'Most humble day' for Murdoch

A contrite Rupert Murdoch today appeared before MPs and declared: “This is the most humble day of my life”.

Sitting alongside his son, James, the 80-year-old media mogul said that he was “more than prepared” to answer the questions of the Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee into the phone hacking scandal.

The start of the keenly-awaited hearing in the Wilson Room of Portcullis House was briefly disrupted as some protesters were removed.

James Murdoch, News Corp's deputy chief operating officer, opened by saying how sorry he and his father were to the victims in the News of the World phone-hacking scandal.

“It is a matter of great regret of mine, my father’s and everyone at News Corporation. These actions do not live up to the standards our company aspires to everywhere around the world,” he said.

“It is our determination both to put things right, make sure these things don’t happen again, and to be the company that I know that we have always aspired to be.”

James Murdoch told the committee the company acted "swiftly'' as soon as it became aware of fresh evidence over phone hacking following a series of civil actions in 2010, particularly the case involving actress Sienna Miller.

It became apparent that more people than originally believed were victims of the practice, he added.

Mr Murdoch Jnr said: “Subsequent to our discovery of that information in one of these civil trials at the end of 2010, which I believe was the Sienna Miller case, the company immediately went to look at additional records around the individual involved, the company alerted the police and restarted, on that basis, the investigation that is now under way.”

He said the company had apologised “unreservedly, which I repeat today,” to phone hacking victims.

He added: “The company acted as swiftly and transparently as possible.”

Asked by Labour MP Tom Watson whether he had been ``misled'' by senior employees, Mr Murdoch senior replied: "Clearly.''

Mr Watson pointed out that former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks admitted in 2003 that police were paid for information.

Mr Murdoch senior said: “I am now aware of that, I was not aware at the time. I’m also aware that she amended that considerably very quickly afterwards.”

Mr Watson said: “I think she amended it seven or eight years afterwards but did you or anyone else in your organisation investigate it at the time?”

Mr Murdoch replied: “No. I didn’t know of it.

“I’m sorry, if I can just say something and this is not as an excuse, maybe it’s an explanation of my laxity.

“The News of the World is less than 1% of our company. I employ 53,000 people around the world who are proud and great and ethical and distinguished people, professionals in their work.

“I’m spread watching and appointing people whom I trust to run those divisions.”