Despite all the revelations about phone tapping and the like, I was as surprised as anyone when the news came through today that the News of the World would cease to be. After all, this is a publication that has being going for 168 years.
Naturally, it'll be a source of celebration for a lot of people. Normally, I would be one of them. After all, the NOTW has, at least in my lifetime, being more of a comic than a newspaper with the current scandal putting on a more sinister edge. But people thinking this is the first blow in a series to topple the Murdoch empire are doubtlessly deluded.
For one, I'll be extremely surprised if Murdoch's BSkyB deal is knocked back. After all, this is a man who has politicians of all persuasions in his pocket. Secondly, expect either the Sun to go seven days a week or a new News International Sunday rag to be launched in a couple of months.
Sure, there may be a sacrificial lamb or two thrown to the lions. But the main point will be that the money will start flowing again and life will go on as before in Medialand. I'm hoping I'm wrong here, of course, and I'm hoping the British public take News International to task - shame my cynicism thinks otherwise. On the other side of the coin, full marks to the Guardian for some top notch investigative journalism.
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