murdoch scandal ,investigation five years ago

The scandal, sparked by a police investigation five years ago, centers on a roster of key players in the longtime relationship among the British media, politicians and the police. The much anticipated committee hearing is scheduled to begin at 12:00 p.m. British Summer Time, which is 7:00 a.m. at News Corp.'s headquarters in Midtown Manhattan -- below is a compilation of some of those key players:The whole affair shows, in an increasingly complex and competitive information age, how blurred lines can become between news media and those they cover.

And if the scandal should reach these shores, some fear it could have First Amendment repercussions.He was quoted as saying that Coulson “actively encouraged me" to hack into other people's cell phone messages. At the time, Coulson responded that he "never condoned the use of phone hacking and nor do I have any recollection of incidences where phone hacking took place.
With a second senior police officer quitting on Monday and new developments in the story breaking by the hour, predicting where it may go next has become all but impossible. If Cameron is unlucky, analysts say, it may define his premiership.

" NOTW Managing Editor Bill Akass told The Times "we reject absolutely" that the paper's higher-ups approved hacking and accused the paper of running a story based on “unsubstantiated claims” -- in part to run down a competitor.Even if Mr. Murdoch decides to make this change, he wouldn't do it right now, the person said. Instead it would likely happen in several months' time, when presumably the furor had died down," the Journal said, quoting its source.

A switch now, however, even if long intended, would have enormous symbolic significance, the newspaper added. In Britain, the Murdoch hacking scandal has come to a boil: The head of Scotland Yard has resigned over links to a former News of the World executive, Rebekah Brooks has been arrested, and Rupert and James Murdoch are set for a painful father-and-son grilling by vengeful British politicians on Tuesday.