More News Corp Fallout Roundup

As the News International phone hacking scandal takes on more momentum in the UK, Murdoch announced that News Corp is withdrawing its bid for the portion of British Sky Broadcasting that it doesn’t currently own.

Murdoch has also authorized a share buy-back program (up to $5B) in order to stabilize their stock price (which had lost abit more than 14% as of this AM).

Senator Jay Rockefeller has called for an investigation into News Corp practices here in the US — specifically relating to potential phone hacking of 9/11 families:

“I am concerned that the admitted phone hacking in London by the News Corp. may have extended to 9/11 victims or other Americans,” Rockefeller, a Democrat from West Virginia, said today in a statement posted on the website of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, which he chairs. “If they did, the consequences will be severe.”

9/11 families now want an investigation and they are pissed:

“Someone should look into it to see if their rights were violated – the family members I’ve talked to are appalled, they’re disgruntled, they have to relive the pain all over again,” Jim Riches, a former deputy chief in the New York Fire Department whose 29-year-old fireman son was killed in the attacks, told POLITICO.

“I think they crossed the line. They’re trying to get messages from loved ones in the last moments of their lives. It’s horrible, and they should be held accountable. It’s despicable and unethical,” Riches added.

Rupert Murdoch is personally facing participation in up to 6 ongoing investigations ordered by Parliament looking into the criminal activity of his organization and their enablers.

I’ve been largely glued to the BBC listening for news on this and it has been a real pleasure to listen to lively and smart news (and news talk) that does not depend upon Talking Points.  In fact, as I’ve been listening, the thing that really strikes me as the real difference between the UK and US reporters is that the UK reporters have more antibodies in place against the talking points and *objectivity* is deployed in a way that is much more consistent with the definition of the word in the OED, not the lazy collecting of talking points from two sides.

I suspect that the fact that the BBC (an occasional Murdoch target) gets to report ringside on a Murdoch meltdown may count for some of the joie de vivre. I’m pulling for Rockefeller’s investigation.