PRASUN SONWALKAR London
The Murdoch media in Britain continued to suffer knocks with a new probe being launched today into news- gathering practices at Sky News while the father and son duo prepared to appear before the high profile
inquiry into the email hacking this week.
Communications regulator Ofcom launched an investigation after Sky News admitted hacking into the email accounts of members of the public for information, adding another level of inquiry into the Murdoch medias unethical newsgathering practices.
Appearing before the Leveson Inquiry today, John Ryley, head of news at Sky News, separately admitted that his the company broke the law by hacking emails of John Darwin, who faked his own death in a canoe to claim insurance money, and his wife Anne.
Sky News had earlier defended the email hacking by claiming that it was in the public interest and amounted to ” responsible journalism”, but the claim was not repeated before the Leveson Inquiry.
Regulator Ofcoms spokesperson said: ” Ofcom is investigating the fairness and privacy issues raised by Sky Newsalt39 statement that it had accessed without prior authorisation private email accounts during the course of its news investigations.
We will make the outcome known in due course.” James Murdoch is scheduled to appear tomorrow before the Leveson Inquiry, which is telecast live.
Rupert Murdoch will appear before the committee on Wednesday, which be his first public appearance since he gave evidence to the Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee last July. Aidan Barclay, the chairman of Telegraph Media Group, and Evgeny Lebedev, owner of the Independent and London Evening Standard, were scheduled to appear before the inquiry today. – PTI Sky News head John Ryley leaves the High Court after giving evidence at the Leveson Inquiry into press ethics in London, on Monday AFP
