By Max Clarke
Rupert Murdoch scrapped News of the World in an attempt to smooth over the BSkyB acquisition, a PR director has today stated.
“Murdoch is prepared to dump without question 168 years of British journalistic tradition at the News of the World to protect the BSkyB deal,” said Richard Hillgrove, Director of Hillgrove PR, in a damning statement about the entrepreneur’s intentions.
“By appearing to 'fall on his sword' with News of the World Murdoch hopes his sacrificial offering will make it possible for the Government to still greenlight the BSkyB deal.”
Public outrage at the ongoing scandal surrounding the soon-to-be-deceased publication has led to a mass opposition in the takeover deal. The office of Cultural Secretary Jeremy Hunt has been inundated with submissions to block the merger that would see the remaining shares in the satellite communications giant pass to Murdoch’s empire.
Murdoch and his still growing media empire are increasingly facing criticism and were yesterday blasted by workers’ union, Unite.
"The concentration of media ownership which began 25 years ago when Rupert Murdoch sacked 5,500 print workers overnight - enabling News International to generate massive profits which were subsequently used to build a vast right wing media empire - has created a race to the bottom which will be worsened by giving the Murdoch empire further reign over the quality of our national life.”
Unite's General Secretary, Len McCluskey, joined the thousands of members of public in pleading the Government to block the BSkyB merger"
"Given what government now knows, and with worse set to come, it would therefore be entirely without principle if it were to now waive through the BSkyB merger."
As yet the former News of the World editor who allegedly contacted the private investigator at the centre of the fiasco, Rebekah Brooks, has neither been sacked by Murdoch, nor announced any plans to step down herself.
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