Why do they hack these phones?

[lynbrown]

Why do the journalists hack into phones of bereaved families? Why would they want to print the personal messages on them? What is news worthy about them, its people's own grief, of no interest to anyone who doesnt know them.

[jackthehat]

It gave them a 'heads-up' as to likely leads to investigate before their competitors.......they were never going to use the messages themselves, only the information which could be gleaned from them....

[Gromit]

They are fishing. Information in messages and voicemail could give the lead to a bigger story.

[dzug2]

It's because a large part of the population are suckers for the stories they print as a result - they do find it of interest. It sells papers.

[R1Geezer]

The public at large effectively support this kind of thing by buying these rags, the public gets the press it wants and deserves. These hackers are just supplying a need.

[Old_Geezer]

Journalism is about investigation. And once into the ethos it's a case of anything goes to get the information, that is either directly useful or may lead to something that is. They have no idea when they trespass into someone else's messages what they will find beforehand. Whether folk buy papers is besides the point, it is up to individuals and the industry to set morally acceptable ways to do the job, and stick to them. If fierce competition means they fail to achieve that aim, then maybe the system needs changing so we have a clearer view what it is they are up to.

[AB Editor]

Also, Journos should be acting in the grey areas between corruption and sainthood - you want them to be able to get dirty, talk to nasty people and do nasty things - with the idea being they bring things which are in the public interest to light.

In the case of these papers it's often salacious scandal which is dug up under the pretence of showing hypocrisy.

Sadly it seems "public interest" has been misjudged here - it's not in our "interest "to have some of these people's full wounds exposed, however "interested" the public may be or was at the time.

But how do you regulate this?

And would those people who, as R1 suggests, are support the papers, have brought the papers for those stories having known the source or means?

[AB Editor]

Sorry for the cross-posting/overlap O_G.

[LazyGun]

You could argue that there is no need for additional regulation. It is a criminal offence to pay police officers for information or favours - ever since 1901. It is a criminal offence to listen to private voice mails. It is certainly a criminal offence to delete voicemail messages and therefore potentially hinder a murder investigation.
All that is required is for Editors of most especially the tabloid rags, who specialise in turning over rocks in the hope of finding something underneath, to be rigorous in checking the source of the stories, and rejecting those obtained through illegal means, as well as penalising those journos who involve themselves in such methods.
The shocking aspects of this case is not just the thought of these cynical, amoral excuses for human beings listening into the private grief and hopes of people in the hope of finding something juicy, it is some of the peripheral stuff - there was ( and still might be) effectively an industrial scale bribery of metropolitan police officers. It has been alleged that News of the World Reporters and indirectly Rebekah Brooks, helped 2 private detectives who were being investigated on the suspicion of the murder of their business partner to find out personal details and stake out the chief investigating officer on the police force!
This is not journalism - this is sanctioned criminality by individuals totally corrupted by their own power and influence.

[MarkRae]

Here's Ken Livingstone's take on it...

http://www.kenlivingstone.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtsN5OwSzxU&utm_source=taomail&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=7278+Boris+Johnson%27s+Codswallop&tmtid=30667-7278-3-224-1248611

[Zeuhl]

Agree with Lazy

Journos have a duty to delve for information - not to act criminally.
.

[sandyRoe]

Fornicating footballers, politicians, and no-talent wannabe celebrities, should all be fair game for the gutter press.
But the grieving parents of murdered children, or the families of military personnel killed while serving their country, definitely should not.