>> no, i think the best way into rupert murdoch was via rupert murdoch. >> well, maybe mr. powell is putting it just a notch too high, but if mr. murdoch is not available, the best way to mr. murdoch -- i think he's suggesting is there mr. steltzer. does that overstate it or not? >> i think it probably does. i think from where we were in the uk, steltzer is a very clever, very close to rupert murdoch. but so were quite a few other people that we dealt with on almost a daily basis. people editing newspapers here. all sorts of people. >> one would certainly have to add to the list other individuals, is that correct? >> yeah. >> tony struck up a friendship with irwin that lasted throughout his time in government, and he helped tony win over murdoch. is that true or not? >> it may be. it may be, i think it's true that irwin steltzer became someone that liked tony blair, liked what new labor was doing, and probably was part of the discussions that were going on within that particular newspaper group. but i think we were always conscious that in terms any of decision that there w

murdoch. >> mr. murdoch, at what point did you find out that criminality was endemic at news of the world? >> "endemic" is a very... a very wide-ranging word. >> tonifrontline correspondent lowell bergman goes inside the phone hacking scandal... >> they hacked my phone and they ran some pretty hideous stories about my sexuality. >> they hacked my messages between myself and the chief executive. >> ...that rocked a governmen. >> this is becoming a very, very big scandal. biggest news organization in the country are in trouble, biggest police force in trouble, and furthermore, the new prime minister's right-hand man is in trouble. >> and continues to shake the media giant. >> there is a shakespearean tragedy to what's happened. what created him now looks like it could destroy him. >> frontline is made possible by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. and by the corporation for public broadcasting. major funding is provided by the john d. and catherine t. macarthur f

murdoch? >> i think my sense was the most influential person was rupert murdoch. so was she an important person within the organization? yes. >> were other ministers afraid of her? >> if they were, they shouldn't have been. >> yes, but do you think they were? >> i didn't think so. i didn't think so. there were various -- one of the reasons why, even though it's fair to say i think i'm somewhat p and g at news international now, rebecca was always very, very straightforward to deal with. and there were a number of stories that i dealt with with her which were very difficult for individual ministers where robin cook was one, steve steven byers. we had a sense we had a job to do but we could be straight with each other. >> were the feds ever searched by you? >> i would say we were one of the prime sources for every media organization in the country. >> so it wasn't a question of prioritizing "the sun," you feel, it was just part of your job? >> look, we made a lot of changes in 1997, the biggest of which was putting the briefings on the record. most of my contact wit

murdoch? >> i think i -- my sense always was the most influential person in terms of influence upon murdoch was rupert murdoch. was she increasingly important in the organization? yes. >> were ministers afraid of her? >> i don't -- i'd say ththey sh have been. >> do you think they were? >> i don't think so. one of the reasons why, even though it's fairs to i think i'm somewhat png at national now, rebekah was always very, very straightforward to deal with. there were a number of stories i dealt with her, very difficult for individual ministers. robin cook was one. steven buyers was another. where she was always -- we had a sense of, i had a job to do, she had a job to do, but we could be straight with each other. >> was "the sun" ever fed stories by you? >> yeah. so were other papers. i would say we were one of the prime sources for every media organization in the country. >> so it wasn't a question of prioritizing "the sun," you feel, it was just part of your job to -- >> well, look. most --

murdoch? >> i think my sense was the most influence person in terms of rupert murdoch was rupert murdoch. was she important in the organization? yes. >> were minister afraid of her? >> well, if they were, they shouldn't have been. >> yes, but do you think they were? >> i don't think so. i don't think so. minister were -- one of the reasons why even though it's fair to say i think i'm somewhat p & g at news international now, i would -- i mean, rebecca was always very, very straight forward to deal with and there were a number of stories that i dealt with with her, which was very difficult for individual minister where robin cook was one, steven buyers was another where she was always -- we had a sense of i had a job to do, she had a job to do but we could be straight with each other. >> was the sun ever fed stories by you? >> yeah. so were other papers. i mean, i would say that we were one of the prime sources for every media organization in the country. >> so it wasn't a question of prioritiz

murdoch? someone who had his picture someone in the narratives. in terms of your team and news corps team, someone called mr. frederick, mr. fred michel. his role was to lobby. in support of the bid, was in a? >> he was running on various issues. he was the liaison with policymakers. that is what a public affairs executive does. >> had he been hired in may 2009? >> i can't remember when he started, precisely. >> it won't matter much, but the secretary of state on the basis of councils and right, did he mind to the affairs of competition commission, was their consideration given to offering undertakings, offered on the 18th of january 2011? the purpose of offering them was to remove or mitigate the plurality concerns, wasn't that? >> yes, essentially, the secretary of state has said he had received the advice that he should prefer within his remit under this particular part of the enterprise act, for him to take that and wait up with any undertakings that might or might not be able to deal with

murdoch's british newspaper, and mr. murdoch's right-hand man. all the accused of misleading mps, by telling them that hacking was limited to one reporter. today, in york, where he is still an editor for another organization. they have all rejected the damning verdict. it was the disclosure last year that the news of the world passed the phone of a murdered teenager that turned hacking into a story of national importance. >> we used to not ever been seen criticized murdoch or the press. to see this bhutto reports, it has come -- to see this brutal report, it has come as a bit of a shop. i think rupert murdoch has a lot of questions to answer. he has a lot to answer for. i think he is being held to account. >> but will be the impact of the verdict that rupert murdoch is not fit to run a major international company? i have just heard four members said they voted against that a verdict. any suggestion that this is a political judgment and not a dispassionate one comment that could undermine the course. >> the issue in which most conservative members

murdoch's right hand man. all accused of saying hacking was limited to the work of a single row reporter. all are facing the possibility that the whole house of commons may find them guilty of contempt. today in new york, he is still an editor for another organization. he in the two others have all rejected the damning verdict. it was a disclosure last year that the news of the world hacked the fun of a murdered teenager -- phone of a murder teenager that turned the story into one of national importance. the concern the people's privacy has been invaded by phone hacking has grown and grown. >> we used to not ever criticized murdoch or the press. to see this report has come as a bit of a shock. i thought, is it too much? has it gone too far? and then i thought, no, it has not. i think rupert murdoch has a lot of questions to answer. he has a lot to answer for and i think he is for the first time being held to account. >> what will be the impact of the verdict that rupert murdoch is not fit to run an internation

murdoch, but did you? >> there were conversations towards the possibility of becoming the editor of the daily mirror. i'm sure chose not to do so. >> the one general election which came in your watch as it were in the 2005 election in the same paragraph of your statement he said in the and you decided to continue the paper's support of tony blair. why in the end? >> it was a long process. i had a range of meetings in the sort of leave that to the election, the conference and outside of the conference and i come over time together with my team at the news of the world, i decided in the end that we would continue to support tony blair. >> did you believe that he would probably win that election clacks >> it wasn't the key factor in the decision. the key factor in the decision as i attach to earlier is i felt news of the world leaders best interest would be best served by tony blair. but if you read the lead at that time, i think it was -- i don't think it was wildly enthusiastic. but i think on balance we fe

murdoch. we know he told the house of lords communications committee back in 2007 when he was spoken to in new york that he was a traditional proprietor who exercise editorial control on major issues. you agree with that or not? >> yes. >> doesn't apply as much to the "news of the world" as th"the sun.:" >> i think mr. murdoch is probably more interested in "the sun" and terms of political issues but it also apply "news of the world." >> your evidence -- question 146, i think it would be said that before any appointment, he knew me pretty well. you stand by that? >> before my appointment to the sun." of "the >> he would be aware of my views, social, political and cultural. do you stand by that? then you said take europe, for example. i think he was aware of my views. >> yes. >> without delving into this with great detail, your views on europe -- you were skeptic? and politically your position is very similar to mr. murdoch's? >> in some areas. >> in which areas to they differ? next we disagree

murdoch? >> yeah. she just wanted to be absolutely sure that she was not, as it were, going into a policy area where a conclusion had already been reached based upon whatever. so -- and tony blair was unable to give her that assurance. >> in your hearing? >> well, i know that he did.nab to give her that assurance. >> in your hearing? >> well, i know that he did.ablo give her that assurance. >> in your hearing? >> well, i know that he did. >> one key issue in relation to that act would be the decision to remove the restrictions on foreign media ownership. is that something that you were alive to? >> no, i don't -- im, although i was in charge of tony blair's media strategy, media relations, i was not -- i didn't see myself as a significant voice wind the media policy debate and i don't -- i can't remember what else was going on at that time. i don't remember being too involved in the policy discussions, in the communications on that. >> when the bill was going through the lords, it encountered

rupert murdoch is not fit to run an international company. that was the scathing report from a group of british lawmakers today. the committee found that mr. murdoch's company misled parliament about the scale of phone hacking. news corp. shot back at the statement, calling some of the language unjustified and highly partisan. our business editor of reports. >> rupert murdoch seen as the world's most powerful media mogul. today, declared not a fit person to run an international business. he and his colleagues turned a blind eye for years to a phone hacking by journalists at the news of the world. >> everybody in the world knows who is responsible. will part murdoch. more than any individual alive, he is to blame. morally, the deeds are his. he pay the piper. >> the committee was arguably even more damning about his colleagues. the former editor, the legal affairs manager, and his right- hand man. all accused of misleading impi'' by telling them packing was limited to the work of a single reporter. the whole house of commons may find them guil

rupert murdoch, it was usually when rupert murdoch was in london for a board meeting. i suspect if he had been in london during that time, would he meet him for a cup of tea? he probably would. i said before he was a very significant player in the media landscape. but i don't think -- put it this way i was surprised more than anything when they produced this record. you seemed to think there was so many. >> not so many, it's just the fact of them against so many competing demands of his time. he knew what the view of "the sun" was. he didn't have to talk to mr. murdoch, he could pick up a copy of "the times ". >> i think he could have picked up a copy of anything in the world. it is important to remember -- see, we're looking at this now, you're asking me to -- and people may think it's awful that i don't remember something i've written about, and i just don't. for me as well, there was so much going on at that time, but it doesn't strike me as that odd, not the least because by then, i think it's fair to say tony blair had very few strong supporters in the media left.

murdoch? >> we're not elected officials. >> but you're saying it's a myth, but it's the truth, isn't it? newspaper editors or proprietors are an unelected force. >> if you view them as that. i don't view editors -- >> rebekah brooks at the leveson inquiry, answering questions coming from robert jay, who's pushing to get a sense as to the political inference of power of the newspapers. she's also been talking about the time in which she had to resign from news international and seems to have made it clear she received support in some form from both tony blair and david cameron, among some other secretaries of state. >> make sense of international news at bbc.com/news. >> funding was made possible by the freeman foundation of new york, stowe, vermont, and honolulu. newman's own foundation. and union bank. >> at union bank, our relationship managers use their expertise in global finance to guide you through the business strategies and opportunities of international commerce. we put our extended g

murdoch? >> yeah. she just didn't want to go into an area where a conclusion had already been reached based on whatever. and tony blair was able to give her that assurance. >> in your hearing? >> well, i know that he did. >> one description was to remove that from foreign ownership. is that something you were privy to? >> no. although i was part of tony blair's strategy and media relations, i didn't see myself as a significant voice within the media policy debate, and i can't remember what else was going on at that time. lots of things, but i don't remember being too involved in the policy discussions on the communications act. >> when the bill was going through the laws, it encountered some difficulty, and i think lord putnam was the center of the opposition to it. did you have any discussions with him about that? >> i can't remember. i don't think so, but i may have done -- i can remember -- what months in 2003 are we talking about, do you know? >> i think this may have been in -- no, it would have b

murdoch? >> no, i don't, i sorely don't think that, no. i think a day, i was an editor of a newspaper, a very large circulation newspaper with a wide readership, with an exceptional censorship placing voters but and i do believe that, like other editors in similar situations, politicians did want to get access to the editor of "the sun" and his or her team as much as possible. but i don't think that people ever thought to get to mr. murdoch they had to go through me. i don't think that is correct. >> let's see if we can break that down. politicians certainly wanted to get close to you, to have access to you, didn't they? >> yes. >> and you were someone who mr. murdoch trusted implicitly, weren't you? >> yes. i hope so. >> that was well understood by any politician who cared to look, wouldn't you agree? >> well, i think they thought we had a close working relationship, yes. >> didn't you ever examine the motives or thought processes of politicians, why they were wanting to get close to you? jus

murdoch? >> yeah. she just wanted to be absolutely sure that she was not, as it were, going into a policy area where a conclusion had already been reached based upon whatever. so -- and tony blair was unable to give her that assurance. >> in your hearing? >> well, i know that he did.nab to give her that assurance. >> in your hearing? >> well, i know that he did.ablo give her that assurance. >> in your hearing? >> well, i know that he did. >> one key issue in relation to that act would be the decision to remove the restrictions on foreign media ownership. is that something that you were alive to? >> no, i don't -- im, although i was in charge of tony blair's media strategy, media relations, i was not -- i didn't see myself as a significant voice wind the media policy debate and i don't -- i can't remember what else was going on at that time. i don't remember being too involved in the policy discussions, in the communications on that. >> when the bill was going through the lords, it encountered some diff

with james murdoch, for example. given the conflicting accounts and the history of what we have been told by witnesses going five years, we simply couldn't make our minds up with any conviction about whether he misled or not, time possibly retail if other evidence emerges. it was important just to get our heads up, look at the bigger picture. because we were told that not withstanding everything that has happened, all the media revelations, including "new york times," not just "the guardian," our report, wide publication of the evidence such as the four noble enough, we were just told that it was only in ladies over 2010, long in the presence, those epiphany moment where they saw it at the top realized that the one rogue reporter because it's not true and i drafted astonishing in its literal sense because i had a headshaking moment how could this come to happen. >> could i ask you, you're trying very hard to avoid getting into the party political waters, but surely must be able to guide us a little bit the summary sa

without the political capital, murdoch withdrew his bid for bskyb. the past had caught up with him. >> mr. murdoch, did you read our last report into the matter, where we referred to the collective amnesia of your executives who gave evidence to our commite? >> i haven't heard that. >> parliamentary inquiry found

tom watson went to step further saying this about murdoch's media empire. these people corrupted our country they will show you minako these fools i'm not paula means they don't lead in cheats it but my old impled it's and we should all be a show you do and we think before the facade loam everybody in the world knows who is responsible for the room to interview school rupert murdoch more than any individual he used to. mow really the deeds on his he paid the public what he called the chewed it is his company his coach his people his business his faith yes his lawyers his crimes the promise of profits and his power but while murdoch is shamed in the u.k. here in the united states as crown jewel box so-called news is still the most powerful cable network news network in our nation and here the list of distortions coming out of fox so-called news and journalistically inappropriate behavior by rupert murdoch's men's goes on and on are the leaked memos discovered by media matters show fox news executives instructed anchors to purposefully distort stories on clim

candidate sarah palin all were paid by rupert murdoch to be fox news contributors x. news is not news it's the megaphone for the republican party and the impact of this network is real a study released last year by a farly dickens' and university found the fox news viewers are less informed about the real issues that this nation faces than people who don't watch any news at all and study really. the previous year by the university of maryland found the fox news viewers are far more likely to believe false political information for example it found that fox viewers were thirty points more likely to believe the climate change is a hoax fourteen points more likely to believe their taxes have gone up even though president obama has pretty much only cut taxes on everyone twelve points more likely to believe the stimulus package actually causes job losses rather than creating the millions of jobs that the c b a and nearly every other nonpartisan economist has pointed out and fox news viewers are more third thirty one points more likely to believe president obama wasn't born

murdoch's british newspaper, and his right-hand man. all are accused of misleading because in part they had been aware of an e-mail that hacking was more widespread than the company admitted. they said this was the work of a single reporters. they have been found guilty of misleading mp's. they have all rejected the verdict. it was a disposal last year that they have to the phones of a murdered teenager and it turned it into a story of national important. this sent them a roster of prominent people whose privacy has been invaded by phone hacking, which has grown and grown. >> they were not used to being seen to criticize mr. murdoch and the press. this has come as a shock. is it too much? has it gone too far? no, it has not. mr. murdoch has a lot of questions to answer. he is being held to account. "why did committee reached this explosive for -- >> why did this committee reach this explosive verdict? >> in the view of the majority of the committee members, rupert murdoch is not fit to run an international company like b sky b. >> the i

rupert murdoch unfit to run his media empire. "nightly business report" is brought to you by: captioning sponsored by wpbt >> tom: big questions today about the leadership at two big companies-- news corp and chesapeake energy. susie, we'll have more on the issues swirling around both companies in just a moment. >> susie: meanwhile, tom, occupy wall street hoped to breathe new life into its movement with may day protests today. demonstrators marched through manhattan's financial district and protested in front of several large banks and media outlets, but in smaller numbers than marches last fall. similar protests took place other cities, including chicago, san francisco, and los angeles. he built one of the world's largest media empires. but today, rupert murdoch is being called "not fit to run" a global company. that's the conclusion of a committee of british lawmakers looking into wrongdoing by murdoch-owned newspapers in the united kingdom caught up in the phone hacking scandal, when reporters illegally obtained voicemails fr

murdoch. news international with 35% of the newspaper market share as reported in the times on 25th april 201 2012 has the greatest potential influence. associated newspapers are scantly without importance of 22%. although their influence would appear to derive more from their being in that newspaper to the thinking of middle england, than their ability to impinge on floating both an opinion at election time. furthermore, in contrast crafted news international their influence is seen as operating not to the personnel of their editor, and any economic power wielded by their proprietor. i'm not excluding from account any influence flowing from other newspapers, nor am i suggesting that influence is directly proportional to market share. but those ugly to be a correlation. -- but there's likely to be a correlation. i refer an opening first of your module back in november to the alleged subterranean influence is operated by the press on the democratic process, but without full democratic announce

report murdoch who founded -- rupert murdoch founded the organization. also the human cost of phone hacking, it was not just a technical trick or a victimless crime. the cost was laid bare in some of the statements filed by a newsgroup is papers and we cite one of those statements, those of shalit church and her family. >> thank you. the report talks about our astonishment at the failure of the company to investigate fully and uncover incidents of phone hacking from the period of the court and taylor settlement through 2010 and 2011. there were plenty of flights flashing on the dashboard to suggest a greater investigation was needed. i am looking at the pivotal role of james murdoch in the gordon taylor case, we have been minded to follow precisely the evidence we were given, which does not contradict anything he said to the committee and therefore it is not possible to say he misled parliament. we can be critical of the actions at that time. of the failure to disclose information about phone hacking. the failure to investigate it fully. i would also tou

murdoch. >> he is public affairs for news corp europe. and at the anderson is corporate communications for news corp.. >> the bid is still with dr. cable, you understand. this is december 2000. it is necessary to keep the cabinet ministers. why do think you are copied into this e-mail? >> i was not copied into many of them. there be regular meetings of people who were iengaged in the bid. i am not sure why particularly. >> the next one is the same file. >> are you going to 1679? >> yes. >> a lot 3 e-mails are on the same sheet. >> i found an earlier one. the most beloved one -- relevant one is 1679. it states the 14th of december, 2010. it is sent from mr. michelle to mr. james murdoch. >> you obviously have the chronology. >> three minutes later, you replied to mr. mashal. - mr. michelle. the reason why you replied so quickly. you said you had dinner with mr. osborn the night before. you discussed the issues letter with mr osborne the night before a request i must have done. >> the reference

murdoch. it demonstrates the law firm you mention produced just one document, which you know, to not represent the position at all. one way or another, news international being obstructive. does it not shock you? >> it shocks me deeply, and i was not aware of it and i have not heard of it until he said that. host: this was done with support and guidance of the house of commons but it was a separate, independent inquiry. guest: a separate inquiry into this whole saga. the inquiry that concluded this week was a culture select committee which was looking into this for about two or three years now. it was they who concluded the board murdoch was not a fit person to run a global media company. that inquiry has been running alongside levenson. also inquiries about whether mr. murdoch or by his son and company was able to run the big satellite company in britain, also taking into account the findings of the committee. host: let's turn to the u.s. your group has sent a letter to the sec commissioner s

: murdoch's company news corps said it would respond to the short shortly. the house of commons will decide punishment for three company executives accused of giving false accounts of the phone hacking. more than 40 people associated with the scandal have been arrested so far. murdoch has also paid out millions to settle multiple lawsuits. >> again news corps apologized for the phone hacking scanned arl in a statement -- scandal today in a statement. he shut down news of the world last july. >>> london is gearing up for the summer olympic games. coming up, we'll tell you why some are upset over plans to place heavy artillery in strategic spots. >>> and we'll tell you why investigators are calling a fire at an old new england mill suspicious. we'll be right back. >>> the tallest building in new york is once again in lower manhattan. one world trade center has surpassed the empire state building. manuel gallegus explains. >> reporter: the recovery in lower manhattan reached new heights with the placement of this steel beam. the first column of the 100th floor

murdoch. >> and when they were drawn to our attention that way, did it surprise you in any way? >> will i think the truth is at the time, at the time the bskyb bid, i suppose, like most journalists i viewed public affairs and obvious with quite skepticism and often thought that mr. michel's perhaps overextended position. however, he was doing his job. you know, he was passing on information as lobbyists do. >> how do you know he was overrating his position of? >> i suppose because as journalists we would have quite direct contact with ministers and prime ministers, you know, in the course of our work. but i always thought it was slightly strange that he had that level. not quite strange. that's not fair. the level that came out was pretty good really. >> a couple of documents, 163 e-mails, picture you, only a couple. krm-18. we have one of them under tab 17 in the bundle. we can probably put it up on the screen. i'm not sure if would be available to anybody else. in the file, 101,657, you may