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Tuesday, 3 April 2012

James Murdoch and the 'News International Taint'

James Murdoch












JAMES Murdoch’s resignation as chairman of BSkyB illustrates the ‘News International taint’ which attaches itself to anyone perceived of being involved in hacking, bribery or the corporate cover-up or corporate complicity.

Murdoch Jr, the heir apparent to his father’s empire, was one of the most powerful businessmen in the world a year ago.
But in the intervening few months, his career has turned to dust.
His demise symbolises in one man, what has happened to many at News International. They are perceived as being a magnet for trouble. And have gone from leading the tabloid charge to finding themselves lost in no man’s land.
For those who haven’t been caught up in the various police investigations, there is the fear that they might.
So those on the inside are as trapped as those on the outside.
I know that many of my former colleagues on the News of the World are extremely depressed by this. Some who have contacted me are distraught.
I tell them there is adventure in adversity. We are like the migrants washed up on the shore of the New World in the 19th century, with nothing to sustain us apart from out wits and ingenuity.
And there was plenty of both on that newspaper’s newsroom floor. The selection process ensured that.
There will be an ending to all of this at some time.
We may not have James Murdoch’s billions to fall back on.
But we have resourcefulness, energy, imagination and determination. And we now have that fertile ground from where rich ideas grow – independence.
So until this business is done – and done it surely will be one day – we must paddle our own canoes and embrace this opportunity to visit the shore of another brave new world.




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