Rupert Murdoch Summoned to Parliament over Phone Hacking

Phone Hacking Scandal: Rupert Murdoch Called Before Parliament

As the phone hacking scandal engulfs The Sunday Times and The Sun as well as the recently-shuttered News of the World, News Corp. boss Rupert Murdoch has been summoned to face Parliament and answer some questions.

• Gordon Brown Hacked by The Sun, Sunday Times
• Milly Dowler's Phone Hacked by NOTW
  

Rupert Murdoch will face a hostile crowd as pressure grows for News International's BSkyB takeover bid to be scrapped. His son James Murdoch and News International CEO Rebekah Brooks will join him before Parliament on July 19 at 2:30pm local time (you can go watch the proceedings in person, but expect a very long queue). Labour, the Lib-Dems and the Tories will all be urging Murdoch to drop the BSkyB bid.

How Much Did Brooks and the Murdochs Know?

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Rupert Murdoch: News Corp. CEO

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As the phone hacking scandal, which has involved royals, celebrities, crime victims, and even the former Prime Minister, keeps getting bigger, Parliament wants to know just how much Rupert Murdoch knew about his papers' illegal activities, and won't be inclined to believe that News International (or News Corp.) executives were as ignorant of the phone hacking and police bribery as they've so far claimed.

Remember when we said that News International was keeping Rebekah Brooks around so that she could be thrown under the bus? Expect that bus to pull up on July 19.

News International Sales Dropping

Meanwhile, sales have slowed down for The Sun, The Times, and The Sunday Times. Readers are staying away from Murdoch papers in the tens of thousands.