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of pay-TV giant BSkyB.
But 81-year-old Murdoch turned in a flinty performance at the Leveson Inquiry into press ethics, hitting out at “lies” that he used his ties to a succession of British leaders for commercial gain.
“I’ve never asked a prime minister for anything,” he told the inquiry in London, which was set up last year in response to the phone-hacking scandal at Murdoch’s now-defunct News of the World newspaper.
“It is a complete myth that I used the influence of The Sun or its supposed political power to get favourable treatment.”
The Australian-born tycoon also denied discussing the controversial BSkyB deal with current British prime minister David Cameron, and rejected rumours he was unhappy with Cameron for setting up the judge-led inquiry into the press.
As Murdoch spoke, Adam Smith, a special adviser to culture minister Jeremy Hunt, resigned over claims that he leaked details to News Corp. about the government’s view of its bid to take full control of BSkyB.
Texts and emails from him to News Corp. executive Frederic Michel emerged during evidence given during Murdoch’s son James on Tuesday, in which Smith apparently gave confidential details and said that Hunt backed the deal.
Cameron told parliament that Hunt, who also has responsibility for the 2012 London Olympics, had his “full support”.
But he added that “hand on heart, we all did too much cosying up to Rupert Murdoch, I’m sure we’ll agree.”
At the inquiry, Murdoch rejected suggestions that he had used his ties to Cameron and previous prime ministers Margaret Thatcher, John Major, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown to boost his media empire.
“I think you are making sinister inferences,” he told counsel for the inquiry Robert Jay when asked about his ties to former Labour premier Blair, who is godfather to one of Murdoch’s daughters.
Murdoch said he had met Cameron several times, including once on his daughter’s yacht, and was “impressed” with him initially, but denied they had discussed BSkyB or British regulators.
He boasted of his global reach by saying that he enjoyed meeting world leaders and “some impress me more than others.” — AFP.
Online Reporter