Rupert Murdoch labels hacking victims 'scumbag celebrities'

Nothing like attacking the victims of your vulture-like policies by calling THEM the scumbags..  Anyone else sensing heavy projection issues here?  The Sydney Morning Herald:

Rupert Murdoch has labelled victims of phone hacking "scumbag celebrities" after they met the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, during the Conservative party conference.


Mr Murdoch took to Twitter to criticise the talks in Birmingham between Mr Cameron and members of the Hacked Off campaign, the singer Charlotte Church, actor Hugh Grant and a former TV presenter, Jacqui Hames.
Murdoch tweeted: "Told UK's Cameron receiving scumbag celebrities pushing for even more privacy laws. Trust the toffs! Transparency under attack. Bad."
(Your scumbag phonehacking policies?  Your tactics aren't transparent, but they are under attack..)

The comments sparked a storm of disapproval, with Mr Murdoch repeatedly asked to apologise for the remarks and remove the tweets. Hames hit back at the head of News Corporation, tweeting: "Never let the facts get in the way of a good story eh Rupert. Happy to discuss our concerns with you sometime?" She added: "I've been called worse, but admittedly not by CEO of large multinational corp." Mr Murdoch replied to Hames: "Not referring to these ladies". (I'm sure the "ladies" appreciate your consideration, Poopert..)

Advertisement Thais Portilho-Shrimpton, a journalist and former co-ordinator of the Hacked Off campaign, tweeted that she had set up a meeting "between PM, a former Crimewatch presenter, a singer and an actor", adding: "You must be referring to all".

The former Liberal Democrat MP Evan Harris tweeted: "By 'scumbag celebs' do u mean the WPC u put under surveillance, the teen girl yr papers perved over, or the actor u hacked?". He accused Mr Murdoch of being disingenuous and hypocritical. "I was at meeting & unlike yr secret meetngs w/ PMs promoting yr business, the victims went in front door & told media abt it."

Mr Murdoch also engaged with another Twitter user who said: "Scumbags"? And your journalists and executives are what?".

Mr Murdoch replied: "They don't get arrested for indecency on major LA highways! Or abandon love child's".

Terrible and Shocking!  Celebrities behaving badly?  Whoda thunk?  Sooo much worse than supposed journalistic networks routinely lying to their audience..  Poopert obviously doesn't watch The Daily Show..  John Stewart has a partial list for you, ma'am..

Rupert Murdoch resigns from newspaper boards

Strategic consolidation of remaining power, or the first very visible cracks in Rupert's facade of impervious-ness?  Raw Story:

The (U.K.) Telegraph is reporting that media mogul Rupert Murdoch has resigned from the boards of his various newspaper holdings in both the United Kingdom and the United States.



Filings with both the United Kingdom Registrar of Companies and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission indicate the resignations were made within the past week.


Though a News Corporation spokesman called Murdoch’s departure from that company board, as well as NI Group, Times Newspaper Holdings and News Corp Investments, “nothing more than a corporate housecleaning exercise prior to the company split,” there is speculation mounting that it means he and his son James, at one time mentioned as a potential successor, could be on their way out from News Corp entirely.


“James and Rupert have decided that they are not welcome in the UK, and they’re right,” said Claire Enders at Enders Analysis. “There is an enforced emotional withdrawal from these assets because they are no longer useful [in terms of influence].”

Remember:  Just because the media's not talking non-stop about Murdoch's scandal(s), doesn't mean that authorities have given up their investigation(s)..  We wish Rupert Murdoch well in his future endeavors..

Rupert Murdoch: Scientologists are ‘creepy, maybe even evil’

This is amazing for two reasons, both fairly obvious:  If Rupert Murdoch thinks you're creepy and may be evil, that is..  An Achievement.  The other;  Is Rupert Murdoch and his News International picking a fight with The Church of Scientology?  That would be, by definition, popcorn worthy!   The Raw Story:

Media mogul Rupert Murdoch weighed in on the Tom Cruise-Katie Holmes divorce story Sunday, saying he thinks Scientologists are “creepy” and possibly even evil.



The News Corporation chief urged his Twitter followers to watch the story, which broke on Friday when Holmes announced she was filing from divorce from Hollywood A-lister Cruise, a prominent member of the Church of Scientology.


“Watch Katie Holmes and Scientology story develop. Something creepy, maybe even evil, about these people,” Murdoch said on his Twitter account, @rupertmurdoch.


The fairytale Hollywood couple’s split was revealed when Holmes’ publicist announced that the actress had filed for divorce after five years of marriage, ending an unexpected love story dogged by tabloid rumors.


A spokesman for Cruise said the “Mission Impossible” star was “deeply saddened” by the news, fueling reports that his wife’s announcement had taken him by surprise.


Speculation about why Holmes wanted out has included suggestions she was concerned that Cruise was forcing their six-year-old daughter Suri deeper into the Church of Scientology.


The TMZ celebrity news website has reported that Holmes is seeking sole custody of Suri. Citing unnamed sources, it said she feared “that Tom would drag Suri deep into the church.”

“We’re told the couple had been arguing over Suri — that she’s now of the age where Scientology becomes a significant part of her life,” it said.
Murdoch’s Scientology comment generated a surge of Twitter traffic, prompting another tweet: “Since Scientology tweet hundreds of attacks. Expect they will increase and get worse and maybe threatening.

“Still stick to my story,” he added.


There was no immediate response to a request for comment from the Church of Scientology, or from publicists for Cruise or Holmes.


A short time after his Scientology tweet, Murdoch was asked his views on Mormonism — in the spotlight currently as Mormon Mitt Romney takes on President Barack Obama for the White House.


“Mormonism a mystery to me, but Mormons certainly not evil,” the News Corp tycoon replied

By the way: That whole phone hacking scandal unpleasantness..  How's that working out for you?

Rupert Murdoch Blames his Journalists for Conspiring to Cover up a Culture of Phone-Hacking at Media Empire

Blaming the minions, eh, Rupert?  Things seem to be reaching Critical Mass.  Al Jazeera.  Excerpts:

Rupert Murdoch blamed News of the World journalists for conspiring to cover up a culture of phone-hacking at the tabloid, saying they hid their activities from his son James and protegee Rebekah Brooks and that he personally was not paying attention.



In a second day of testimony in Britain’s High Court on Thursday, Murdoch painted a picture of a rogue culture at the best-selling Sunday tabloid, in an echo of his company’s now abandoned defence that a single “rogue reporter” was to blame.


“I think in newspapers, the reporters do act very much on their own, they do protect their sources, they don’t disclose to their colleagues what they are doing,” Murdoch told a judicial inquiry into press ethics.


Showing frequent flashes of annoyance as the questioning became more pointed, the media mogul admitted he had not paid enough attention to the News of the World but did not accept that he had allowed a culture of illegality to flourish.


Asked where the culture of cover-up had originated, Murdoch answered: “I think from within the News of the World. There were one or two very strong characters there who I think had been there many, many years and were friends of the journalists.”


“The person I’m thinking of was a friend of the journalists and a drinking pal and clever lawyer and forbade them... to report to Mrs Brooks or to James,” said Murdoch, in a thinly veiled reference to the News of the World’s former top lawyer Tom Crone, who has accused James Murdoch of lying.


“That’s not to excuse on our behalf at all. I take it extremely seriously that that situation had arisen.”


The appearance at the inquiry of a man who has courted prime ministers and presidents for the last 40 years is a defining moment in a scandal that has laid bare collusion between British politicians, police and Murdoch’s News Corp.


On Wednesday, Murdoch had appeared calm and considered, but Thursday’s tone was more hostile as the inquiry’s top counsel Robert Jay ratcheted up the pressure and described the culture of phone-hacking as a “cancer”.


When Jay suggested that the response of News International, the British newspaper arm of News Corp, was a “desire to cover up, not expose”, Murdoch snapped back: “Well, to people with minds like yours,” before quickly adding “I take that back.”


Jay, keeping his cool, assured him: “I’m very thick-skinned Mr Murdoch. Do not worry one moment.”
The comment caused consternation among Murdoch’s legal team in the courtroom, forcing Judge Brian Leveson to ask one of the party to sit down before resuming proceedings.

I do believe there will be several, if not many, individuals who will gleefully tear his testimony apart.  And they'll do so in part with videotape of Rupert himself talking about how hands on he is regarding all facets of his news empire.  The twin Cultures of Influence and Corruption are too big to be repudiated.  Blamed minions will be out for revenge.  The politicians and police are in damage mode.  The Leveson Inquiry, in hindsight, will be looked at as the acceleration of the demise of the Murdoch Empire
More shoes will be dropping shortly..