corp., we will urge the committee to probe why the FCC has taken our public property – the broadcast airwaves – and turned them over, for free, to a handful of giant conglomerates (Murdoch, Disney, General Electric, Comcast, etc.)

Please forward this email to friends and family.

It’s time we “occupy the airwaves.”

Onward,
The RootsAction team

P.S. RootsAction is an independent online force endorsed by Jim Hightower, Barbara Ehrenreich, Cornel West, Daniel Ellsberg, Glenn Greenwald, Naomi Klein, Bill Fletcher Jr., Laura Flanders, former U.S. Senator James Abourezk, Coleen Rowley, and many others.

mara thon wrote:I just received this:




Demand A Senate Investigat​ion of Rupert Murdoch














Inbox


x


































Democrats.com activist@democrats.com



23:49 (1 hour ago)














to me









Images are not displayed. Display images below - Always display images from activist@democrats.com

















Dear Judith,

Rupert "Fox News" Murdoch is in meltdown mode. Three of his aides face sanctions from Parliament for lying, another has been charged by UK prosecutors with "conspiracy to pervert the course of justice," and Murdoch himself is accused of having instructed then-Prime Minister Tony Blair to block the phone-hacking investigation.

In the U.S. there is no Congressional investigation yet, but over 30,000 of us have demanded one. Please demand an investigation of Rupert Murdoch - and then forward this to everyone you know who puts truth and justice above Fox News.

Thanks for all you do!


Bob Fertik
























A law-breaking U.S. company shouldn't be held accountable only by the U.K.








Share this action on Facebook




Share this action on Twitter


Dear Activist,

For decades, Rupert Murdoch has been the most powerful media mogul on earth – anointing, manipulating and intimidating political leaders across the globe, including U.S. presidents.

Headquartered in the U.S., Murdoch’s News Corp. owns dozens of American outlets including Fox News, Fox Broadcasting, Wall Street Journal and New York Post. His outlets are powerful opinion-shapers; no one pushed harder for the Iraq invasion than Murdoch and his media.

A British Parliamentary committee recently declared Rupert Murdoch “not a fit person” to run a major company. The committee found that Murdoch had “turned a blind eye and exhibited willful blindness” while his London newspapers massively hacked into private citizens’ phones and computers – and bribed police officials.

When a U.S. company bribes foreign officials, it violates the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

Let’s urge the U.S. Senate to investigate and hold public hearings on the corrupt practices of Murdoch and News Corp.

For almost a year, while this scandal involving a U.S. company dominated the news in England, our Congress looked away. Weeks ago, the British attorney whose lawsuits broke open the scandal alleged that Murdoch’s journalists committed the crime of phone-hacking against victims in the U.S.

The Senate Commerce Committee has oversight of American business and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). While British broadcast regulators today investigate whether Murdoch is fit to hold a broadcast license in England, the American FCC shows no interest in Murdoch’s fitness to possess 27 U.S. TV licenses.

Urge Senate Commerce Committee Chair Jay Rockefeller (D-W.V.) to initiate an investigation of News Corp. corruption and law-breaking.

After it starts investigating News Corp., we will urge the committee to probe why the FCC has taken our public property – the broadcast airwaves – and turned them over, for free, to a handful of giant conglomerates (Murdoch, Disney, General Electric, Comcast, etc.)

Please forward this email to friends and family.

It’s time we “occupy the airwaves.”

Onward,
The RootsAction team

P.S. RootsAction is an independent online force endorsed by Jim Hightower, Barbara Ehrenreich, Cornel West, Daniel Ellsberg, Glenn Greenwald, Naomi Klein, Bill Fletcher Jr., Laura Flanders, former U.S. Senator James Abourezk, Coleen Rowley, and many others.

Thanks mara_thon ,

The U.S. has stronger rules on Business ethics than the U.K. and a long time ago it was said that the U.S. could take
action against any U.S. Parent Company with Companies abroad committing crimes. I think Murdoch might well be
charged because the British Press was his responsibility as head of News International. Also, I think the Murdochs will
have to reduce their 70% holding of shares in Newscorp which means they can do what they like.

Dave and Boris: Rupert Murdoch is not likely to be any help to the London mayor in getting the keys to No 10. Photograph: John Stillwell/PA


This, you'll recall, is the silly season, when wild and woolly tales have a life of their own. And here's the ever-resourceful Benedict Brogan giving the Telegraph an early lead. His subject: Boris. "Significantly, I hear, he met Rupert Murdoch recently to discuss how his candidacy [to become PM] might be promoted, and has invited the media tycoon to join him at the Olympics. It's said that Mr Murdoch wants to get rid of Mr Cameron. Westminster has noted the Sun's growing enthusiasm for Boris, and how it contrasts with the vitriol the paper now reserves for Cameron and Osborne…" One blast from the Bun and the mayor goes for gold (or at least tow-haired blond)? It's as though three years of disgrace and dismay never happened. Next week: why Boris pleaded with Rupert not to endorse him.






Series
Peter Preston on press and broadcasting

Brooks charged over hacking saga
August 3 2012 at 01:33am


Comment on this story


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Associated Press

(File image) Rebekah Brooks

London - British police on Thursday formally charged former tabloid editor Rebekah Brooks with phone hacking in a long-running press scandal which has struck at the heart of the country's institutions.

Police last week charged Prime Minister David Cameron's ex-media chief Andy Coulson and six other current or former employees of Rupert Murdoch's now defunct News Of The World tabloid with hacking, adding they would charge Brooks at a later date.

Brooks on Thursday appeared at Lewisham police station in London to receive the charges, which carry a maximum punishment of two years in prison, and was bailed to appear at Westminster Magistrate’s Court on September 3.

In total, police issued 19 separate charges of conspiring to illegally intercept the voicemails of 600 people, including Hollywood stars Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and Jude Law as well as politicians and crime victims.



Prosecutors said the other people targeted included England and Manchester United footballer Wayne Rooney and ex-Beatle Paul McCartney.

The others charged include Stuart Kuttner, the News Of The World's former managing editor, former news editor Greg Miskiw, former head of news Ian Edmondson, former chief reporter Neville Thurlbeck, and reporter James Weatherup.

The last person is private investigator Glenn Mulcaire, who was jailed for phone hacking for six months in 2007.

Australian-born media tycoon Murdoch, 81, was forced to close the weekly News Of The World a year ago amid a storm of revelations that its staff hacked into the voicemail messages of a murdered schoolgirl and a slew of public figures.

Brooks was editor of the tabloid from 2000 to 2003 and went on to edit The Sun, Murdoch's top-selling British tabloid, before going on to become chief executive of News International, Murdoch's British newspaper group.

“I am not guilty of these charges,” she said in a statement released by her lawyers. “I did not authorise, nor was I aware of, phone hacking under my editorship.”

Brooks was charged in May with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice by allegedly trying to cover up evidence relating to phone hacking during the frantic last days of the News Of The World. - AFP
***********************************

"Brooks on Thursday appeared at Lewisham police station in London to receive the charges, which carry a maximum punishment of two years in prison, and was bailed to appear at Westminster Magistrate’s Court on September 3."

Does this mean 2 yrs for each charge because I thought she is being charged on 3 counts.

Is this Armageddon for Murdoch and NewsCorp?
I don't think so......... I've just came across this item on Huffington Post....... They never learn......

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/08/04/rupert-murdoch-jeremy-hunt-olympics_n_1741488.html

Rupert Murdoch Bumps Into Jeremy Hunt At The Olympics
PA/Huffington Post UK | Posted: 04/08/2012 17:04 Updated: 05/08/2012 22:06

Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt has been criticised by Labour MPs for meeting News Corporation boss Rupert Murdoch on the fringes of the Olympic Games.

John Mann said it was "quite inappropriate" for Mr Hunt to chat with the media mogul, while Jim Sheridan said he appeared to show "no contrition" over his handling of News Corp's bid for satellite broadcaster BSkyB.

But a source close to the Culture Secretary said the meeting was no more than a chance encounter after the pair separately attended swimming events at the London 2012 Aquatics Centre on Friday night.

Awkward? Hunt and Murdoch briefly meet - and the footage is recorded on a sharp-eyed snooper's camera phone

ITN captured footage of Mr Murdoch waving to Mr Hunt after he spotted the Government minister outside the swimming venue in east London.

The two men shook hands and smiled as they exchanged a few words before parting, but their conversation, lasting less than a minute, was not recorded.

An aide to Mr Hunt told the Press Association: "They were both at the swimming and bumped into each other and shook hands and said hello. That's all there was to it.

"I think they were talking about the swimming."

Mr Murdoch was at the Aquatics Centre as a guest of London Mayor Boris Johnson, while Mr Hunt is a regular visitor to the Olympic venues in his capacity as Culture Secretary.

Mr Mann told the Press Association: "Hunt just doesn't seem to be able to help himself. He is repeatedly careless and this is another example of it.

"It's quite inappropriate, after what has happened, that the two of them should be together at any stage. He should be avoiding Rupert Murdoch like the plague."

And Mr Sheridan, a member of the Commons Culture Committee which carried out an inquiry into phone-hacking at the News Corp-owned News of the World, said it appeared the relationship between Mr Hunt and Mr Murdoch was "as close as ever".

"The relationship between the Conservative Party and the Murdoch empire still looks strong," said Mr Sheridan.

"And after everything that's gone on, the very fact that Boris Johnson invited Murdoch to the Olympics is outrageous.

"What do Milly Dowler's family make of that I wonder? There appears to be no contrition whatsoever for the mistakes."

Mr Murdoch has faced questioning on the hacking of mobile phones, including that of teenage murder victim Milly Dowler, by both the MPs' committee and the Leveson Inquiry into press standards.

Seven former journalists at the News of the World, including ex-editors Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson, have been charged with offences in relation to the phone-hacking inquiry.

Mr Hunt came under intense pressure earlier this year when the Leveson Inquiry uncovered a cache of emails detailing contacts between his office and News Corp lobbyist Fred Michel during the abortive bid for BSkyB.

Critics also questioned his impartiality after it emerged he had written to David Cameron prior to being given quasi-judicial authority over the bid, arguing the case for the deal to go ahead. However, the Culture Secretary insisted he had handled the case impartially on the basis of independent advice.

Jeremy Hunt was being interviewed as Culture Secretary and said the Olympics have created a great interest in
Athletics and Gymnastics and the Government was going to ensure that facilities and Trainers etc would be available. The Presenter who interviewed him said "But wasn't it the Tory Goverment who sold off all the School Playing Fields?"
Hunt had nothing else to say.

If Boris is cosying up to Murdoch, shame on him , in fact the whole lot of Politicians who rely of someone like Murdoch
to get them elected.

Panda wrote:

Jeremy Hunt was being interviewed as Culture Secretary and said the Olympics have created a great interest in
Athletics and Gymnastics and the Government was going to ensure that facilities and Trainers etc would be available. The Presenter who interviewed him said "But wasn't it the Tory Goverment who sold off all the School Playing Fields?"
Hunt had nothing else to say.

If Boris is cosying up to Murdoch, shame on him , in fact the whole lot of Politicians who rely of someone like Murdoch
to get them elected.

You are right Panda they think, (and rightly so in many cases) that the public will believe every word they utter. They all leap from one bandwagon to another, blame each other when things go downhill or claim the kudos when something goes right for a change, (such an unusual event is rarely due to politician input).
Boris is just as likely to cuddle up to Murdoch as any of them, (in my opinion). The entire Commons are showing tendencies to be corrupt in one form or another. (again in my opinion).

Hi malena, I think the Tory backbenchers are going to oust Cameron before the next Election, Osborne hasn't got a dog's chance in hell of becoming PM , neither have the Liberals of increasing their Seats, but rather than see Labour get in I
hope the Tories choose a Leader of calibre to stop the rot.

Panda wrote:

Hi malena, I think the Tory backbenchers are going to oust Cameron before the next Election, Osborne hasn't got a dog's chance in hell of becoming PM , neither have the Liberals of increasing their Seats, but rather than see Labour get in I
hope the Tories choose a Leader of calibre to stop the rot.

Morning Panda,
Cameron has shown himself to be not the man to take us out the mire we are in, relying on Osborne's wheeler dealing rather than stamping out the incredible corruption in the banking system which put us in the hole we are in.

In my opinion, other than Denis Skinner who will at least call a spade a spade, there isn't a honest politician in the commons who is worthy of leading the country. The vast majority seem to be two faced, self gratifying liars, all corrupt to the nth degree and completely out of touch with the mandate the electorate voted them in to carry out.

Boris may well make a good leader, but he has to lose his image of being a pleasant likable buffoon and a bumbling cretin... (Which he plainly is not).

Morning malena,

Boris was exhorting the public to stop griping and enjoy the Games. I do like him and do think he would be a no nonsense PM , but he is a bit of a Casanova so might have a few skeletons in the cupboard. There is a rumour that if the

Tories oust Cameron before the next Election , Haig might be voted in.....wouldn't be my choice.

Panda wrote:Morning malena,

Boris was exhorting the public to stop griping and enjoy the Games. I do like him and do think he would be a no nonsense PM , but he is a bit of a Casanova so might have a few skeletons in the cupboard. There is a rumour that if the

Tories oust Cameron before the next Election , Haig might be voted in.....wouldn't be my choice.

Hague wouldn't be my choice neither, he was out of touch with reality and the electorate and a failure as leader when he led the Tories in the late 1990s.
If Labour could shed the remnants of Blair and Brown's New Labour cronies and find a leader with some real Labour values they could possibly win by a landslide at the next election, but other than Skinner I don't think there is one MP at present in the commons who is aware of the reality faced daily by the man in the street.

malena stool wrote:

Panda wrote:Morning malena,

Boris was exhorting the public to stop griping and enjoy the Games. I do like him and do think he would be a no nonsense PM , but he is a bit of a Casanova so might have a few skeletons in the cupboard. There is a rumour that if the

Tories oust Cameron before the next Election , Haig might be voted in.....wouldn't be my choice.

Hague wouldn't be my choice neither, he was out of touch with reality and the electorate and a failure as leader when he led the Tories in the late 1990s.
If Labour could shed the remnants of Blair and Brown's New Labour cronies and find a leader with some real Labour values they could possibly win by a landslide at the next election, but other than Skinner I don't think there is one MP at present in the commons who is aware of the reality faced daily by the man in the street.

Nor me, they are all self serving cretins who are just not interested in the People , I think the expenses scandal showed

that. In the Valleys not too far from where I live is a massive protest about the plan to close 7 Hospitals and replace

them with "Centres of excellence", clinics mainly . One Man was interviewed who was diabetic, emphacemic, a couple of other complaints and has to take loads of tablets a day and have regular visits to Hospital says if these plans go

ahead he will have to travel 7 miles to his nearest Hospital. Of Course the Welsh Health Minister says the complaints will be investigated but you can bet they will be ignored.

I despair of Britain and glad I am not growing up today.

Panda wrote:

malena stool wrote:

Panda wrote:Morning malena,

Boris was exhorting the public to stop griping and enjoy the Games. I do like him and do think he would be a no nonsense PM , but he is a bit of a Casanova so might have a few skeletons in the cupboard. There is a rumour that if the

Tories oust Cameron before the next Election , Haig might be voted in.....wouldn't be my choice.

Hague wouldn't be my choice neither, he was out of touch with reality and the electorate and a failure as leader when he led the Tories in the late 1990s.
If Labour could shed the remnants of Blair and Brown's New Labour cronies and find a leader with some real Labour values they could possibly win by a landslide at the next election, but other than Skinner I don't think there is one MP at present in the commons who is aware of the reality faced daily by the man in the street.

Nor me, they are all self serving cretins who are just not interested in the People , I think the expenses scandal showed

that. In the Valleys not too far from where I live is a massive protest about the plan to close 7 Hospitals and replace

them with "Centres of excellence", clinics mainly . One Man was interviewed who was diabetic, emphacemic, a couple of other complaints and has to take loads of tablets a day and have regular visits to Hospital says if these plans go

ahead he will have to travel 7 miles to his nearest Hospital. Of Course the Welsh Health Minister says the complaints will be investigated but you can bet they will be ignored.

I despair of Britain and glad I am not growing up today.

Me too, Panda. The ongoing demolition of the NHS and its eventual privatisation under the pretence of promoting a better service bodes evil for future generations. Sadly Blair and Brown could have reversed the sell off, but continued with Thatcher's crazed destruction of our unions, our coal industry and her greedy, demented and myopic plans for the Privatisation of our public utilities.

malena stool wrote:

Panda wrote:

malena stool wrote:

Panda wrote:Morning malena,

Boris was exhorting the public to stop griping and enjoy the Games. I do like him and do think he would be a no nonsense PM , but he is a bit of a Casanova so might have a few skeletons in the cupboard. There is a rumour that if the

Tories oust Cameron before the next Election , Haig might be voted in.....wouldn't be my choice.

Hague wouldn't be my choice neither, he was out of touch with reality and the electorate and a failure as leader when he led the Tories in the late 1990s.
If Labour could shed the remnants of Blair and Brown's New Labour cronies and find a leader with some real Labour values they could possibly win by a landslide at the next election, but other than Skinner I don't think there is one MP at present in the commons who is aware of the reality faced daily by the man in the street.

Nor me, they are all self serving cretins who are just not interested in the People , I think the expenses scandal showed

that. In the Valleys not too far from where I live is a massive protest about the plan to close 7 Hospitals and replace

them with "Centres of excellence", clinics mainly . One Man was interviewed who was diabetic, emphacemic, a couple of other complaints and has to take loads of tablets a day and have regular visits to Hospital says if these plans go

ahead he will have to travel 7 miles to his nearest Hospital. Of Course the Welsh Health Minister says the complaints will be investigated but you can bet they will be ignored.

I despair of Britain and glad I am not growing up today.

Me too, Panda. The ongoing demolition of the NHS and its eventual privatisation under the pretence of promoting a better service bodes evil for future generations. Sadly Blair and Brown could have reversed the sell off, but continued with Thatcher's crazed destruction of our unions, our coal industry and her greedy, demented and myopic plans for the Privatisation of our public utilities.

Actually , it was Gordon Brown who sold the Hospitals to Private firms even though the Government could have had loans at favourable rates and owned them rhemselves. Now we pay exhorbitant rent for 30 years for a vital service to the community which we will never own.

Panda wrote:

malena stool wrote:

Panda wrote:

malena stool wrote:

Panda wrote:Morning malena,

Boris was exhorting the public to stop griping and enjoy the Games. I do like him and do think he would be a no nonsense PM , but he is a bit of a Casanova so might have a few skeletons in the cupboard. There is a rumour that if the

Tories oust Cameron before the next Election , Haig might be voted in.....wouldn't be my choice.

Hague wouldn't be my choice neither, he was out of touch with reality and the electorate and a failure as leader when he led the Tories in the late 1990s.
If Labour could shed the remnants of Blair and Brown's New Labour cronies and find a leader with some real Labour values they could possibly win by a landslide at the next election, but other than Skinner I don't think there is one MP at present in the commons who is aware of the reality faced daily by the man in the street.

Nor me, they are all self serving cretins who are just not interested in the People , I think the expenses scandal showed

that. In the Valleys not too far from where I live is a massive protest about the plan to close 7 Hospitals and replace

them with "Centres of excellence", clinics mainly . One Man was interviewed who was diabetic, emphacemic, a couple of other complaints and has to take loads of tablets a day and have regular visits to Hospital says if these plans go

ahead he will have to travel 7 miles to his nearest Hospital. Of Course the Welsh Health Minister says the complaints will be investigated but you can bet they will be ignored.

I despair of Britain and glad I am not growing up today.

Me too, Panda. The ongoing demolition of the NHS and its eventual privatisation under the pretence of promoting a better service bodes evil for future generations. Sadly Blair and Brown could have reversed the sell off, but continued with Thatcher's crazed destruction of our unions, our coal industry and her greedy, demented and myopic plans for the Privatisation of our public utilities.

Actually , it was Gordon Brown who sold the Hospitals to Private firms even though the Government could have had loans at favourable rates and owned them rhemselves. Now we pay exhorbitant rent for 30 years for a vital service to the community which we will never own.

I personally would doubt the legality of any government sell off, whether Tory or New Labour of publicly owned utilities, all of which were, bought, paid for, staffed and ran by funds received from the working people of this nation, not by foreign investors and devious, money laundering 'entrepreneurs'. While the flawed idea came from Thatcher, Blair and Brown for their pursuance of her policies in destroying the NHS which was the jewel of a real Labour movement should hang their heads in shame. But they represented an avaricious, self seeking and shameless New Labour party, whose front bench views remain unchanged in opposition.

I'm the first to complain if posters go off topic malena so i suggest you open a new thread titled Politicians....who needs

them!!! Or similar.

Good idea Panda, perhaps Anna could consider your suggestion.

malena stool wrote:Good idea Panda, perhaps Anna could consider your suggestion.

malena, job done, I opened an new thread for you" Politicians" in the World news section....it's already had a response.

Panda wrote:

malena stool wrote:Good idea Panda, perhaps Anna could consider your suggestion.

malena, job done, I opened an new thread for you" Politicians" in the World news section....it's already had a response.

YOU SHOULD READ MY POST,MALENA

News Corporation posts $1.6bn loss as phone-hacking legal fees stack up


Losses include charges related to plan to split off publishing assets from more lucrative film and TV sectors

• 
  

• 
  Dominic Rushe in New York
  
• guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 8 August 2012 22.39 BST
  

News Corp said legal costs relating to the phone-hacking investigation had mounted to $224m. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA

News Corporation made a loss of $1.6bn (£1.2bn) in the last quarter as it absorbed $2.8bn in charges related to a plan to spin off its ailing publishing businesses.

The loss compared with a profit of $683m in the same period a year ago and came as revenues dipped 6.7% to $8.4bn, hit by a slide in audiences for TV shows including American Idol and disappointment at the box office for its Hollywood studio. The results were below analysts' expectations and the company's shares fell in after-hours trading.

The fourth-quarter loss was linked "most significantly" to poor performances at News Corp's Australian publishing assets, the company said.

News Corp announced plans last month to split off its publishing assets including the Wall Street Journal, the Times and the Sun in the UK, and its Australian newspapers from the more lucrative film and television assets including Fox Broadcasting, the Twentieth Century Fox studios and its stake in BSkyB.

The move comes in the wake of the phone-hacking scandal that has led to a sprawling criminal investigation in Britain and has triggered an investigation in the US under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

News Corp said legal costs relating to the investigation had risen to $224m for the 2012 fiscal year.

On a conference call with analysts, News Corp president Chase Carey said the split of the company was going as planned and "all about bringing focus and alignment to our business".

The results painted a grim picture for the publishing business, which reported annual operating income of $597m, down from $864m a year ago. The drop would be even worse, were it not for the exclusion of a $125m litigation settlement charge the company took last year related to its marketing services business.

News Corp's publishing business was hit particularly hard by declines at its Australian and UK newspapers, as well as the absence of contributions from the closure of the News of the World.

Carey said 2013 would be a flat year for publishing and that a recovery in UK business was likely to be offset by more losses in Australia.

Rupert Murdoch, chairman and chief executive, was not on the call, but said in a press release: "News Corporation is in a strong operational, strategic and financial position, which should only be enhanced by the proposed separation of the media and entertainment and publishing businesses."

Murdoch's son, James, who stepped down from senior executive positions at BSkyB and News Corp in the UK earlier this year, was present on the conference call but was not asked any questions and did not speak. The media was allowed to listen in to the call but reporters were not permitted to ask questions.

[url=http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/james-rupert-murdoch-news-corp-360009&media=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/sites/default/files/2011/07/murdocha_a_p.jpg&description=James Murdoch Makes Rare Appearance on News Corp. Conference Call][/url]
Indigo/Getty Images
Rupert and James Murdoch
Rupert Murdoch didn't participate in a conversation about his company's earnings, but his embattled son did.



James Murdoch, the embattled deputy COO of News Corp. and 39-year-old son of company chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch, made a rare appearance on a News Corp. earnings call Wednesday.


Phone Hacking Scandal: Church of England Sells News Corp. Stake





Olympics 2012: London Mayor Defends Invitation to News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch





U.K. News Corp. Phone Hacking Report to Target James Murdoch (Report)





News Corp. Deputy COO James Murdoch: Controls Failed to Prevent Phone Hacking Despite Staff's Assurances





James Murdoch Steps Down as BSkyB Chairman
Rupert Murdoch, though, was not on the call and hadn’t even tweeted about the company’s earnings, despite being a prolific tweeter since joining Twitter in January.

PHOTOS: News of the World's Top 10 Scandals

In a conference call with analysts, the younger Murdoch allowed deputy chairman and COO Chase Carey and CFO David DeVoe do most of the talking, though he did chime in when the topic of Sky Italia came up.

James Murdoch, who is chairman of Sky Italia, said the Italian satellite TV service is in the midst of “right-sizing the cost base” to take into account zero subscriber growth and the fact that “churn has picked up a bit.”

Despite the challenging macro-economic environment in Italy, the satcaster’s competitive position “has never been better,” James Murdoch told analysts Wednesday.

STORY: News Corp. Swings to Fiscal Fourth-Quarter Loss on Publishing Unit Charge

James Murdoch, once considered the heir apparent who would some day run News Corp., has seen his role diminish at the company his father founded in 1979 because of a phone-hacking scandal at the conglomerate’s British newspaper group. In April, for example, James Murdoch resigned as chairman of BSkyB, the British satellite TV broadcaster that is partially owned by News Corp., though he kept a seat on its board.

“I am aware that my role as chairman could become a lightning rod for BSkyB, and I believe that my resignation will help ensure that there is no false conflation with events at a separate organization,” James Murdoch wrote in a letter to the board at the time.

The son's appearance rather than the father's on Wednesday's conference call, though, had some speculating that News Corp. was sending a message that James Murdoch is still very much in the running as a potential successor.

STORY: U.K. News Corp. Phone Hacking Report to Target James Murdoch (Report)

Also odd was News Corp's. decision to require that questions on Wednesday come exclusively from Wall Street analysts -- none from reporters. In the past, News Corp. was one of the few publicly traded media companies that allowed questions from journalists during earnings calls.

Prior to Wednesday's conference call, News Corp. reported a $1.55 billion loss in its fiscal fourth quarter due to write-downs at its publishing assets. Revenue fell 7 percent to $8.4 billion, missing the expectations of analysts who were looking for something closer to $8.8 billion.

News Corp. shares fell 9 cents to $23.89 on Wednesday and another 3 percent during the after-hours session after earnings were disclosed and the conference call with analysts ended.






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http://stage.money.aol.co.uk/2012/08/09/news-corp-reports-losses-of-1bn/

News Corp reports losses of £1bn
Aug 9, 2012
News Corporation has reported a loss in its quarterly results, with the company facing ongoing legal charges over the phone-hacking scandal.

The firm's net loss was 1.6 billion dollars (£1 billion) for the three months to the end of June, compared with a net income of 683 million dollars (£436.2 million) in the same period last year.

Publishing profits fell to 139 million dollars (£88.8 million), from 270 million dollars (£172 million).

The company's full year results included a 224 million dollar (£143 million) charge related to "the costs of the ongoing investigations initiated upon the closure of The News of the World". This included a 57 million dollar (£36.4 million) charge in the last quarter.

Commenting on the results, News Corp boss Rupert Murdoch said the company was in a "strong" position which would be enhanced by plans to split the company into two parts - separating its entertainment businesses from publishing assets including The Sun and The Times.

The move would see the group's 39% stake in broadcasting giant BSkyB separately listed from the embattled UK newspaper arm News International, which has been the focus of the phone-hacking scandal that led to the closure of the News of the World.

Mr Murdoch said: "We are proud of the full year financial growth achieved over the last 12 months, led by our Cable Network Programming and Filmed Entertainment segments.

"Not only did we execute on our operating plan and deliver on our financial targets, we returned over 5 billion dollars to shareholders through an aggressive buyback programme and dividends.

He added: "Our company has continued to innovate, grow and consistently adapt to the rapidly changing media industry landscape. We find ourselves in the middle of great change, driven by shifts in technology, consumer behaviour, advertiser demands and economic uncertainty and change brings about great opportunity.

"News Corporation is in a strong operational, strategic and financial position, which should only be enhanced by the proposed separation of the media and entertainment and publishing businesses."

Andy Coulson and 6 others appeared in court today to be formally charged in relation to the phone hacking scandals,

Rebekah Brooks is due to appear on September 3rd.

If Cameron lasts as Leader of the Tory Party when the next Election is due I will be very surprised. Osborne has proved

totally inept, as has the Foreign Office Minister William Haig.

Ticker on Sky news...
Strathclyde police: 39 yr old man charged with perjury during the 2010 trial of Tommy Sheridan and conspiracy tto hack phones

Not on their website yet, just breaking now

ETA
Now being named by Sky sources as Douglas wight, former news editer of News of the World Scotland

wjk wrote:Ticker on Sky news...
Strathclyde police: 39 yr old man charged with perjury during the 2010 trial of Tommy Sheridan and conspiracy tto hack phones

Not on their website yet, just breaking now

ETA
Now being named by Sky sources as Douglas wight, former news editer of News of the World Scotland

I vaguely remember Tommy Sheridan , isn't he a Politician? I think Rupert Murdoch will have to resign and it is possible that Newscorp will lose it's U.K. Licence, if only as payback for the Government having to pay for all these Court cases and the Leveson enquiry.