Phone tap scandal threatens to damage the credibility of the News of the World
Outrage is rapidly spreading across Britain, and some areas of Ireland today, after revelations that the News of the World paid out ₤1 million in damages relating to court cases brought against the newspaper as a result of illegal phone tapping.
“This is disgusting,” said a Tom Evans, a van driver in North London. “Every Sunday morning I read that paper, expecting truth, virtue and integrity. How am I supposed to believe anything I read now, knowing that even if it is true, it’s been obtained through unethical measures?” That sentiment is being echoed on radio phone-ins and internet message boards all over Britain, while Joe Duffy has promised a ‘blistering show’ which he says will allow the Irish public to vent their frustrations at the media institution.
The News of the World, which claims to be ‘the best for news, showbiz and sports exclusives’, has a history of brilliantly breaking several important news stories – mostly involving sports stars and entertainment celebrities – and then following them up with even more revelations to ensure that matters of public interest, stay just that. One such incident involved the football player David Beckham. Beckham achieved notoriety in 2004 when the News of the World revealed he was engaged in an extra-marital affair with Rebecca Loos. Loos then became a celebrity in her own right, thanks in no small part to the paper publishing photos of her masturbating a pig on reality television. As Loos herself has said, “If it wasn’t for the News of the World, nobody would ever have heard of me.”
Another story, which landed the courageous paper in court, involved the Formula 1 Chief, Max Mosley. The paper splashed the stunning headline, ‘F1 BOSS HAS SICK NAZI ORGY WITH 5 HOOKERS’ across the front page, only for Mosley to sue for damages. Unbelievably, Mosley was successful, with the Judge proclaiming his privacy had been breached.
Though the paper was forced to pay damages, it retained the support of it’s loyal following of readers who continued to push sales of the weekly to over 7 million copies, but the Great British (and Irish) public is unlikely to be as forgiving this time.
One comment, left under the current number one ‘most read story’ on the News of the World website, ‘Sexy soap star Jennifer Metcalfe goes mud wrestling with Brazilian beauty’, summed up the mood of most readers. “When Becks was shagging that slapper, or Angus Deayton was doing lines of coke off that prossie’s arse, or when Jordan got her new norks and got them out on the beach in Marbella, we needed to know. But only if they went about it the right way. Tapping phones isn’t right. I’m seriously considering whether or not to renew my subscription. When you can’t trust the News of the World, who can you trust?”
Robert Hogan