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Rupert Murdoch, centre, attempts to speak to the media after he held a meeting with the parents and sister of murdered school girl Milly Dowler in London, Friday, July 15, 2011.  (AP / Kirsty Wigglesworth) The twitter page of the hacking group Lulz Security on Monday, July 18, 2011. (AP /Jon Super, file) Former News of the World reporter Sean Hoare is seen in this undated handout photo issued by News International. (AP / News International - PA) A security guard keeps watch at News International in Wapping, London, Thursday, July 14, 2011. (AP / Kirsty Wigglesworth) London's Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner John Yates during a press conference, in London, announcing his resignation, Monday, July 18, 2011. (AP  / Steve Parsons) British Prime Minister David Cameron holds a press conference with South African President Jacob Zuma following their meeting at Union Building in Pretoria, South Africa, Monday July 18, 2011.(AP Photo/Jerome Delay) Rupert Murdoch's News Corp announced it was squashing plans to take over Britain's largest TV broadcaster, a drastic result of the media giant's entanglement in a slew of phone hacking and bribery allegations.

Besieged by hacking scandal, Murdoch prepares to testify

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CTV News Video

CTV National News: Craig Oliver on the scandal
The Murdoch scandal continues to expand as another top police officer resigns on Monday and a whistleblower is found dead.
CTV National News: Jeffrey Kofman, ABC News
An ABC News correspondent says the Murdochs are losing the battle daily to win people over because nobody expected the case to go this far.
CTV News Channel: Ernest DelBuono, consultant
A crisis management professional with Levick Strategic Communications in Washington, D.C., says Rupert Murdoch is going to have to show some control as the parliamentary hearing he will be facing will be very combative.
CTV News Channel: Barry McLoughlin, expert
A communications expert and the co-founder of McLoughlin media in Windsor says from a public relations perspective the UK hacking scandal has gone from an awkward allegation to a full blown crisis.
CTV News Channel: Martin Bentham, journalist
The home affairs editor at the London Evening Standard says not a great deal is known about the death of Sean Hoare, the whistleblower on the phone hacking scandal. He says he was found in his home and that the police are saying it's unexplained but not suspicious.
CTV News Channel: Patrick Basham, director
The director of the public policy research organization, the Democracy Institute says Rebekah Brooks was shocked to have been arrested. He says this will have political repercussions, but the extent of it is unknown.
CTV News Channel: Elizabeth Renzetti in London
A reporter with The Globe and Mail explains how the resignation of London's police chief came as a surprise to many, and says the fallout of the phone hacking scandal is turning out to be like the end of 'Hamlet,' where no one was left standing.
CTV News Channel: BNN's Andrew Bell
A correspondent from the Business News Network says although News Corp stocks are at a low, the business won't crumble as much of their revenue comes from movies and television shows.
CTV News Channel: Paul Farhi, Washington Post
A columnist with the Washington Post says it can be difficult for journalists to cover their own news organisations, which is what Fox is struggling to do in regards to the phone hacking scandal.
Canada AM: Ben Chu, The Independent
A reporter with The Independent says Sunday was an extraordinary day, as Rebekah Brooks was arrested and the London police chief resigned, and explains how Rupert Murdoch will have some serious questions to answer on Tuesday.
CTV National News: Richard Madan on the scandal
The deepening scandal in Britain that closed a newspaper has now landed heavy blows on two high-profile individuals.

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Rupert Murdoch, centre, attempts to speak to the media after he held a meeting with the parents and sister of murdered school girl Milly Dowler in London, Friday, July 15, 2011.  (AP / Kirsty Wigglesworth) The twitter page of the hacking group Lulz Security on Monday, July 18, 2011. (AP /Jon Super, file) Former News of the World reporter Sean Hoare is seen in this undated handout photo issued by News International. (AP / News International - PA) A security guard keeps watch at News International in Wapping, London, Thursday, July 14, 2011. (AP / Kirsty Wigglesworth) London's Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner John Yates during a press conference, in London, announcing his resignation, Monday, July 18, 2011. (AP  / Steve Parsons) British Prime Minister David Cameron holds a press conference with South African President Jacob Zuma following their meeting at Union Building in Pretoria, South Africa, Monday July 18, 2011.(AP Photo/Jerome Delay) Rupert Murdoch's News Corp announced it was squashing plans to take over Britain's largest TV broadcaster, a drastic result of the media giant's entanglement in a slew of phone hacking and bribery allegations.

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Rupert Murdoch, centre, attempts to speak to the media after he held a meeting with the parents and sister of murdered school girl Milly Dowler in London, Friday, July 15, 2011.  (AP / Kirsty Wigglesworth)

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Date: Mon. Jul. 18 2011 10:45 PM ET

Rupert Murdoch will testify before an angry British Parliament Tuesday on the tabloid phone-hacking scandal, and a report suggests his role as CEO of News Corp. hangs in the balance.

Bloomberg reports that Murdoch may be replaced as CEO by chief operating officer Chase Carey, although Murdoch would remain as chairman.

The company is struggling to regain shareholders' confidence amid growing fallout from the phone-hacking scandal.

U.K. lawmakers could be particularly demanding of Murdoch in the high-profile televised inquiry.

Bloomberg says that other executives who watched Murdoch prepare for the inquiry were worried about how he handled questions.

Murdoch and his son James, along with former News Corp. executive Rebekah Brooks, are all scheduled to testify on how much they knew about the alleged phone-hacking practices of their employees.

The scandal has wiped billions in stock market value off News Corp., leaving many investors thinking the company might be better off with new leadership.

Meanwhile, Murdoch suffered another humiliation Monday -- being declared prematurely dead by one of his own newspapers, after a hacker group targeted The Sun.

The hacker group known as Lulz Security took over the website of The Sun tabloid, writing a fake story saying that Murdoch, the paper's owner, had been found dead in his garden. Users were then directed to the hacker group's Twitter feed.

Lulz Security took responsibility on Twitter, saying it was a successful "Murdoch Meltdown Monday."

The hacker group has previously targeted Sony, Nintendo and even the CIA.

Meanwhile, police are examining a computer, phone and paperwork found in a bag that was dumped in a garbage bin near the London home of Rebekah Brooks, the ousted chief executive of Murdoch's British newspaper arm, according to a report.

The Guardian newspaper is reporting the bag was tossed into a garbage bin in an underground parking garage only metres from where Brooks lives with her husband, a close friend of British Prime Minister David Cameron.

The paper says the bag was handed over to security and Brooks's husband, Charlie Brooks, tried to reclaim it but was denied.

Police were called and seized the bag.

Charlie Brooks, through his spokesperson, denied that the bag had anything to do with the tabloid phone-hacking scandal that led to the arrest of his wife Sunday. He claims the bag is his and was mistakenly thrown into the garbage by a cleaner.

Police are now reviewing security camera footage to determine who threw out the bag, and how it ended up in the parking lot.

Scandal widens

Meanwhile, News of the World scandal continued to expand Monday with the rapid resignations of two top officers with London's police force, amid claims of possible eavesdropping, bribery and collusion.

Even the prime minister has been feeling the heat on the scandal, as he cut short a trip to Africa and called an emergency session of Parliament for Wednesday so he could speak on the matter.

On Tuesday, U.K. lawmakers will grill Murdoch, his son James, and Brooks on a televised public hearing where it is expected they will demand to know how much executives knew about the alleged phone-hacking practices of their employees.

Cameron says his Conservative-led minority government has "taken very decisive action" by starting up the judge-led public inquiry into the matter.

"We have helped to ensure a large and properly resourced police investigation that can get to the bottom of what happened, and wrongdoing, and we have pretty much demonstrated complete transparency in terms of media contact," Cameron said.

But opposition leader Ed Miliband said Cameron has to answer "a whole series of questions" about his relationship with Brooks, James Murdoch, and others related to News of the World.

Monday also saw the death of one of the first whistleblowers in the tabloid scandal that has engulfed the British parliament, Scotland Yard and Murdoch's News Corp. empire. Police have said the death is not considered suspicious.

Sean Hoare, who alleged widespread hacking at the now-defunct News of the World, was found dead at his English home.

He was quoted in the New York Times saying that breaking into the voice mail of celebrities, politicians, other journalists and even murder victims was encouraged under the leadership of then-editor Andy Coulson.

Coulson -- who was recently employed as Cameron's communications chief -- has since been arrested in the widening scandal.

The London police force (also known as Scotland Yard) is increasingly facing its own internal crisis in relation to the phone-hacking crisis.

On Monday, Assistant Commissioner John Yates -- Scotland Yard's top anti-terrorist officer -- resigned, following police chief Paul Stephenson, who quit on Sunday. Both were linked to a former executive at News of the World.

Britain's police watchdog said it received allegations of wrongdoing in relation to the scandal against four senior officers -- Yates, Stephenson, and two former senior officers.

Some of the claims relate to the hiring of people with links to the News of the World.

The London police force is also under pressure to explain why its original hacking investigation only led to the prosecution of a single reporter and a private investigator.

It was Yates who decided two year ago to not reopen a police inquiry into the phone-hacking allegations.

But when detectives reopened the investigation this year they said they found the names of 3,700 potential hacking victims.

A total of 10 people have since been arrested in connection to the case.

Comments are now closed for this story

Not Born Yesterday!
said
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The whistle-blower died just after the scandal is exposed, and it's "not suspicious?" Please! This is too convenient to be a "coincidence!"


Gerald
said
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How can these people, some of which who went to the most prestigous schools on the planet become so damn stupid . What a bunch of Greedy Dorks.


TwoDogGuy
said
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Life really can be stranger than fiction.


Dean in Abby
said
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What goes around, comes around. Not so funny now is it Rupert.


Dave in Ottawa
said
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And of course none of this is going on in the US through Fox News, The Wall Street Journal, or any of his other yellow rags. In a pig's eye it's not! This fugitive from Rosebud deserves everything they can lay on him. The FBI need to make this a priority. Through media, this man controls a good percentage of the population and the financial markets. He is NOT to be trusted.


Jo
said
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Charlie in NS has hit the nail on the head. I think this is just the first of many.



davetom
said
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watch out for Andy Heyman he's at the heart of this mess


W
said
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To Dave in Sarnia; The conservatives over in the UK do not have a majority government. It is actually a coalition. Similarly, when corporate donations became limited (done by the conservatives after the liberal adscam) the liberal party went broke. The conservatives for the most part rely on donations from party members and supporters from the general public. As for this horrible situation in the UK, the allegations stem from well before the last election. Lastly, if we want to discuss a cozy media relationship in Canada, we should examine the CBC and the liberal party.


robin hood
said
0 0

What don’t you like CTV? I fixed my mistakes for ya!The beauty of the domino effect is that it takes you all out—I trust that Britain doesn’t corner the market on corruption— chances are the same game is playing out in our neck of the woods and that our good neighbours to the south, north, east, and west! Don’t you all hobnob with each other? Yes I believe you do! To have to cut short your travel plans—postpone holidays, what a nightmare for you all! The corrupt dissecting the corrupt—get your seats now folks this should provide us with many hours/days/weeks/months with unbridled “taxpayer” fun. Who needs to go anywhere! I can see all the PR boys and girls rubbing their hands in unadulterated glee while images of dollar signs dance in their heads.Got your stories “straight”, you all trust each other—got each other’s backs, right? Someone quick; grab up everything sharp and hide ‘em good! There’s going to be a lot of pleading the 5th going round and round. Good god I’m dizzy!


J.C.
said
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Well I certainly hope they are going to do an autopsy and toxicology tests etc. on the whistleblower, unless he was sick with some incurable disease. I wonder if they took a deposition from him in regards to what he knew and exposed a few years back. Guess we'll stay tuned for more!!


whatsNext?
said
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Reminds me of a joke about a gangster found dead with 49 stab wounds and the police calling it a suicide! All Government = Old Mafia! Watch what's coming folks!


kthor
said
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not suspicious? Scotland yard is most inept than i imagine


Manohar
said
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Not too long ago Britian was pointing at India and China for rampant corruption in the Government, public and police sectors. Now even Britain and Scotland Yard have joined the notorious club. Welcome to the corrupt world. People who live in glass houses should not throw stones.


Rev in VC
said
0 0

Yet another plot twist to tack on to the forthcoming Law&Order/ CSI/ CriminalMinds episodes. Frankly, I can't wait to see what these shows try to do to inject even more drama into such a story. Am I the only one who isn't surprised that when a news organization makes the news, they have to do it in such spectacular fashion in an attempt to 1-up their own usual sensationalizing spiel.... the fact that fox news is one of Murdoch's holdings, it all makes sense now.


jean-guy
said
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What else would Police say,Sean Hoare had just exposed England's biggest corruption scam in History.And now found dead in his home.Just how deep does this hacking go ,no one will ever know.The whistleblower is silenced,and police have the only other witness in lock up.If the Prime Minister Cameron had any thing to do with phone hacking,or corruption with the Police department.

Dave in Burlington
said
0 0

Hmmm... So let's see... The guy who blew the whistle and exposed corruption deep within the media and Police was found dead and the Police said it's not suspicious. Nothing to see here - move along, move along.


URU
said
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He is dead because someone wanted him dead so he won't expose their dirty secrets. Perhaps, the British police force has something to do with it. Now we all want to know who is behind this and how corrupted our society is.


Retired in Burlington
said
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It will be interesting to see how the British Gov. handles this fiasco. will they prosecute all who are charged and arrested and send a clear message to the news media that breaking the law will not be tolerated or will it playout like a 3 ring circus like it would on this side of the pond. I hope that justice is served and those who are guilty of wrongdoing get the punishment they deserve. I hope this whistleblower's death was from natural causes because it starting to look like a thriller from Masterpiece Theatre.


river11
said
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What a waste of life over greed.


The Truth Hurts!
said
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The death of this man may, like that of the Boazizi in Tunisia and Khalid Saeid in Egypt, spark an uprise in the UK! I hope that the Brits will rise and say enough is enough!


MHB
said
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Sounds alot like murder by professionals! May God have mercy on his soul!


Kate in Ottawa
said
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How on earth is this death not suspicious?? Something is very amiss here.


Raj
said
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Best way to send the message to these criminals is to boycott Murdoch's publications.


Thomas
said
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Sounds worse than the mafia or hells angels to be involved with that news media or government, scary stuff. Gees, now that I think about it, even though Dave in Sarnia is a little off on the details, his point is still valid, not unlike Harper's government just before the last election and I suspect will be again soon, as his dictorship (sp) tendencies start to shine through once again. Lord help Canada if he goes that way again with a majority government, we will all be in some mega prison and the ones on the outside will be living in a police state. Reminds me of a scene from Planet of the Apes, "Fools, what have you done".


PUGFIRE
said
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Death not considered suspicious??? Are they for real??? While I do believe in some coincidences, there are some that are just TOO convenient. Personally I think this is one of them.


Earthwatcher
said
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Yeah...right. And to quote Bruce Campbell "Yeah and I'm a Japanese jet jockey." Just how stupid do they think the public is. Stay tuned for a dastardly turn of events.


Ah geez...
said
0 0

The tin foil hat wearing crowd is going to have a field day with this one.


Rita
said
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Andy Coulson David Cameron's chief of communications? Wow! And the whistleblower is dead? Too much of coincidence ... or not? Even if conservatives weren't in power yet ... they could use any information to advance their cause, right? Politics is all about power, and it seems to corrupt most of the politicians and their 'handmaidens'.


leonard
said
0 0

My My My How convenient this reads like criminal minds and Law and Order.

Sir SK
said
0 0

If the top police chief who had connections has stepped aside, why hasn't David Cameron? He also has connections. Am I out to lunch?


Tim
said
0 0

@Dave AhahahahahahAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Oh wait. You're serious? You're SERIOUSLY going to make that accusation!? Funny how when corporate donations were capped the Liberals went bankrupt. But no, it's the Conservatives who're in the pocket of big business.


DaveB
said
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Dave in Sarnia: The initial hacking allegations pre-date the election by several years and the Conservatives in Britain do not enjoy a majority. Try to keep up.


Layla
said
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When you associate with questionable people, people will start to question you. Guilty or not, this should be a wake-up call for people in high profile places that you have to be aware of EVERYTHING you do and say and who you do it and say it with. If they are innocent then it is unfortunate that they get sullied by this, however it is hard to have sympathy when it appears so likely that they had to at least have had an idea that wrongdoing was going on.


Charlie in NS
said
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At the end of the day, I doubt very much that the Murdoch media empire is the only media conglomerate in the world to engage in these kinds of activities.


URu
said
0 0

Money must have motivated them to be involved in this scandal. No one in such high positions takes this kinds of risk if there isn't anything in it for them. They should be put in jail for their crimes if proven guilty. No one should be above the law while the public pays taxes which funds their expenses.


Colleen in BC
said
0 0

Just proves that SOME people will do ANYTHING for power and money. This should be a wake-up call for all in the media.


Evan in Athabasca
said
0 0

I hope this is the final straw for paparazzi's as well. Time to tell them to F off.


Dave in Sarnia
said
0 0

Funny, another prime example of a majority Conservative government in cahoots with their rich buddies. Kinda reminds me of what is already happening here in Canada!! Jeez, and we have another 4 years to go!!!


Paul ~ Kitchener
said
0 0

Get ready folks, as the late Al Jolson said on stage - You ain't seen nothin yet folks ! This is a "Major Violation" in many areas, and it reaches to the inner corridors of Corporate Officers, and obviously Police Headquarters, and throw in the House of Commons as icing to the scandal. This will get DEEPER and DEEPER as the days go on. Don't be alarmed what gets revealled. This is the 21st Century's new way of obtaining personal and corporate information. I pray that the truth will come out, but, I know that large amounts of "Hush Money" will divert the truth from those really responsible to the "Little People" then closed."REAL TRUTH NEVER " !


Sally
said
0 0

Rebeck-ah needs to admit she was wrong, only then will she be able to spiritually recover from her arrogant hacking into a dead girl's cell phone for publicity. She represents yellow journailsm at its worst, even National Enquirer has more integrity than she does. She should be thrown in jail for 13 years, one year for each year the poor girl was alive.


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