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Dial M for Murdoch: News Corporation and the Corruption of Britain Kindle Edition

by Tom Watson (Author), Martin Hickman (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars 215
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Dial M for Murdoch uncovers the inner workings of one of the most powerful companies in the world: how it came to exert a poisonous, secretive influence on public life in Britain, how it used its huge power to bully, intimidate and cover up, and how its exposure has changed the way we look at our politicians, our police service and our press.

Rupert Murdoch’s newspapers had been hacking phones and casually destroying people’s lives for years, but it was only after a trivial report about Prince William’s knee in 2005 that detectives stumbled on a criminal conspiracy. A five-year cover-up then concealed and muddied the truth. Dial M for Murdoch gives the first connected account of the extraordinary lengths to which the Murdochs’ News Corporation went to “put the problem in a box” (in James Murdoch’s words), how its efforts to maintain and extend its power were aided by its political and police friends, and how it was finally exposed.

The book details the smears and threats against politicians, journalists and lawyers. It reveals the existence of brave insiders who pointed those pursuing the investigation towards pieces of secret information that cracked open the case.

By contrast, many of the main players in the book are unsavory, but by the end of it you have a clear idea of what they did. Seeing the story whole, as it is presented here for the first time, allows the character of the organisation which it portrays to emerge unmistakably. You will hardly believe it.
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  1. Print length
    333 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Blue Rider Press
  5. Publication date
    April 24, 2012
  6. File size
    16454 KB
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Dial M for Murdoch is a must read for anyone interested in Rupert Murdoch... lively, fast-paced, a tight narrative."
- The Guardian



“This book will tell those already obsessed with the saga a few new things, but for the casual reader it's a rip-roaring tour through recent British political and journalistic history, and how Rupert Murdoch has frequently sought to influence it.”
- Huffington Post


“Dial M for Murdoch is a compelling tale of Murdoch empire’s scandals….[A] gripping and indispensible first account of the phone-hacking scandal that shut down the world’s biggest selling tabloid, News of the World, and the allegations of computer hacking, police bribery, and corporate cover-up that continue to hound News Corp…..[R]eads something like a cross between The Insider and All the President’s Men…[A] virtual revolution for a whole political and media class who had formerly lived in fear.”
- Peter Jukes, The Daily Beast


"An engrossing and useful read."
- British GQ

“True to its nod to the Alfred Hitchcock thriller, the book is a suspenseful tale of the ongoing phone hacking scandal in Britain from one of its key players…. Dial M For Murdoch has the urgency of a police blotter and is useful, both for those tracking the story daily or for readers interested in learning more.” –Reuters

“Provides a sense of how intrusive and unnerving Elveden’s in-house investigation must now be.” –Steve Coll, NewYorker.com

“Required reading for news junkies and those interested in understanding Murdoch's seemingly ironclad grip on the news.” –Kirkus Reviews

 “A timely, informative, infuriating insider account of the News International phone-hacking scandal… Very powerfully written… Here, at last, is the scorecard you’ve been looking for.” –BoingBoing.com

About the Author

TOM WATSON is the MP for West Bromwich East. He campaigns against unlawful media practices and led the questioning of Rupert and James Murdoch when they appeared before Parliament in July 2011. He is the deputy chair of the Labour Party. MARTIN HICKMAN has worked for the Independent since 2001, and has driven the paper's coverage of the phone hacking scandal. He was named Journalist of the Year by the Foreign Press Association in 2009.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B007V65O9I
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Blue Rider Press (April 24, 2012)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 24, 2012
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 16454 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 333 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1846146046
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 215

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Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
215 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Candace Drimmer
5.0 out of 5 stars Study in Rotten Journalism and Management
Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2012
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Watergate began with just a burglary. No big deal they said. And it wasn't until it the depth of the involvement of the powerful was unveiled, crashing the the house of cards of Nixon Administration and sending dozens to jail.
Dial M for Murdoch begins with published UK tabloid reports about Prince William's injured knee. News that wasn't public, when investigated it was found to have come from hacking of the Royals phones. No big deal said Murdoch's company, News International (NI), a.k.a. Wapping--for the offices where it is located. Just a "rogue reporter. That is until the cancer within British journalism exploded with the news that thousands of everyday people had been hacked by unknown dozens of NI employees. Shining a light on the dry rot of the power of Rupert Murdoch's 40% media share in the UK and to think--he wanted more of a share and almost got it thanks to his power with Her Majesty's government.
Non-fiction that reads like a John Grisham or Frederick Forsyth crime thriller, the co-author MP Tom Watson had a front row seat to the story as he became involved in investigating this. "For the first time Watson glimpsed the real picture of wrongdoing at Wapping, but the more he learned the more he realized that it involved the criminal underworld and some very dangerous characters." (p. 177)
When published in early 2012, a reported 200 police were reported as investigating phone hacking, computer hacking, conspiracy and the perversion of justice. In Parliamentary hearings, Watson asked Rupert Murdoch pointblank, "Mr. Murdoch, you must be the first mafia boss in history who didn't know he was running a criminal enterprise." (p. 287) Any wonder given News International ordered surveillance of not only celebrities and Royals, but murdered and missing children's families, rape victims, and both members of investigating watchdog committees like Mr. Watson's and lawyers suing News International.
As the former editor of the Sunday Times Andrew Neil was to have said in a February 16, 2012 interview on CNN of Murdoch's modus operandi: "You create a climate in which people think it's alright to do certain things. And I would argue that Rupert Murdoch with his take-no-prisoners attitude to journalism--the end will justify the means, do whatever it takes--created the kind of newsroom climate in which hacking and other things were done with impunity on an industrial scale." (p. 315)
So what happens when one single corporation becomes so embedded with the government? Read Dial M for Murdoch for a fair and balanced first draft of the history of corporate malfeasance to understand why media matters. What is Rupert Murdoch and News Corp's exposure given the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, with the reported thousands of pounds in bribes paid to UK officials?
According to former Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown: "It was not the misconduct of a few rogues or a few freelancers, but lawbreaking often on an industrial scale, at its worst dependent on links with British criminal underworld." (p. 223)
One day Harvard Business Studies will include the rot and hubris of the Murdoch empire, Fox News (giggle) and other tabloids around the world. This book, written by a UK Member of Parliament and Journalist, who had the temerity to say--NO to the hacking, bribing and other illegal actions--is a FIRST draft of history. When trials start in 2013, maybe even American journalists will take note.
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Rune
4.0 out of 5 stars Watching the Watchers
Reviewed in the United States on September 6, 2012
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The British tabloid press has always been very competitive. They also have a history of going to great lengths to get a story, including paying for it if necessary. That competitive environment, combined with the belief that getting the story is more important than how you got it, landed Rupert Murdoch's News Of The World in massive trouble when the true extent of the
phone hacking scandal was finally realized. Dial M For Murdoch chronicles the story from the very beginning. It's an expose of
a business that lost touch with their responsibility to deliver the news in a manner that didn't run over the right to privacy of those they reported on. But there was also the abuse of power, the threat that was so brazenly directed at those in power to do their bidding. That doesn't just refer to the politicians but also the police. Most of us believe in the freedom of the press, but it's very important that belief isn't used to hide the lawlessness that this book exposes. Must reading.
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C. Mayson
5.0 out of 5 stars Veneer of civilised state exposed
Reviewed in the United States on September 21, 2013
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This book shatters beyond doubt the much vaunted notion by its British citizens of being very civilised, when in fact its political, business and media are donkey deep in corruption.

To their considerable credit, authors Tom Watson MP and Journalist Martin Hickman run contrary to this sordid behaviour by exposing it for what's its. Sordid, squalid,malicious sadistic and exploitive. And the architect of these lowest common denominator characteristics is one, if not the world's richest and most powerful media baron, Rupert Murdoch, who has since the 1970s bought off and manipulated British politicians, Police and society for his personal ego and financial gain.

That he could do it and successive Prime Ministers and leaders of the Opposition fell within his spell or intimidation is however the most worrying.The photo of Tony Blair almost dribbling down the upper torso of Rebbeka Brooks, Murdoch's chief executive and point person in Britain, is more eloquent then almmost any words, other than demeaning to his office and humiliating to any dignity he might have had.

Watson and Hickman however have been the most tenacious investigators, much to the chagrin if not unbridled anger of the Murdoch gang.Despite constant threats, blackmail, physical intimidation and an array of legal fox terriors set against them over many years, they doggedly persisted with finding the truth and exposing it for what is/was, criminal.

Murdoch's media empire finally got the treatment it had been dishing out with impunity and a compliant bought Scotland yard of whom several of its top officers became casualties when exposed for their corruption and collusion with Murdoch's illegalities of hacking, computer and phone interception and cover up efforts. Activities that included their involvement with intercepting the most gruesome murders and connivance with the Police and politicians when such interception was exposed.

This book is a truly objective treatise of facts and logically built arguments that have obviously influenced the title.The Murdoch gang and its Rebbeka Brooks type associates, several of whom still face criminal charges, is seen for what it is. A ruthless media elite baron, in concert with the British elite from Prime Minsters and Police down, donkey deep in corruption and the most sordid manifestations of uncivilised behaviour.

A brilliant expose.
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David ODonnell
5.0 out of 5 stars David O'Donnell
Reviewed in the United States on August 1, 2012
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This is an excellent book well written and unbiased when you consider what the author went through.It shows the interaction between the powers of politicians media police and those in high places which is terrifying
We have now seen since this book the LIBOR and HSBC scandals which demonstrates that ordinary civilians have no chance.
I hope this book is developed into some form of movie/documentary
This author and those with him who exposed Murdoch and his cohorts are owed a large debt of gratitude from us all
I hope it is a lesson to others particularly in Ireland where we are faced with another Murdoch in the form of one Denis oO'Brien
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Top reviews from other countries

Charles M
5.0 out of 5 stars Potential movie material
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 4, 2013
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Having bought this book looking to find out a bit about why Murdoch possesses his reputation as an authentic press baron, I can say that I was not disappointed. It charts his emergence and also outlines his modus operandi. In addition to this however the book outlines facts that I was totally unaware of. I thought I had a pretty good knowledge of the scandal having kept up to date with it through several media outlets. However there is so much more to the tale. The actions of this specific segment of the press were (and probably still are) shocking. They are criminal and more so than common media coverage would imply. I was disgusted to see how the majority of the mainstream press avoided these details, presumably out of fear. The book shows how the British press operates with impunity and exercises undue influence over politicians who are too keen to protect their political chances.

The company acted shockingly guiltily and whilst not much proof can be presented this is largely due to their efforts. In effect this was an industrial cover up. Evidence was destroyed remorselessly by actors from the top to the bottom of the story. These parties are all guilty be they data protection companies or red haired executives. The latter's involvement is confirmed through the debacle regarding her laptop, which was saved from a similar fate by a coincidence.

The undertone of this whole book is the complicity of the media savy generation of politicians that now run the country. In the mainstream narrative it is a common to suggest that these people are not men of conviction, but rather that they are media men. Those who court power for the sake of it. This book offers an example of this behavior. I was quite disgusted to see Jeremy Hunt's involvement, but perhaps more shocked to see David Cameron's complete lack of integrity when it came to this scandal.

There is no such thing as repeated coincidence or luck. If someone is consistently lucky or fortuitous when it comes to what can be proved this points to actions thoughtfully made. News International is surely guilty, but lack of proof and unwilling witnesses will likely protect them. The scale of this scandal is shocking. Indeed I would liken it to a movie. The worst thing is that the people who allowed these things to happen are still strolling around with their red briefcases.
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Guy
4.0 out of 5 stars Concise, interesting, entertaining
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 8, 2013
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Tom Watson (an MP involved heavily in the Culture Committee and parliamentary attempts to bring News International to account) and Martin Hickman (an Independent journalist) are well placed to give us a primer on what happened, why it mattered, and what it means for the country.

In general, this is exactly the sort of book you'd expect it to be: it follows the scandal chronologically over several chapters leading up to the start of the Leveson Inquiry, and relies heavily on evidence presented to Parliament and the accounts of eye witnesses who later turned on their News Int. employers. It gives a concise and follow-able, if sometimes confusing, picture of exactly what was going on at various times, and probes the relationship of figures in the police and government to the scandal where relevant. The prose is clear and it's an entertaining story with moments of drama, but the real reason this book is so compelling is that it reveals the depths News Int. sunk to, and strongly suggests the complicity of some very senior figures. Despite what I'd already picked up from the news and catching snippets of the Leveson inquiry, I was genuinely shocked on several occasions.

There has been some criticism here that it's overly focussed on News Int. at the expense of other companies. Unless Watson and Hickman are distorting the evidence, that doesn't seem unjust, as it's pretty clear that whilst illegal practices were a broader issue, News Int. papers were engaged in them on a massive scale, and were also the ringleaders in trying to orchestrate a cover-up.

The flaw of the book for me is, unfortunately, also its strength: the timing of its publication. Because it was written when it was, it gives the story only leading up to the beginning of Leveson. The authors are also hampered by not being able to reveal all the evidence (there are ongoing legal proceedings). I feel that whilst this is as good a short account for those keen to get up to speed with the key facts of the scandal as you could hope for, there is definitely a better book to be written about the whole dirty affair in a few years time, when the dust has settled, convictions have been made, and all the evidence is available. For now, though, I recommend it.
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DOPPLEGANGER
5.0 out of 5 stars A 'DEAD MAN' WALKING
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 14, 2015
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A well researched and well recorded account of the exposure of the dubious, unprincipled and morally repugnant methods embraced by the controlling owners, management, staff, and sub-contractors of the Murdoch media machine to obtain newsworthy 'sensationalist' circulation enhancing stories.

The authors, Messrs Watson and Hickman blow a gaping hole in the hitherto impenetrable fortifications erected to disguise these wholly loathsome practices of which the Milly Dowler deleted messages was the catalyst for the upswing in the public's abhorrence. The Murdoch 'mafia' tried every trick in the book and some new ones to dodge the most obvious conclusions that they must have been aware that such practices existed and indeed were encouraged within the organisation.

Bit by bit the authors carefully and factually derail the defence of ignorance of these practices but it is interesting bordering on mildly amusing to see how the Murdoch's and senior management try to brazen it out against overwhelming evidence to the contrary. If the plea of 'ignorance' were to be effective then it had to be evident that the management of the Murdoch empire was weak, ineffective, not hands on, and frankly irresponsible, which is not the general impression at all. History has shown that Rupert Murdoch micro-managed every title in his media stable, which in turn would result in his sons, editors and senior management being forced to follow this practise. It is risible to suggest that these improper practices leading to major news headlines would have been carried out without the awareness of the bosses.

However, culpability for transgressing moral and ethical codes and breaking the law as the authors demonstrate a widespread 'hacking' environment across the media industry as a whole. And we the public are not excluded from culpability as we buy, read and watch the media output without registering our disgust by stopping.

A sterling effort by the authors and good reading but in the case of Tom Watson, a prominent politician and Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, his dogged and persistent attacks on the 'Press Barons' could well bite him in the backside in the years to come. He will without doubt be kept under close scrutiny and hung out to dry if he strays one inch from the straight and narrow.
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Jim Tyro
5.0 out of 5 stars Words fail, similies stutter to a halt...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 26, 2012
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I thought I knew something of the journalistic world but this is unbelievable. In this book Watson and his collaborator take the lid off a can of rotting slugs. Corrupt or timorous police, politicians too afraid for their own skins to act (or worse still as corrupt as the police), journalists so far out of control that the word amoral doesn't begin to describe them. And the worst of it is that its NOT fiction.Hearing Murdoch senior plaintively complain this morning (26 April) that he and his sons were kept in a state of blissful ignorance by a cabal of very naughty News International senior executives had me caught between hysteria and fury.

OK, enough of the indignation. What is it like as a book. Well its very readable and given that it is written from the viewpoint of two men who feel a burning sense of wrong, the tone is surprisingly detached and analytical. How far some of its conclusions are justified is something that we will probably not fully judge until the final report of the Leveson enquiry. However the self complacent and amoral arrogance which comes through in the reported utterances of so many politicians and senior NI execs are too reminiscent of the rantings of those MPs who resented being caught out by the expenses scandal to be anything but disturbing. The only bright spot is that there are still policemen, MPs and journalists who have standards and the courage to uphold them. So, not an easy read, but its one you'll not easily forget and hopefully the shock will still be around at the next election.
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Big Al Brock
5.0 out of 5 stars Can't put it down
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 18, 2012
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I learned of the existance of this book through a comedian friend. I had it delivered to my Dad who is a little left of centre. He could not put it down. I am now half way into it and find the same, although I do not have the time to read as much as I would wish. The book reveals the true state of the corrupt Nation in which we live. I just did not believe some of the facts to be true but the cross references show them to be so. I worried about getting a one sided take and wondered what the "establishment" view may be or had the book been written by a impartial acedemic historian. This matters not. I am suprised the Government did not ban this book. I guess a jails would be full to bursting point if the whole of the ruling class, senior police officers, the Judiciary, DPP and ICO had any balls.
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