‘Inhuman’ actions lead to closure of newspaper
The last edition in a 168-year print run will hit the shelves on Sunday after advertisers refused to be associated with the hacking of mobile phones.
Mark Stephens, head of media with Finers Stephens Innocent law firm, told Reuters that under British law, the paper “may not be obliged to retain documents that could be relevant to civil and criminal claims against the newspaper — even in cases that are already under way”.
He said that if it was to be liquidated, it “is a stroke of genius — perhaps evil genius”.
“The liquidator’s obligation is to maximise the estate’s assets and minimise its liabilities. So the liquidator could be well within its discretion to decide News of the World would be best served by defaulting on pending claims rather than defending them. That way, the paper could simply destroy its documents to avoid the cost of warehousing them — and to preclude any other time bombs contained in News of the World’s records from exploding.”
Meanwhile, staff at its sister title in London, The Sun, revealed that preparations are under way to replace the damaged News of the World brand with a new Sun on Sunday publication.
Senior figures who had worked with the newspaper have been accused of authorising the hacking of the phone voicemails of murder victims, bereaved families, celebrities, politicians and police officers.
A former senior executive in its Irish office, Alex Marunchak, was also accused of hiring private detectives to hack into the email account of a former British army intelligence officer to glean information on an IRA informant.
News International chairman James Murdoch said the decision to pull the plug on the newspaper was taken because its reputation had been damaged.
He told staff in England and Dublin that if the allegations against the paper were proved to be true, these actions were “inhuman and had no place in our company”.
Earlier, the Metropolitan Police in London said there were 4,000 potential victims of phone hacking by the paper. They included teen murder victim Milly Dowler and the relatives of those killed in the London bombings on July 7, 2005.
Although the overwhelming number of accusations relate to the London office, the Irish edition of the newspaper will also cease to exist.
News International, the parent company for both newspapers, refused to confirm the reports of a seven-day Sun hitting the shelves. A website address was registered for the new title two days before NOTW was shut down.
Mr Murdoch said it could make a decision on replacing the Sunday title as early as next week.
“I think right now the focus is on putting out the last edition of the News of the World.
“Any decisions on the future are really for next week, the week after, to work out how we go forward from there.”
The announcement by Mr Murdoch happened as police in London were preparing to make their first high-profile arrest in the hacking scandal.
It was reported Andy Coulson, the newspaper’s former editor and until recently the spindoctor for British prime minister David Cameron, was asked by police to present himself at a London police station this morning.
Much criticism in the wake of the announcement was directed at another of its former editors, and current News International executive, Rebekah Brooks.
However, Mr Murdoch said she would remain with the company.
The staff in the Dublin office were informed of the decision to shut down the newspaper in an email from Mr Murdoch.
Its editorial team includes crime journalist Paul Williams and hurling columnist DJ Carey.
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