Piers Morgan grilled in hacking inquiry
Reuters
2011-12-21
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PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS 4:3 MATERIAL
Former British tabloid editor turned talk show host Piers Morgan denies he has ever sanctioned phone hacking. Morgan, who now hosts a CNN talk show in the United States, testified by remote in a British judicial inquiry into a phone hacking scandal.
Morgan edited the Rupert Murdoch tabloid "News of the World" from 1994 to 1995. He then went on to edit the "Daily Mirror" until 2004.
Despite previous statements saying that everyone knew about phone hacking, Morgan shot back in the inquiry, defending the Mirror and saying he was merely repeating widespread general rumors.
SOUNDBITE: PIERS MORGAN, FORMER EDITOR OF THE DAILY MIRROR AND NEWS OF THE WORLD NEWSPAPERS, (ENGLISH) SAYING:
"You also well know that not a single person has made any formal or legal complaint against the Daily Mirror for phone hacking. Not one."
Much of the questioning focused on access Morgan had to voicemails former Beatle Paul McCartney had left for his now ex-wife Heather Mills. When questioned by counsel Robert Jay, Morgan refused to divulge the source, and said he did not think it was entirely unethical to listen to someone's voice mail.
SOUNDBITE: ROBERT JAY, LAWYER FOR THE LEVESON INQUIRY, (ENGLISH) SAYING:
"Did you know that that was unethical?"
SOUNDBITE: PIERS MORGAN, FORMER EDITOR OF THE DAILY MIRROR AND NEWS OF THE WORLD NEWSPAPERS, (ENGLISH) SAYING:
"Not unethical. No"
SOUNDBITE: ROBERT JAY, LAWYER FOR THE LEVESON INQUIRY, (ENGLISH) SAYING:
"Why not?"
SOUNDBITE: PIERS MORGAN, FORMER EDITOR OF THE DAILY MIRROR AND NEWS OF THE WORLD NEWSPAPERS, (ENGLISH) SAYING:
"It doesn't necessarily follow listening to somebody speaking to someone else is unethical."
SOUNDBITE: ROBERT JAY, LAWYER FOR THE LEVESON INQUIRY, (ENGLISH) SAYING:
"But on the tape of a voicemail message? You didn't think that was unethical?"
SOUNDBITE: PIERS MORGAN, FORMER EDITOR OF THE DAILY MIRROR AND NEWS OF THE WORLD NEWSPAPERS, (ENGLISH) SAYING:
"Well it depends on the circumstances on which you are listening to it."
Morgan declined to elaborate, saying it would identify his source.
The 168-year-old News of the World was shut down in July in the wake of the hacking scandal.
Bobbi Rebell, Reuters
Former British tabloid editor turned talk show host Piers Morgan denies he has ever sanctioned phone hacking. Morgan, who now hosts a CNN talk show in the United States, testified by remote in a British judicial inquiry into a phone hacking scandal.
Morgan edited the Rupert Murdoch tabloid "News of the World" from 1994 to 1995. He then went on to edit the "Daily Mirror" until 2004.
Despite previous statements saying that everyone knew about phone hacking, Morgan shot back in the inquiry, defending the Mirror and saying he was merely repeating widespread general rumors.
SOUNDBITE: PIERS MORGAN, FORMER EDITOR OF THE DAILY MIRROR AND NEWS OF THE WORLD NEWSPAPERS, (ENGLISH) SAYING:
"You also well know that not a single person has made any formal or legal complaint against the Daily Mirror for phone hacking. Not one."
Much of the questioning focused on access Morgan had to voicemails former Beatle Paul McCartney had left for his now ex-wife Heather Mills. When questioned by counsel Robert Jay, Morgan refused to divulge the source, and said he did not think it was entirely unethical to listen to someone's voice mail.
SOUNDBITE: ROBERT JAY, LAWYER FOR THE LEVESON INQUIRY, (ENGLISH) SAYING:
"Did you know that that was unethical?"
SOUNDBITE: PIERS MORGAN, FORMER EDITOR OF THE DAILY MIRROR AND NEWS OF THE WORLD NEWSPAPERS, (ENGLISH) SAYING:
"Not unethical. No"
SOUNDBITE: ROBERT JAY, LAWYER FOR THE LEVESON INQUIRY, (ENGLISH) SAYING:
"Why not?"
SOUNDBITE: PIERS MORGAN, FORMER EDITOR OF THE DAILY MIRROR AND NEWS OF THE WORLD NEWSPAPERS, (ENGLISH) SAYING:
"It doesn't necessarily follow listening to somebody speaking to someone else is unethical."
SOUNDBITE: ROBERT JAY, LAWYER FOR THE LEVESON INQUIRY, (ENGLISH) SAYING:
"But on the tape of a voicemail message? You didn't think that was unethical?"
SOUNDBITE: PIERS MORGAN, FORMER EDITOR OF THE DAILY MIRROR AND NEWS OF THE WORLD NEWSPAPERS, (ENGLISH) SAYING:
"Well it depends on the circumstances on which you are listening to it."
Morgan declined to elaborate, saying it would identify his source.
The 168-year-old News of the World was shut down in July in the wake of the hacking scandal.
Bobbi Rebell, Reuters
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