YEAR IN REVIEW 2011: News of the World Phone Hacking Scandal

December 13 2011 // News

Rupert Murdoch 2011 ShankboneAustralian media mogul Rupert Murdoch saw the foundations of his News Corp empire shaken to the core this year. British tabloid News of the World was found to have been hacking the voicemails of celebrities, royals and even kidnapping victims and relatives of dead soldiers. The practice went on for over a decade. Private investigators were hired by the paper to dig up dirt.

 
Actor Hugh Grant spearheaded a movement that eventually led to criminal charges for the paper. News of the World closed in July. Murdoch interrupted his son’s testimony to claim how humbled he was by the experience during a government inquiry. He subsequently spent half the trial quietly dozing off as judges talked to his son.