My Big Mouth: MM opinion on phone hacking and the closure of NOTW
James Murdoch’s announcement this afternoon that Sunday’s News of the World is to be the last has sent shockwaves around both the MM office and the world.
The closure of the nation’s biggest Sunday newspaper, which sells 2.8m copies per week, comes as a result of a mass withdrawal of advertisers including Ford, npower and Virgin Holidays.
This comes as a huge blow to News Corp but can it really be seen as a surprise following the huge negative publicity surrounding the phone hacking scandal?
Murder victim Milly Dowler and the parents of Soham murders Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman were among 4,000 potential victims of phone hacking.
This closure however may do the world of journalism good in the long run. Despite the job losses and loss of a hugely popular paper, it could be seen as the industry wiping the slate clean.
Journalists have never been seen as the most honourable of people, but the demise of the News of the World may redeem the newspaper industry in the eyes of the public.
The latest allegations about murder victims and their families being hacked has pushed the Sunday title over the edge and into oblivion.
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Without doubt, public opinion was soured by the allegations of tapping Milly Dowler’s voicemail when she was missing, and as the week progressed, more and more skeletons were brought from the News Corp closet.
The main difference between Milly Dowler and Sienna Miller is that Milly could have been anyone’s daughter. Whilst it was wrong to hack into Miller’s voicemail, in her position as a star, she is detached from the general public, who won’t feel the same connection to her as they do to Milly’s parents.
The police investigation into the hacking scandal will continue. Whatever the outcome of this, the News of the World being pulled on July 7, 2011 could prove to be a watershed for the whole journalism industry moving forwards.
More related stories:
It's Twitter wot won it: Social Networking and the end of (News of) the World
My Big Mouth: MM opinion on where the NOTW closure leaves Murdoch's BSkyB bid
Piccadilly Pulse: News of the World phone hacking scandal – 07/07/2011
(comment below) With
(comment below)
With spelling like that, you obviously don't read the papers you preach about.
A fair point though - people didn't seem bothered about where it had come from when they were reading it.
people are such hypocrites -
people are such hypocrites - u all love celebrity gossip and scandal, if u didnt, papers such as NOTW wouldn't exist!
Serious newspapers e.g Guardian and Indepdent dont sell as well because they're not as celebrity focused
Completely the right
Completely the right decision? In the words of Jim Royle - My arse! NOTW has been given a very swift boot by Murdoch so the whole scandal can't obstruct his take over of of BskyB.
What they did was proper snidey and an unnacceptable hunt for dirt on innocent people and although people think hacks are the scum of the earth they're not all the same and this might just lead to stricter rules making it harder for real journos to uncover real misconduct and scandal
Too many innocent people have
Too many innocent people have lost their jobs born out of the mistakes made by more senior, unemotional hacks. Those responsible should have got the sack and blacklisted in the world of journalism, the paper should have stayed up and running. I just don't think it's right for an industry that already struggles to provide many with jobs should have such a large paper cut.
Completely the right
Completely the right decision. A brave move pulling this very popular paper but the right one . As for the staff, well, while a lot didn't work there at the time, they have to understand that the reputation of the paper is perpetually damaged and it would take years to recover - they must sacrificed. I’m sure most will get jobs in with the Sunday Sun very soon anyway.
Totally agree with comment
Totally agree with comment just below. This is the wrong people being punished.
And closing the paper admits guilt in the highest places!
Most of the employees at NOTW
Most of the employees at NOTW now weren't working for the paper when the phone hacking took place half a decade ago. The wrong people have been punished for this scandal.
While the phone-tapping of
While the phone-tapping of victims' families is disgusting, I can't help but feel this is all a bit of a storm-in-a-teacup. The relevant people should be sacked and charged if they have committed a criminal offence, but closing the paper?
The whole thing shows a bit of naivety too. How many people love reading about the lives of celebrities? And how do they imagine newspapers and magazines get hold of this information? Do they actually believe these "unnamed sources" exist?!
No, but it's unlikely she
No, but it's unlikely she will be allowed to stay by the public - there's already talk of a boycott on the Sunday Sun even before it's been announced. It's in everyone's interest that she goes
The slate will never be wiped
The slate will never be wiped clean until Brooks resigns...
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