The end of 'The World'

Well, well, well...! Where do I start?! James Murdoch (Rupert's son) has just announced that this Sunday (10th July) will see the last ever issue of the News Of The World being published, all of the profits from which will be donated to good causes. Woah!

For those of you who have been hiding under a rock, or have an allergy to the news, let me give you a quick overview of what has happened to cause such drastic actions. I don't suppose you remember the whole 'celebrity phone hacking' saga last year? Sienna Miller along with other celebrities and politicians had their phones hacked, and voicemails listened to. This obviously caused an uproar, with many celebrities taking the NOTW to court. Earlier this week it was publically announced that the missing school girl Milly Dowler's (who went missing back in 2002) phone had also been intercepted by the Sunday newspaper. Subsequently her voicemails were being listened to by journalists and then deleted to make room for any new ones which led the police and her family to believe that she may still be alive, interfering with the search for her. It has now also been revealed that victims of the 7/7 bomb attack on London may have also had their phones hacked into.

Having studied Journalism at Uni for 3 years, and desperately wanting to be a journalist (ideally more celebrity based) I fully understand the need for stories, without good stories you are not going to sell your magazine or newspaper. However, to go about getting them in such an inhuman, outrageously appalling and sick way is utterly beyond me. People were planning on boycotting NOTW by not buying it or in some cases even stocking the popular newspaper this weekend and earlier today Sainsburys announced that they would no longer be advertising in the newspaper either.

Anyway, so there I was snuggled in bed watching the Harry Potter Premiere live on the internet because I sadly couldn't make it (and I'm absolutely gutted because it looks incredible) when a certain tweet caught my attention. "NOTW to seize publication after this Sunday." HOLD ON A SECOND. Pardon? What? Firstly I presumed they meant 'cease' and not 'seize' and secondly what the hell? No more News Of The World? I'm not going to lie, I panicked, before this whole phone hacking situation became public it was my favourite Sunday newspaper, by miles. It's the first thing I look at on a Sunday morning when I arrive at work, I'll read all of the front pages but the only newspaper I'll normally read properly is NOTW. Bugger, looks like I'm going to have to find a new favourite. Step forward 'The People' (I'm joking, obviously!)

NOTW is England's most popular newspaper selling over 2.7 million copies every week. It's a British institution that has been running for 168 years since 1843, and it seems such a shame to be losing the whole paper, including many innocent hardworking journalists (an apparent 200 jobs have been lost) instead of blaming and punishing those who did wrong. Although nothing has yet been proved it would appear that Murdock will be keeping his profits and has sacrificed the whole of the newspaper and it's staff to save Rebekah Brooks (the lady with the huge crazy ginger hair, who was the Editor at the time of Milly Dowler's disappearance), which to me seems absolutely ridiculous. Brooks has claimed that she knew nothing about the phone hacking, although plenty of other sources have come forward saying otherwise..

It is now rumoured that because of the sudden closure The Sun will now become a 7-day-a-week publication which will start from late July/early August. Apparently thesunonsunday.co.uk/.com domains were registered just two days ago (5th July). Watch this space..

I highly doubt this will be the end of it and I predict that sadly there will be plenty more shocking revelations to follow. Subsequently I cannot freaking wait for Question Time (I bet you never thought to hear that from me, nor did I expect to say it. Jesus!) and I also await Brooks' resignation.. although we'll see if that ever materialises because at the moment it is looking unlikely.

All that's left to say is RIP NOTW, but more importantly, RIP Fabulous magazine, you've helped me get through many a tedious/hungover Sunday at work, and for that I will be enernally grateful. Thank you!

Read the News Corporation deputy chief operating officer and News International chairman James Murdoch full statement below:

"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 cooperating 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.”