LONDON ( AP) — News Corp. chief executive Rupert Murdoch began talks today at his British newspapers amid a simmering staff revolt and U. K. police inquiries into alleged misconduct by journalists.
The media mogul, who flew into Britain late Thursday on a private jet, was touring the newsroom of his scandal-hit tabloid The Sun and holding meetings at the London complex that also houses his other papers, The Times and The Sunday Times, according to a person familiar with his movements who requested anonymity to discuss the mogul’s plans.
His visit follows last week’s arrest of five senior staff at The Sun in an inquiry into the alleged payment of bribes to police and defense officials for information. A total of 10 current and former staff at The Sun — Britain’s biggest selling newspaper — have been questioned over the allegations. None has so far been charged.
Phone-hacking mess
A phone-hacking scandal has engulfed British media and police since last July, when it emerged that journalists at Murdoch’s News of the World tabloid routinely eavesdropped on the private communications of celebrities, sports figures, politicians and those in the public eye.
Murdoch closed the 168- year-old tabloid, many journalists have been arrested and several top executives have resigned. More than 60 victims have successfully sued the newspaper for breaking into their phones and other violations.
However, in his address at The Sun, Murdoch is expected to repeat an assurance made to executives last weekend that he had no plans to close down the newspaper he acquired in 1969.
Some staff at News International, the British arm of News Corp., have expressed alarm after both the company and police confirmed that the latest arrests came after executives at the paper supplied information to detectives. Staff have said they are worried that their confidential sources have been compromised.
Police have extended the scope of the bribery inquiry beyond police officers to include public officials in a number of fields, and are continuing inquiries into alleged phone and email hacking. Police have countered criticism that they are unfairly targeting the press by citing the “the seriousness of the allegations currently under investigation and the significant number of victims.”
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