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News International and the death of ethics in journalism

Fresh allegations that private investigators paid by the News of the World hacked into the phones of families of victims of the 7/7 bombings as well as relatives of the girls killed in the Soham murders have plunged British journalism deeper into crisis.

The phone hacking scandal escalated on Monday when The Guardian reported the phone of murdered teenager Milly Dowler had been hacked and some of her messages deleted by an investigator hired by the News of the World while she was still missing.

Now, the Metropolitan Police have contacted the families of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, who were murdered by Ian Huntley in Soham in 2002, the same year as Milly Dowler, to say their phones might also have been accessed by the tabloid newspaper.

The House of Commons was due to discuss the developments in an emergency debate today (Wednesday) as a campaign for a public inquiry is launched in the House of Lords.

“What has happened is News International has built up a surveillance system that is more potent than anything the police have available. I’m very distressed by what’s happened, it’s appalling. It’s even worse that it has taken since 2002 to come to light,” says Duncan Williams, chairman of Independent News Ltd, the regional newspaper and magazine publishing company which operates a positive news editorial policy.

“Something has gone wrong and people are actually appalled by the latest allegations. It’s an outrageous abuse of the privilege of working in the media.”

In an exclusive interview with Seeker News’ online video channel, Mr Williams highlighted the serious implications for British journalism.

“The media today is going through huge changes, but this kind of activity is actually detrimental to freedom of speech. There’s nothing wrong in investigative journalists unearthing valid stories, without that we’d be an even more censored society, but it’s how that story is treated and relayed to the reader, the citizen or the viewer. Too often the story is scurilous or gossip and it’s hard to claim interest.”

Police have reportedly widened their investigation to include every high profile murder of a child since 2001.

David Cameron’s former director of communications Andy Coulson resigned earlier this year amid allegations that phone hacking was rife at the News of the World during his time as editor. His predecessor, Rebekah Brooks, who was editor during the Soham murders and Milly Dowler cases has said it was “inconceivable” she knew Milly Dowler’s phone was hacked and has refused to step down.

“Ford has already pulled its advertising from the News of the World and other companies like Halifax, Orange, nPower and T-Mobile are reviewing their position, this is having a major commercial effect on News International,” says Seeker MD Steve Cook.

“Newspapers need quality journalism, but they also need the support of advertisers and if they’re losing major clients then maybe it’s about time our newspapers had a close look at how they operate. When the Washington Post journalists Woodward and Bernstein broke the Watergate scandal they were acting in the public interest, ultimately protecting American democracy from a President who was lying.

“What possible comparable public interest is there in hacking the phones of murder victims and their families?”


Reprinted from the Business Page of SEEKER NEWS, 2011 (c) copyright.
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View the full length interview online. Photography by Steve Cook.