THE DONATION of £1m to a charity of the Dowler family's choice and compensation of a reported £2m for the family's distress is being linked by MPs to News Corp's fight to hold on the BSkyB broadcasting goldmine. Simon Hughes, the Lib Dem deputy leader, has written to the broadcasting regulator Ofcom calling on it to intervene over the question of whether James Murdoch, the BSkyB chairman, is fit to hold the licence. "Given the very serious accusations levelled at James Murdoch, the chairman of BSkyB, and the accusations levelled against News International, which he also chairs, I would like you to make a judgment as to whether BSkyB can still be considered to be fit and proper to hold a broadcasting licence as long as James Murdoch continues to act as chairman of the company," said Hughes. Ofcom are continuing to review the allegations, and since Hughes made the formal complaint in July, News International has tried to clean up its act. News International chief Rebekah Brooks resigned despite appeals by Rupert Murdoch to stay and - let's not forget - is said to have received a pay-off of £3 million. Some MPs believe Rupert decided that the Dowlers' settlement would have to match that if he was to avoid further public fury. James Murdoch has also been invited back by the Commons culture committee to clear up whether he misled the MPs over his earlier claims that he had no knowledge of an internal memo at News International suggesting phone hacking was more widespread. Murdoch Jnr's denial of knowledge has been contradicted by Colin Myler, former editor of the now defunct News of the World and lawyer Tom Krone. NotW and News International executives swept up in the police inquiry are due to return within the next two weeks to police stations to answer their bail, and we may then start hearing whether criminal charges are to be laid against them, with the threat of prison terms. MPs don't doubt that the huge level of the Dowler settlement reflects Rupert Murdoch's regret at the distress caused by his reporters hacking into Millie Dowler's voicemail. But as usual with this saga, there is a back story that the MPs are determined to uncover. Filed under: James Murdoch, Rupert Murdoch, BSkyB, BSkyB takeover bid, James Murdoch BSkyB, News Corp BSkyB, News International, Milly Dowler parents compensation, Milly Dowler, Milly Dowler phone hacking, phone hackingMurdoch payout: is BSkyB deal the hidden agenda?
Tuesday, 20 September 2011
Settlement comes after Simon Hughes asks if James Murdoch is fit to hold a broadcasting licence
LAST UPDATED 9:32 AM,
SEPTEMBER 20, 2011
Posts
