# I have to pit Rupert Murdoch, as if he hasn't always wallowed there **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 9, 2011, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-to-pit-rupert-murdoch-as-if-he-hasnt-always-wallowed-there/588366 "2011-07-09T01:07:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![R.P.McMurphy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-to-pit-rupert-murdoch-as-if-he-hasnt-always-wallowed-there/588366/1 "2011-07-09T01:07:06Z")
One of the major stories in the news these days is the criminal phone hacking activity that was the MO of **News of the World**. It’s a newsworthy story because it is a caution to all of us. Every media outlet in the country (the world?) has the story. What about the Murdoch empire? Here’s the link to the NY Post (owned by Murdoch): [http://www.nypost.com/](http://www.nypost.com/) Show me where there is mention of the story because I can’t find it. Now tell me that the boss doesn’t exercise editorial control. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-to-pit-rupert-murdoch-as-if-he-hasnt-always-wallowed-there/588366/2 "2011-07-09T01:12:06Z")
Start here. > **[The end of News of the World](https://nypost.com/2011/07/08/the-end-of-news-of-the-world/)** > > London’s popular 168-year-old weekly newspaper News of the World is being shut down permanently by parent News Corp. following disclosures of the tabloid’s deeper involvement in controv… ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-to-pit-rupert-murdoch-as-if-he-hasnt-always-wallowed-there/588366/3 "2011-07-09T01:12:41Z")
[mind controlled monotone] The boss doesn’t exercise editorial control. [/mcm] ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-to-pit-rupert-murdoch-as-if-he-hasnt-always-wallowed-there/588366/4 "2011-07-09T01:21:44Z")
R. P. McMurphy wrote the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful OP I’ve ever known in my life. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-to-pit-rupert-murdoch-as-if-he-hasnt-always-wallowed-there/588366/5 "2011-07-09T02:56:09Z")
Well, it’s not like the whole world doesn’t already know he’s folding _News of the World_. Frankly, I thought that decision, coming only three days or so after the news broke, was a pretty good example of Murdoch manning up and doing the right thing. But expecting him to trumpet that decision in all his other publications strikes me as a bit much. ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-to-pit-rupert-murdoch-as-if-he-hasnt-always-wallowed-there/588366/6 "2011-07-09T03:08:17Z")
Let’s see… [New York Post](http://www.newseum.org/todaysfrontpages/hr.asp?fpVname=NY_NYP&ref_pge=lst). No. Well, the New York Post is a tabloid… _[The Wall Street Journal](http://www.newseum.org/todaysfrontpages/hr.asp?fpVname=WSJ&ref_pge=lst)_ (also owned by Rupert Murdoch). Yes. Not the lead story like in _[The New York Times](http://www.newseum.org/todaysfrontpages/hr.asp?fpVname=NY_NYT&ref_pge=lst)_; however, the front page nevertheless. ---
**Author:** ![straight\_man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/straight_man/32/3027_2.png) [@straight\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/straight_man)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-to-pit-rupert-murdoch-as-if-he-hasnt-always-wallowed-there/588366/7 "2011-07-09T03:16:24Z")
To be completely fair to Murdoch, he may not pressure his newspapers directly —you could have a situation where the _Post_’s culture is such that it avoids the story as a matter of loyalty to or fear of The Boss. I mean, it’s really even worse for the _Post_ if that speculation is true, and it would still require Murdoch to have a certain reputation in his own company, but it’s worth consideration anyway. I just said something non-hateful about Rupert Murdoch… wow, I sure feel dirty inside… ---
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-to-pit-rupert-murdoch-as-if-he-hasnt-always-wallowed-there/588366/8 "2011-07-09T03:17:49Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > R. P. McMurphy wrote the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful OP I’ve ever known in my life. It was better than _Cats._ I’m going to read it again and again. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-to-pit-rupert-murdoch-as-if-he-hasnt-always-wallowed-there/588366/9 "2011-07-09T04:05:57Z")
> [@SanibelMan](#): > > It was better than _Cats._ I’m going to read it again and again. lol ---
**Author:** ![R.P.McMurphy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-to-pit-rupert-murdoch-as-if-he-hasnt-always-wallowed-there/588366/10 "2011-07-09T04:14:47Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Start here. > [The end of News of the World](http://www.nypost.com/p/news/business/the_end_of_news_of_the_world_l38IhTKnmxydRqi5TOKUnK) That’s interesting. Datelined 11:50 pm on July 7. Yet, I just went to the NY Post’s site and entered into the search “News of the World” and nothing came up. Go to their World News sections, [http://www.nypost.com/news/international](http://www.nypost.com/news/international), nothing. It is buried somewhere down in there Business section if you dig deep enough. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-to-pit-rupert-murdoch-as-if-he-hasnt-always-wallowed-there/588366/11 "2011-07-09T05:51:10Z")
> [@R.P.McMurphy](#): > > That’s interesting. Datelined 11:50 pm on July 7. Yet, I just went to the NY Post’s site and entered into the search “News of the World” and nothing came up. Go to their World News sections, [http://www.nypost.com/news/international](http://www.nypost.com/news/international), nothing. It is buried somewhere down in there Business section if you dig deep enough. It was the lead story on at least one Australian news website (run by a NewsCorp rival) yesterday, and there have been quite a few “End Of The World”-pun headlines in the media here over the past few days. Perhaps the NYT just figured none of their readers would be care about a UK Sunday Tabloid being shut down, regardless of the Serious News Issues behind it? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-to-pit-rupert-murdoch-as-if-he-hasnt-always-wallowed-there/588366/12 "2011-07-09T06:08:18Z")
How about a full investigation as if News Corp were a criminal enterprise, which there is probable cause to believe? ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-to-pit-rupert-murdoch-as-if-he-hasnt-always-wallowed-there/588366/13 "2011-07-09T06:43:28Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Well, it’s not like the whole world doesn’t already know he’s folding _News of the World_. > > Frankly, I thought that decision, coming only three days or so after the news broke, was a pretty good example of Murdoch manning up and doing the right thing. > > But expecting him to trumpet that decision in all his other publications strikes me as a bit much. Sure he did. The advertisers were leaving in droves, so it was dead. He’s just going to reopen it under the name of the Sunday Sun in a few months - plus he wants to finish the satellite deal. Now, if he fired the editor of the NoTW at the time instead of putting her in charge of the investigation… ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-to-pit-rupert-murdoch-as-if-he-hasnt-always-wallowed-there/588366/14 "2011-07-09T07:00:12Z")
There’s at least 10 pages of “Related Articles” regarding the News of the World scandal, the arrests and the ongoing saga on [www.news.com.au](http://search.news.com.au/related/id%3Astory_1226091319110/0/Police-suspect-News-emails-deleted/?us=ndmnews&sid=2&as=news&ac=ninews2&r=related) which is NewsCorp Australia Ltd. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-to-pit-rupert-murdoch-as-if-he-hasnt-always-wallowed-there/588366/15 "2011-07-09T07:12:36Z")
The UK’s Sky News, which is owned by NewsCorp, appears to have been laudably independent during the scandal. There’s even a video of [Murdoch being doorstepped and Rebekah secretly recorded during the shutdown](http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Rupert-Murdoch-Phone-Hacking-Scandal-Sees-News-Corporation-Boss-Fly-To-UK-As-Andy-Coulson-Is-Bailed/Article/201107216027197?lpos=UK_News_Carousel_Region_0&lid=ARTICLE_16027197_Rupert_Murdoch%3A_Phone_Hacking_Scandal_Sees_News_Corporation_Boss_Fly_To_UK_As_Andy_Coulson_Is_Bailed) on their website. ---
**Author:** ![williambaskerville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f14d63/32.png) [@williambaskerville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/williambaskerville)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-to-pit-rupert-murdoch-as-if-he-hasnt-always-wallowed-there/588366/16 "2011-07-09T07:41:16Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > The UK’s Sky News, which is owned by NewsCorp, appears to have been laudably independent during the scandal. There’s even a video of [Murdoch being doorstepped and Rebekah secretly recorded during the shutdown](http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Rupert-Murdoch-Phone-Hacking-Scandal-Sees-News-Corporation-Boss-Fly-To-UK-As-Andy-Coulson-Is-Bailed/Article/201107216027197?lpos=UK_News_Carousel_Region_0&lid=ARTICLE_16027197_Rupert_Murdoch%3A_Phone_Hacking_Scandal_Sees_News_Corporation_Boss_Fly_To_UK_As_Andy_Coulson_Is_Bailed) on their website. But of course Murdoch has an outstanding regulatory complication in the UK, with regards to his Sky takeover. Ofcom is currently considering whether News Corp is a “fit and proper” entity to be allowed proceed with that takeover :- Sky News’s independent stance is probably a deliberate ploy to influence that consideration. In fact, thinking about it, in current circumstances an independent stance from Sky News is probably a minimum and absolute requirement from News Corp’s perspective. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-to-pit-rupert-murdoch-as-if-he-hasnt-always-wallowed-there/588366/17 "2011-07-09T11:59:25Z")
News International’s other UK titles devoted the front pages, and several inside pages, to the _NotW_ closure. ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-to-pit-rupert-murdoch-as-if-he-hasnt-always-wallowed-there/588366/18 "2011-07-09T13:30:29Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Frankly, I thought that decision, coming only three days or so after the news broke, was a pretty good example of Murdoch manning up and doing the right thing. Yeah, I mean, after spying on the families of murdered schoolgirls, interfering into police investigations of said murders by deleting evidence, wiretapping the phones of servicemen killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, widespread corruption of the police and bribery, spying on police officers and their families on behalf of murder suspects, _ad infinitum_, Murdoch stepped up and did the right thing. Oh wait, no he didn’t. He sacrificed NotW to try to save the rest of his NI assets in the UK when it became clear that the British public and establishment (let’s face it, as a British politician of any faction it can’t be too easy to prostrate yourself in front of a foreign national to get elected; I have yet to understand why we allow foreign nationals to own nationally distributed newspaper in this country, either become a British citizen or _fuck off_) had turned on the company and were eating it piece by piece. NotW is just rolled into its weekday sister publication the Sun. It still exists. There’s no possible interpretation of the series of events that we’ve seen this week wherein anybody can conclude Murdoch has done “the right thing”. ---
**Author:** ![fumster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@fumster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fumster)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-to-pit-rupert-murdoch-as-if-he-hasnt-always-wallowed-there/588366/19 "2011-07-09T14:44:42Z")
I find it suspicious that Fox News referred to it as “News Of The World (D)” ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-to-pit-rupert-murdoch-as-if-he-hasnt-always-wallowed-there/588366/20 "2011-07-09T15:08:03Z")
> [@sh1bu1](#): > > I find it suspicious that Fox News referred to it as “News Of The World (D)” Okay, THAT made me laugh… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-to-pit-rupert-murdoch-as-if-he-hasnt-always-wallowed-there/588366.md?page=2)