(사진제공=AP통신)
(사진제공=AP통신)
(사진제공=AP통신)
(사진제공=AP통신)
[런던=AP/KNS뉴스통신] 지난주 휴대폰 해킹사건 스캔들 여파로 영국 주간지 뉴스오브더월드를 폐간 한 루퍼드 머독과 영국 정부와의 좋은 관계가 끝나면서, 위송방송 BSkyB사의 잔여 주식을 인수하려는 계획이 정부의 반대에 부딪쳐 무산될 위기에 처한 것으로 보여 진다.
영국 데이비드 캐머런 수상은 머독과 뉴스 코프의 12억 달러 위성방송 인수 청약을 철해하라는 의회의 결의를 지지한다고 발표하면서 영국 정치에 강한 영향력을 행사하던 머독에게 의회에 출두하여 해킹에 대해 설명하도록 요구했다.
위성방송 BSkyB 인수를 포기하라는 13일 의회의 결의는 강제성이 없으나, 머독이 영국 언론 지분을 확대하려는 계획에 대해 영국 정계가 연합해서 반대하고 있는 것이다.
머독의 지지자였던 캐머런 수상은 머독의 신문사 기자가 자기 가족의 사생활을 침해하는 범죄행위와 연관됐다는 고든 브라운 전 총리의 12일자 인터뷰가 나간 이후 위성방송 인수 철회 동의안에 찬성한다고 발표했다.
브라운 전 총리는 머독의 ‘더선‘과 ’선데이 타임즈‘가 자신의 은행계좌, 세금 명세서, 심지어 낭포성 섬유증을 앓고 있는 차남의 건강기록까지 들추고 있다고 강력하게 비난했다.
그는 자신 가족만이 알고 있는 차남의 병력에 대해 기사를 개제하려고 한다고 맹렬히 비난한 이후 영국 BBC에 대해 일선기자들은 하수인에 불과하다고 논평했다.
뉴스 인터내셔널은 성명에서 브라운 전 수상의 차남의 병력은 적법한 수단으로 얻은 것이라고 주장하고 있지만, 브라운 전 수상의 주장으로 영국 정계에서 반 머독 정서가 확산되는 계기가 되고 있다.
(영문기사 원문)
UK government turns against Murdoch BSkyB bid
LONDON (AP) — The cozy relationship that Rupert Murdoch long enjoyed with the British power structure came to an abrupt end, just as he needed it to complete one of his biggest media buys ever.
The billionaire, tainted by a cell phone hacking scandal at one of his newspapers, suddenly faces stiff government opposition to his bid for total control of a much more lucrative property: the satellite British Sky Broadcasting company.
The news came in a stunning announcement from Prime Minister David Cameron's office that the government will support a motion calling on Murdoch and his News Corp. to withdraw the $12 billion bid for BSkyB.
Cameron's turnabout means the Australian-born Murdoch, who held great influence in British politics no matter who ran the government, suddenly finds all three major political parties lined up against him. He's even been asked to appear before lawmakers next week to answer questions about the conduct of News International, Murdoch's UK company.
A Wednesday resolution calling for the scrapping of the BSkyB deal would be nonbinding but would likely be seen as a powerful expression of united opposition to any substantial expansion of Murdoch's holdings. The deal is awaiting regulatory approval.
The long-brewing hacking scandal at Murdoch's News of the World tabloid turned into a crisis for the media magnate this month following allegations that the paper's employees hacked the phone of Milly Dowler, a 13-year-old murder victim, and deleted several messages in 2002. In response, News International closed the tabloid for good Sunday, but that has not stemmed the outrage among Britons or stopped new hacking allegations from emerging.
Cameron, who has enjoyed friendships with some top Murdoch executives, took action after his predecessor, Gordon Brown, gave an emotional televised interview Tuesday saying that Murdoch journalists with ties to the criminal underworld invaded his family's privacy as well.
Brown said Murdoch's papers, including the Sun and the Sunday Times, had used fraudulent and criminal means to obtain his confidential bank accounts, tax records and even health information about his son, who suffers from cystic fibrosis.
He said he was in tears after learning The Sun planned to publish stories about his son's illness, which had been kept within the family. But he told the BBC that it was people "at rock bottom" who were most brutally exploited.
News International issued a statement indicating it had gotten the scoop about Brown's son's illness through legitimate means, but Brown's allegations seemed to only heighten the anti-Murdoch mood spreading through Parliament.
김희광 기자 april4241@naver.com
