Today’s Independent on Sunday reports that Rupert Murdoch personally ordered the Sun to print naked photos of Prince Harry, in order to send a warning to the Leveson inquiry not to limit press freedom. According to the paper:
News International has refused to comment on speculation that Mr Murdoch intervened. But according to a well-placed source, Mr Murdoch told [News International chief executive] Tom Mockridge in his transatlantic phone call on Thursday: “There is a principle here. I know this is about Leveson but this is humiliating. We can’t carry on like this. We should run them, do it and say to Leveson, we are doing it for press freedom.”
Neil Wallis, a former News International executive, said:
This was a decision taken by Rupert. Rupert cares passionately about newspapers. He thinks this stuff is important. This is the only good thing that has happened at News International for a year. Once they knew they were going to do it, there was just a magnificent morale boost. They have stood up and looked the rest of the media in the eye, Parliament in the eye, and looked Leveson in the eye. Rupert has done an enormous amount for the morale of his own newspaper. And also, I know, journalists from other companies, although they can’t publicly say so.
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Yet the Sun’s contention that publishing the photos was in the public interest has drawn widespread criticism. Members of the public have also been contacting the Press Complaints Commission, unhappy with the Sun’s coverage. Perhaps mindful of this, Rupert Murdoch wrote on Twitter last night:
Prince Harry. Give him a break. He may be on the public payroll one way or another, but the public loves him, even to enjoy Las Vegas.
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