'Maybe she has dirt on one of the Murdochs'

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• Phone hacking scandal
• Ex-NOTW editor arrested
• Staff in shock over closure

Murdoch: NOTW Closure 'A Collective Decision'

Rupert Murdoch has said the decision to close the News Of The World was "a collective decision", as staff at the Sunday tabloid prepared its last ever edition.

The Sunday tabloid will double its print run to five million in expectation of bumper sales as the 168-year-old newspaper comes to an end.

Mr Murdoch, chairman of News Corporation - the parent company of News International (NI), which publishes the NOTW - made the comments on the final day of a media conference in Idaho.

The 80-year-old is due in London tomorrow on a scheduled visit.

Sky News sources said staff at NOTW were today putting together the tabloid's final edition with "dignity" amid a feeling of "anger and injustice".

On Twitter, the paper's deputy political editor Jamie Lyons wrote: "At my NOTW desk for the last time. Let's go out with a bang".

It is likely editor Colin Myler will lead all his employees out together after the last-ever issue has been put to bed.

Leaving his home this morning, Mr Myler said: "[It's] very sad, but they're a wonderful team of journalists, so they're the people I'm thinking about today."

Later, in a message to staff he said he knew they would "produce a paper to be proud of".

"I could not have been more proud or privileged to have you as my colleagues," he said.

"You have made enormous sacrifices for this company and I want you to know that your brilliant, creative talents have been the real foundation for making the News Of The World the greatest newspaper in the world."

He added: "Let's try to make the most of this incredibly sad but historic day.

"It's not where we want to be and it's not where we deserve to be."

Helen Moss, news and features sub editor at NOTW said emerged from the paper's Wapping site to tell reporters it was "an extremely sad day".

She said: "We're all extremely emotional. But every single one of us working up there today is very proud of working for the News of the World.

"We're very proud of our colleagues, we're very proud of our editor, and we go out with heads held up high.

Earlier, a 63-year-old man - understood be to a private investigator who worked for the tabloid - has been released on bail.

Former NOTW editor Andy Coulson and former royal reporter Clive Goodman were released on Friday night on police bail after being arrested earlier.

Speaking outside his home this morning, Mr Coulson said: "I think this is a very sad day for the News of the World.

"More importantly to the staff who, in my mind, are brilliant, professional people and I really feel for them."

Shares in BSkyB - owner of Sky News - tumbled amid fears over the future of News Corporation's bid for the satellite broadcaster.

By the end of trading on Friday the price of shares had fallen 7.6% to 750p .

Meanwhile, Prime Minister David Cameron has come under pressure to name a judge quickly to head the inquiry into phone hacking at the NOTW .

It comes after News International denied reports that police are investigating suspected deletion of emails by an executive.

The Guardian reports Scotland Yard is probing claims that a member of staff deleted "millions of emails" from an internal archive.

Police refused to comment on the allegations but a NI spokeswoman said the assertion was "rubbish". 

"We adopted a documented email retention policy in line with our US parent's records management policy," she said.

"We are co-operating actively with police and have not destroyed evidence."

Meanwhile, NI's chief executive Rebekah Brooks hinted to staff that more revelations were ahead, warning of "another very difficult moment in this company's history".

She met News Of The World employees and defended her decision not to resign, saying she wanted to "fight and get this paper's reputation back".

In a recording of the meeting leaked to Sky News , she appeared to suggest further damaging revelations were ahead and added, "in a year's time every single one of you in this room might come up and say, 'OK, well I see what you saw now'."

After his release from Lewisham police station in southeast London, Mr Coulson said: "There is an awful lot I would like to say, but I can't at this time."

The 43-year-old, former director of communications at Number 10, was released on police bail until October.

Mr Goodman, who was re-arrested by police in connection with alleged police payments, has also been released on bail until October.

The 53-year-old was held after a dawn swoop by officers at his home in Surrey.

Officers conducted a search of his property and his desk at work at the Daily Star Sunday, as well as Mr Coulson's residence.

Mr Goodman was jailed in 2007, along with private investigator Glenn Mulcaire, for phone hacking.

Mr Coulson resigned from Downing Street in January this year, saying the drip-drip of claims about hacking under his editorship was making his job impossible.

The reports concerning Mr Cameron's former spin doctor follow Thursday afternoon's news that this Sunday's edition of the best-selling tabloid is to be its last.

The axe fell on the newspaper after a series of increasingly damaging phone hacking allegations left its reputation in tatters.

The bombshell announcement came as advertisers deserted the paper in droves and police revealed 4,000 people may have had their phones hacked.

The BBC claimed the parents of murdered Soham schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman could have been targets while The Guardian reported murder victim Milly Dowler's phone was also accessed illegally.

The NOTW also stands accused of paying thousands of pounds illegally to corrupt police officers.

Cameron said he gave Coulson a "second chance…

Anger of bewildered staff at News of …

4. ews of the World axed as Coulson arrest …

   AFP via Yahoo! UK & Ireland News

Murdoch: NOTW Closure 'A Collective …

Ex-News of the World royal editor a …

Prime Minister David Cameron speaks …

File photo of Rebekah Brooks, chief …

NORTH OF THE BORDER 10 hours ago Report Abuse

You only have to look at the photo of Rebekah Brook and Rupert Murdoch to see there's more to it, as the saying goes, A PICTURE PAINTS A THOUSAND WORD, so i say no more, you decide.

News of the World to shut: James Mu …

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   Murdoch heads to Britain as News of …

   AFP via Yahoo! UK & Ireland News

Murdoch due in Britain to tackle hacking …

Murdoch Folds News Of The World Over …

Prime Minister David Cameron arrives …

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    Rupert Murdoch said the allegations …

The CEO at this stage has not been proven at fault, however there is evidence that things could have been managed so much more sympathetically towards those harmed and hurt by the voicemail listenings and families, staff and the general public. I am disappointed that the NOTW lied to parliament and agree that there should be consequence towards those SM who arranged that confirmation to Government. The statements delievered by Murdoch etc have not really been very sympathetic, but more strategically driven. I did give up reading this paper years ago, and now i know why.

The Face of Evil and Immorality. Hitler had his delusion of the 'Aryan Supremacy'. This man's delusion of 'Power Is In Control of Media' crookedly written all over his contorted face. Most probably from birth. Delusion is a mental disease that leads to the distortion of perceptions of human facets such as Integrity,Morality, Respect of Self and Others,Truth-From-Fiction,The Importance of adherence to The Laws Of The Land. Hence, in the total sum of measuring the standing of a human being in society does not depend on the Amount of Dollars one has in his/her own Bank Account. There is more to the standing of a media mogul than the gazing into a stagnant pool and the enjoyment of his own reflection in it.

Dave Fri 08 Jul 2011 11:27 BST Report Abuse

Spat the dummy and put two fingers up to the rest of us. The maniac is irritated so heads will roll. 200 or more in this case. What else can he do before it's all over. Stop reading his papers is about all us lesser mortals can do.

Sellingarenadotcom Fri 08 Jul 2011 14:33 BST Report Abuse

Evil Evil and more Evil is all that is written on the faces of the culprit NOTW and its journalists.and their propagation of immoral media practices. They lost the credibility of human rights and with their powerful owner they have cut right deep into the devils meal. Time to say a nasty GOODBYE to ruper mudoch, his family, his empire and his sorry appologies. BSKYB deal should be cancelled completly for he has not shown he is a fit and proer person.
They have damaged lives in other to sell papers and now they too ARE BETTER OFF DAMAGED.

P BRIGHTWELL 4 hours ago Report Abuse

Murdoch is deplorable and unnacceptable in my opinion. He should be banned from holding a broadcasting licence

SLam 22 hours ago Report Abuse and yet, for all the comments below, Murdoch and his like know that the public memory will last for 3 weeks or until the next major diversion or "once in a lifetime" offer in his panoply of media channels.
He is shrewd enough to know that the average person has got more to worry about than the discovery of his minions' crimes and will seek to soothe their ire with empty offers and "unmissable", "cattle-class" holidays................and the majority will fall for it (again).

So the dance will continue.

R Fri 08 Jul 2011 08:53 BST Report Abuse

I think that the Murdoch family are too sharp, and their statement about being innocent of being responsible regarding all the skullguggery associated with the phone hacking etc. is nonsence

simon Fri 08 Jul 2011 11:41 BST Report Abuse

what a shame what happened to collective responsibility and moral?