(Image Source: Wired)
BY: MADISON MACK
ANCHOR: CHRISTINA HARTMAN
The tenth and most high profile arrest in the News of the World hacking scandal comes after former Murdoch chief executive Rebekah Brooks was arrested by London police.
BBC has more.
“She was arrested for conspiring to intercept communications, contrary to the Criminal Law Act of 1977 and on suspicion of corruption allegations contrary to section one of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Now that could well be related to allegations of possible payments to police officers."
The arrest comes two days after Brooks resigned from her position as CEO of News Corps’ News International and just two days before she is set to testify at a House of Commons hearing.
A CNN reporter says this development could limit the questions lawmakers can ask.
“From an investigation perspective, this could make it a lot more complicated ... She wanted to go there and possibly answer questions and be forthcoming about what she knew but if she is someone who is facing possible charges now, then any attorney is going to tell her to stay as tight lipped as possible in this on going investigation."
Brooks served as editor of the now-defunct News of the World from 2000-2003 – the time period when the tabloid allegedly hired a detective to hack into the phone of 13-year-old murder victim Milly Dowler.
The Dowler family Laywer told Sky News – the timing of Brooks’ arrest quote “stinks.”
“If she would have been asked some weeks ago it would have been possible to have answered questions and or if she had been arrested shortly afterward, but to be arrested two days before a committee at which she was possibly going to be at one time the only person from the News Corps empire giving evidence - it looks deliberate, I’m sorry about that but it looks deliberate."
A writer for Wired says – with the arrest of Brooks, News Corp is approaching its make or break climax.
“…management of the crisis has left News Corp — an otherwise smart and innovative company — looking shifty, cynical, and arrogant. So far this week, the value of its shares have fallen by 14 percent … The News Of The World is gone. The bid for Sky is dead. The need remains to secure the Murdoch succession. News Corp must also restrain the contagion in the US."
And a writer for The Australian reports the growing severity of the scandal has prompted some to call for more media regulation.
“Politicians on three continents are calling for curbs... This is both opportunistic and understandable -- some might say it is karma… Fair enough, but there are good reasons why any changes to press freedoms or media regulations should be contemplated in calm deliberation rather than vendetta-like payback."
In the United States, investigators are also looking into reports that NOTW hacked into the phones of 9/11 victims. On ABC’s This Week- one media analyst explains what the scandal could mean for News Corp in the States.
“Did they do it here in the United States, I mean there’s a lot of celebrities and politicians they cover here. Did the New York Post for instance … Then you have the question under the American Foreign Corrupt Practices Act it is illegal for an American company – and News Corp. is an American company - to pay bribes to police. They paid bribes to police”
“Under the FCC rules if you own television stations your supposed to have good moral character. Someone can come along and question the moral character of News Corp and the Murdochs to run those stations. That would put into danger is broadcast networks."
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Transcript by Newsy.
