Saturday 9 April 2011

Read All About It: News Of The World …

Hmmm …

You know, in the middle of everything else that’s going on in the world, I’ve got to admit, one story has caught my eye.

I don’t know if you remember it, but, a few years back, a private investigator and a sub-editor from the News International paper, the News Of the World, were jailed after being prosecuted successfully for accessing voice-mail messages on celebrity mobile phones.

Yesterday saw News International apologise over further cases: and admitting liability in others, as well as saying they’ve started up a compensation fund of some £20, 000, 000.

Hmmm …

Now, I’ve got to admit, I’m thinking there’s a certain amount of fuss over nothing.

After all, anyone in the public eye will, I believe, act according, to not annoy to many of the punters. Or, indeed, voters: I got talking to Councillor Chilvers, a couple of days ago, who quietly admitted that even as ‘just’ a local councillor, she’s careful about what she says and does.

On the other hand … ?

As one of two commentators have said, News International’s London offices — or a subset of them, at any rate — seem to have been caught with their hands in the proverbial pot.

And that they’re hoping to settle out of court, to avoid lengthy — and expensive — legal fees.

And certainly puts their BSkyB deal look a lot more dubious, from where I’m sitting …


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