Lisa Millar and staff
Updated
Tonight's UK Parliamentary committee questioning of News Corporation CEO Rupert Murdoch, his son James Murdoch and former executive Rebekah Brooks could have big consequences for the future of the company, not just in Britain but around the world.
For more than half a century Rupert Murdoch has held together a media empire with assets as diverse as newspapers in Papua New Guinea, cable news channels in the US and racy British tabloids.
The Commons media committee has three hours to question the trio and there is speculation the Murdoch family will face pressure to relinquish its tight control of the conglomerate in the fallout from the phone hacking scandal.
Committee members' questioning will centre on the extent to which they knew, approved or subsequently covered up alleged hacking and payments to senior policemen.
The questioning comes amid news from London overnight of the death of Sean Hoare, the man who blew the whistle on the phone hacking practices at News International's now defunct tabloid News of the World.
His death is not thought to be suspicious.
Last year Mr Hoare alleged Andy Coulson, the ex-editor of The News of the World and then director of communications for UK prime minister David Cameron, not only knew about the phone hacking but had encouraged it.
Thousands of people are thought to have had their voice mail hacked, including murder victims, celebrities and the families of dead soldiers.
Yesterday, John Yates, a senior London police officer, resigned after coming under intense scrutiny over his role in the hacking investigation and his link to former News of the World executive Neil Wallis.
His resignation follows that of Britain's top policeman Sir Paul Stephenson.
Rupert Murdoch is expected to face tough questioning about whether he knew about the hacking.
The media mogul is widely known for taking a hands-on approach with the editors of his papers.
Former editors have written that Mr Murdoch would often come in and grill them about what stories they were running and also how they got them.
British politicians have warned Ms Brooks, who quit her post as head of News International last week, not to use her recent arrest and police questioning as a cover for not being able to answer the committee's questions.
Ms Brooks was the editor of The News of the World during the time most of the hacking is alleged to have taken place.
She has said she had no knowledge of reporters hacking phones to find scoops.
In 2003 when the scandal was first scrutinised, she told a committee the News of the World made payments to police officers.
The claims were not followed up at the time and it is expected she will be asked about News International's links to the British police force.
Mr Murdoch's son James, who is the chairman and now CEO of News International, will face pressure from the committee over cheques he signed off on.
He has admitted he regrets not taking a greater interest in the hacking claims.
Rupert and James Murdoch are expected to appear at the inquiry together, with Ms Brooks to appear after the father and son.
ABC News 24 will have live coverage of the UK Parliamentary committee's questioning of Rupert Murdoch, his son James and Rebekah Brooks tonight from 11:30pm AEST.
Topics: print-media, business-economics-and-finance, industry, media, information-and-communication, government-and-politics, world-politics, united-kingdom, england
First posted
Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-07-19/murdochs-to-appear-before-mps/2801682
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