Martin HIckman, co-author with Tom Watson of Dial M for Murdoch, sits next to me at the court annex, and he’s writing a monthly blog with his acute and offbeat observations: this is his first, and by the look of it, the follow ups should not be missed. Follow him on Tumbler. I’m reblogging two of his points as a tease for the whole blog :
From Martin Hickman’s Canbury Press blog
10 Things We’ve Learnt About The News of the World
Two tabloid editors Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson are accused of plotting to hack phones. Their trial at the Old Bailey in London has shed light on life inside their former newspaper, Rupert Murdoch’s News of the World:
4. Hannah Pawlby (above) never heard three urgent messages left for her by the News of the World’s editor – because they had been accidentally deleted by the paper’s hacker. On a tape recording made by Mulcaire, Andy Coulson could be heard saying: “I’ve got a story we’re planning to run tomorrow that I’d really like to speak to Charles about. I wouldn’t do this in the normal course of events but it’s quite a serious story…” Beeps are then heard and an automated message says: “Message deleted”, and Mulcaire exclaims: “Oh fuck”.
10. An editorial in Rebekah Brooks’s Sun called striking fireman’s leader Andy Gilchrist a “lying, cheating low-life fornicator” after exposing a brief affair he had had four years previously. At the time Mrs Brooks (then Wade) was in the middle of a six-year relationship with Andy Coulson. No newspaper exposed that affair.
The Criminal Media Nexus 