#A to Z BBC Help Terms of Use BBC Accessibility links * Skip to content * Skip to local navigation * Skip to bbc.co.uk navigation * Skip to bbc.co.uk search * Help * Accessibility Help BBC News UK * Home * UK * Africa * Asia * Europe * Latin America * Mid-East * US & Canada * Business * Health * Sci/Environment * Tech * Entertainment * Video * England * Northern Ireland * Scotland * Wales * UK Politics * Education 7 July 2011 Last updated at 15:54 GMT Share this page * Delicious * Digg * Facebook * reddit * StumbleUpon * Twitter * Email * Print James Murdoch: News of the World statement in full James Murdoch Continue reading the main story Phone-hacking scandal * Hacking scandal: Who's linked to who? * Q&A: Phone-hacking scandal * Key people and profiles * Timeline News International has announced that it is closing the News of the World - Sunday 10 July 2011 will be its last ever edition. James Murdoch, chairman of News International made the following statement to staff: "I have important things to say about the News of the World and the steps we are taking to address the very serious problems that have occurred. "It is only right that you as colleagues at News International are first to hear what "I have to say and that you hear it directly from me. So thank you very much for coming here and listening. "You do not need to be told that The News of the World is 168 years old. That it is read by more people than any other English language newspaper. That it has enjoyed support from Britain's largest advertisers. And that it has a proud history of fighting crime, exposing wrong-doing and regularly setting the news agenda for the nation. "When I tell people why I am proud to be part of News Corporation, I say that our commitment to journalism and a free press is one of the things that sets us apart. Your work is a credit to this. "The good things the News of the World does, however, have been sullied by behaviour that was wrong. Indeed, if recent allegations are true, it was inhuman and has no place in our Company. "The News of the World is in the business of holding others to account. But it failed when it came to itself. "In 2006, the police focused their investigations on two men. Both went to jail. "But the News of the World and News International failed to get to the bottom of repeated wrongdoing that occurred without conscience or legitimate purpose. "Wrongdoers turned a good newsroom bad and this was not fully understood or adequately pursued. "As a result, the News of the World and News International wrongly maintained that these issues were confined to one reporter. We now have voluntarily given evidence to the police that I believe will prove that this was untrue and those who acted wrongly will have to face the consequences. "This was not the only fault. "The paper made statements to Parliament without being in the full possession of the facts. This was wrong. "The Company paid out-of-court settlements approved by me. I now know that I did not have a complete picture when I did so. This was wrong and is a matter of serious regret. "Currently, there are two major and ongoing police investigations. We are co-operating fully and actively with both. "You know that it was News International who voluntarily brought evidence that led to opening Operation Weeting and Operation Elveden. This full cooperation will continue until the Police's work is done. "We have also admitted liability in civil cases. Already, we have settled a number of prominent cases and set up a Compensation Scheme, with cases to be adjudicated by former High Court judge Sir Charles Gray. "Apologising and making amends is the right thing to do. Inside the Company, we set up a Management and Standards Committee that is working on these issues and that has hired Olswang to examine past failings and recommend systems and practices that over time should become standards for the industry. "We have committed to publishing Olswang's terms of reference and eventual recommendations in a way that is open and transparent. "We have welcomed broad public inquiries into press standards and police practices and will cooperate with them fully. "So, just as I acknowledge we have made mistakes, I hope you and everyone inside and outside the Company will acknowledge that we are doing our utmost to fix them, atone for them, and make sure they never happen again. "Having consulted senior colleagues, I have decided that we must take further decisive action with respect to the paper. "This Sunday will be the last issue of the News of the World. Colin Myler will edit the final edition of the paper. "In addition, I have decided that all of the News of the World's revenue this weekend will go to good causes. "While we may never be able to make up for distress that has been caused, the right thing to do is for every penny of the circulation revenue we receive this weekend to go to organisations - many of whom are long-term friends and partners - that improve life in Britain and are devoted to treating others with dignity. "We will run no commercial advertisements this weekend. Any advertising space in this last edition will be donated to causes and charities that wish to expose their good works to our millions of readers. "These are strong measures. They are made humbly and out of respect. I am convinced they are the right thing to do. "Many of you, if not the vast majority of you, are either new to the Company or have had no connection to the News of the World during the years when egregious behaviour occurred "I can understand how unfair these decisions may feel. Particularly, for colleagues who will leave the Company. Of course, we will communicate next steps in detail and begin appropriate consultations. "You may see these changes as a price loyal staff at the News of the World are paying for the transgressions of others. "So please hear me when I say that your good work is a credit to journalism. I do not want the legitimacy of what you do to be compromised by acts of others. "I want all journalism at News International to be beyond reproach. I insist that this organisation lives up to the standard of behaviour we expect of others. And, finally, I want you all to know that it is critical that the integrity of every journalist who has played fairly is restored. "Thank you for listening." More on This Story Phone-hacking scandal Background * Headshots of key people Hacking scandal: Who's linked to who? An interactive guide to the phone-hacking scandal, which has revealed a web of relationships between senior figures in the worlds of politics, the police and the media. ______________________________________________________________ * Q&A: Phone-hacking scandal * Key people and profiles * Timeline * Inquiries and legal challenges * Murdoch's media empire * How PM has defended Coulson * Committee hearings: Key quotes Demise of the News of the World * Paper Monitor: Final edition * In pictures: The News of the World * The birth and death of the NoW * Insider's account News and analysis * Mulcaire wins legal fees action * NoW phone-hacking claims settled * Guardian Milly corrections call * Crone tells of hacking suspicions * NoW phone-hacked 'more than 800' * Phone-hacking police clear woman Video and Audio * PM's phone-hacking statement in full Watch * Skinner confronts PM on BSkyB Watch * Key moments as MPs grill Murdochs Watch * Brooks on Milly hacking claims Watch Blogs * Nick Robinson * Torin Douglas * Robert Peston * Rory Cellan-Jones Share this page * Delicious * Digg * Facebook * reddit * StumbleUpon * Twitter * Email * Print More UK stories RSS * Charlotte Thompson and Olivia Bazlinton Guilty plea over rail death girls Network Rail admits health and safety breaches over the deaths of two teenage girls at a level crossing in Essex in 2005. * Murder accused found dead in cell * Vocational exams cut from tables Top Stories * Soldiers in Free Syrian Army in Damascus (27 Jan 2012) UN action 'could spur Syria war' * Euro unemployment hits new record * Search of cruise ship abandoned * Republican rivals in Florida vote * French win India fighter jet deal Features & Analysis * Model cars and houses Golden salary What do people earning £1m ($1.5m) spend it on? ______________________________________________________________ * Planet Earth Planet mass Do rockets fired into space make the Earth lighter? ______________________________________________________________ * Occupy DC protesters shout slogans Day in pictures 24 hours of news photos from around the world ______________________________________________________________ * A foreclosure (repossession) sign in front of a house Money talks Has wealth become a liability in the US Republican race? ______________________________________________________________ Most Popular Shared 1. 1: Brits barred from US after tweet 2. 2: Skin transformed into brain cells 3. 3: Policeman who became a pole-dancer 4. 4: How 'Europe' became a dirty word in US election 5. 5: Pythons link to mammals decline Read 1. 1: Brits barred from US after tweet 2. 2: F1 driver Adrian Sutil convicted 3. 3: French win India fighter jet deal 4. 4: Navy sends destroyer to Falklands 5. 5: What do people on £1 million salaries do with their money? 6. 6: Search of cruise ship abandoned 7. 7: Pythons link to mammals decline 8. 8: Snake bursts after gobbling gator 9. 9: Is the Earth getting lighter? 10. 10: Euro unemployment hits new record Video/Audio 1. 1: Europe struggles in grip of snow Watch 2. 2: 'Shame on you Simon Cowell' Watch 3. 3: One-minute World News Watch 4. 4: Beijing's pole-dancing former policeman Watch 5. 5: One way to find a rich Russian husband Watch 6. 6: How computers help Sweden's ice sculptors Watch 7. 7: Mystery illness at US high school Watch 8. 8: Fear factor: The science behind America's red/blue divide Watch 9. 9: How to play 'kung fu' piano Watch 10. 10: Life after death faces legal battle Watch Elsewhere on BBC News * India's Tirupati Temple. 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