View source for News UK

{{Short description|British newspaper publisher}}
{{Redirect|News International|the Pakistani newspaper|The News International|the US Socialist Workers Party magazine|New International|the British magazine|New Internationalist}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox company
| name = News Corp UK & Ireland Limited
| logo = News UK logo.svg
| image = The news building SE1.jpg
| image_size = 240px
| image_caption = South side of [[The News Building (London)|The News Building]], London
| former_name = {{ubl|News International <small>(1981–2011)</small>|NI Group <small>(2011–2013)</small>}}
| type = [[Subsidiary]]
| trade_name = News UK
| foundation = {{start date and age|1981|2}}
| parent = [[News Corp]]
| location = [[London]], England, UK
| key_people = {{ubl|[[Rupert Murdoch]]|[[James Murdoch]]|[[Rebekah Brooks]]|Rubén Darío Pérez Geijo}}
| industry = [[Mass media]]
| products = [[Newspaper]]s, [[magazine]], [[website]]s, [[radio broadcasting|radio]], [[podcasting]], [[television]], [[advertising]], [[marketing]], [[online game|gaming]], [[online gambling|betting]]
| assets = 
| subsid = {{ubl
|[[News Broadcasting]]
|[[The Sun (United Kingdom)|The Sun]]
|[[The Times]]
|[[TalkTV (British TV channel)|Talk TV]]
|[[Talksport]]
|[[Times Radio]]
|[[Virgin Radio UK]]
|[[The Times Literary Supplement|TLS]]}}
| revenue = 
| num_employees = 
| homepage = {{url|news.co.uk}}
}}

'''News Corp UK & Ireland Limited''' (trading as '''News UK''', formerly '''News International''' and '''NI Group''') is a [[List of newspapers in the United Kingdom|British newspaper]] publisher, and a wholly owned [[subsidiary]] of the American mass media [[Conglomerate (company)|conglomerate]] [[News Corp]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=News UK|url=https://www.news.co.uk/|access-date=2021-08-29|website=news.co.uk}}</ref> It is the current publisher of ''[[The Times]]'', ''[[The Sunday Times]]'', and ''[[The Sun (United Kingdom)|The Sun]]'' newspapers; its former publications include the ''[[Today (UK newspaper)|Today]]'', ''[[News of the World]]'', and ''[[The London Paper]]'' newspapers. It was established in February 1981 under the name '''News International plc'''.<ref name=osg>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070404114325/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2941-574,00.html The Times Online Style Guide] – see entry for News International for change from plc to Ltd</ref> In June 2002, the company name was changed to '''News International Limited''', and on 31 May 2011,   to '''NI Group Limited''',<ref>{{cite web |title=Companies House WebCHeck – Company No. 00081701 |url=http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/ |access-date=4 January 2012}}</ref> and on 26 June 2013 to '''News UK'''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-23058844 |title=News International changes name to News UK |publisher=[[BBC News]] |date=2013-06-26 |access-date=2013-06-27}}</ref>

==History==
Between 1987 and 1995, News International owned, through its subsidiary News (UK) Ltd, ''[[Today (UK newspaper)|Today]]'', the first UK national newspaper to be printed in colour. All of News International's newspapers (with the exception of ''[[The London Paper]]'', launched in 2006) were founded by other owners, in some cases hundreds of years ago.

In October 2005, News International sold TSL Education, publisher of ''[[Times Higher Education]]'', ''[[Times Educational Supplement]]'', and other education titles, for £235m ($415m). ''[[The Times Literary Supplement]]'', previously part of TSL Education, was retained by News International as part of the deal. Darwin Ltd, which had taken over the company, continued to produce the same product.

===Phone hacking allegations===
{{main|News International phone hacking scandal}}

In July 2009, ''[[The Guardian]]'', a newspaper owned by [[Guardian Media Group]], reported that News Group Newspapers paid in excess of £1m to settle legal cases that threatened to reveal News Group journalists' use on repeated occasions of illegal methods in the pursuit of stories.<ref name="guardian_phonehack">{{cite news |last=Davies |first=Nick |author-link=Nick Davies |title=Murdoch papers paid £1m to gag phone-hacking victims |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=8 July 2009 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2009/jul/08/murdoch-papers-phone-hacking |access-date=2009-09-09 |location=London}}</ref> It has been alleged that News Group staff were accused of engaging in [[phone hacking]], including [[Clive Goodman]], illegally accessed [[voicemail]] for the mobile phones of thousands of public figures, including politicians and celebrities.<ref name="guardian_phonehack" /> Goodman was jailed in 2007 for tapping the mobile phones of three members of the royal staff; this is an offence under the [[Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act]]. It was stated by News International at the time that Goodman had acted without its knowledge, and that no other [[News International phone hacking scandal|News International]] journalists made use of such methods.

The evidence uncovered by ''The Guardian'' showed that many more figures were in fact the subject of phone-taps, including [[Nigella Lawson]], [[Lenny Henry]], [[Gwyneth Paltrow]], [[John Prescott]], [[Boris Johnson]], and [[Tessa Jowell]]. In 2008, the ''News of the World'' paid in excess of £400,000 in damages to [[Gordon Taylor (footballer)|Gordon Taylor]], the chief executive of the [[Professional Footballers' Association]], who was suing the newspaper for its involvement in the illegal interception of messages to his mobile phone. According to ''The Guardian'', this payment, made in exchange for Taylor's silence, "prevented the public from knowing anything about the hundreds of pages of evidence which had been disclosed in Taylor's case".<ref name="guardian_trail_of_hacking">{{cite news |last=Davies |first=Nick |title=Trail of hacking and deceit under nose of Tory PR chief |work=The Guardian|date=8 July 2009 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2009/jul/08/murdoch-newspapers-phone-hacking |access-date=2009-09-09 |location=London}}</ref>

In contrast to News International's earlier denials of knowledge, ''The Guardian'' cites suppressed evidence revealing that ''News of the World''{{'}}s editorial staff were involved with [[private investigator]]s who engaged in illegal phone-hacking, and that both reporters and executives were commissioning purchases of confidential information; this is illegal unless it is shown to be in the public interest. Apparently these activities were well known within the ''News of the World'', being "openly paid for by the accounts department with invoices which itemised illegal acts".<ref name="guardian_trail_of_hacking" /> The paperwork was alleged to show the above occurred during the tenure of [[Andy Coulson]], who was chief [[Press secretary|press advisor]] to [[David Cameron]], leader of the UK's [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]],<ref name="guardian_trail_of_hacking" /> until his resignation on 21 January 2011.<ref name="coulson_resigns">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2011/jan/21/andy-coulson-phone-hacking-statement |title=Andy Coulson resigns – as it happened |first=Matt |last=Wells |date=21 January 2011 |work=The Guardian|location=London |access-date=31 January 2011}}</ref>

On 4 July, ''The Guardian'' reported that a private investigator at the ''News of the World'' had hacked into the phone of murdered teenager [[Murder of Milly Dowler|Milly Dowler]], causing both her parents and police investigating her murder to wrongly believe she was still alive. This occurred during the period that [[Rebekah Brooks]] (''[[née]]'' Wade) was editor.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Executives {{!}} News UK|url=https://www.news.co.uk/who-we-are/executives/|access-date=2021-08-29|website=news.co.uk}}</ref>

On 7 July, British newspaper ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' alleged that the families of dead British service personnel were targeted by private investigators working for the ''News of the World''. This led to [[The Royal British Legion]] severing ties with the paper until such allegations are proved false. On the same day, [[James Murdoch]] announced the ''News of the World'' would be shut down after the publication of one more edition on 10 July 2011, due to the allegations. The newspaper had already been faced with the withdrawal of a number of sponsors which had advertised their products and services in the newspaper, not to mention the inevitable fall in sales that the newspaper would have faced had it remained in circulation.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.sky.com/story/867672/murdoch-folds-news-of-the-world-over-hacking |title=Murdoch Folds NOTW Over Phone Hacking |publisher=[[Sky News]] |date=7 July 2011 |access-date=7 July 2011}}</ref>

On 15 July, Rebekah Brooks resigned as chief executive of News International.<ref>{{cite news|date=15 July 2011|title=Phone hacking resignation: Statements in full|publisher=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14166627|access-date=15 July 2011}}</ref> She commented thus on her departure:

{{Blockquote|text=As chief executive of the company, I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the people we have hurt and I want to reiterate how sorry I am for what we now know to have taken place. I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis. However my desire to remain on the bridge has made me a focal point of the debate. This is now detracting attention from all our honest endeavours to fix the problems of the past. Therefore I have given Rupert and James Murdoch my resignation. While it has been a subject of discussion, this time my resignation has been accepted. Rupert's wisdom, kindness and incisive advice has guided me throughout my career and James is an inspirational leader who has shown me great loyalty and friendship. I would like to thank them both for their support.}}

''[[The Guardian]]'' newspaper, citing official company accounts, claims Brooks received a £10.8m payoff for leaving News International.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sabbagh |first1=Dan |last2=O'Carroll |first2=Lisa |title=Rebekah Brooks took £10.8m compensation from News Corp |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/dec/12/rebekah-brooks-news-corp |access-date=16 April 2016 |work=The Guardian|date=12 December 2012}}</ref>

===Brooks reappointed as CEO===
In September 2015, Brooks was reappointed as CEO of the company, now named News UK.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sweney |first1=Mark |last2=Greenslade |first2=Roy |title=Rebekah Brooks' return confirmed... |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/sep/02/rebekah-brooks-return-tony-gallagher-sun-editor-rupert-murdoch |access-date=16 April 2016 |work=The Guardian|date=2 September 2015}}</ref>

==Operations==
The company's major titles are published by subsidiary companies, '''Times Newspapers Ltd''' and '''News Group Newspapers'''.<ref name=osg/> Until 2010, these newspapers were written at a large site in [[Wapping]] in [[east London]], near [[Tower Hill]], which earned the nickname "[[Wapping dispute|Fortress Wapping]]" after a fierce dispute with the union to which the workforce had previously belonged. The printing of the papers is now undertaken at plants in [[Waltham Cross]], [[Knowsley, Merseyside|Knowsley]], and [[Lanarkshire]] (the latter said by [[Rupert Murdoch]], on the plant's opening in 2007, to be "the largest and fastest print press in the world").<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2007/oct/30/newsinternational.newscorporation |work=The Guardian|location=London |title=Murdoch unveils Scottish print operation |first=Stephen |last=Brook |date=30 October 2007 |access-date=2010-05-20}}</ref>

[[The News Building (London)|The News Building]], where all of News UK's London operations are based, was opened on 16 September 2014 by the [[Mayor of London]], [[Boris Johnson]].<ref name=graun>{{cite news |title=Boris Johnson hopes for new Times as he meets Rupert Murdoch |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/sep/16/boris-johnson-times-rupert-murdoch-news-uk |access-date=28 November 2014 |work=The Guardian|date=16 September 2014}}</ref>

===Times Newspapers Ltd===<!-- This section is linked from [[The Times]] -->
Times Newspapers Limited publishes the [[compact (newspaper)|compact]] daily newspaper ''[[The Times]]'' and the broadsheet ''[[The Sunday Times]]''.{{cn|date=September 2024}}

Times Newspapers was formed in 1967 when the [[Thomson Corporation]] purchased ''The Times'' from the [[Astor family]] and merged it with ''The Sunday Times'', which it had owned since 1959. The company was purchased by Rupert Murdoch's News International in February 1981. The acquisition followed an intense 21 days of negotiations with the print unions, conducted by John Collier and [[Bill O'Neill (media)|Bill O'Neill]].<ref>''The History of The Times'', Graham Stewart, [[HarperCollins]], London, 2005.</ref> ''[[The Times Literary Supplement]]'', ''[[Times Educational Supplement]]'' and ''[[Times Higher Education|Times Higher Education Supplement]]'' were also part of the group; the latter two publications have since been sold.{{cn|date=September 2024}}

Times Newspapers Holdings Limited was incorporated as a private company on 3 June 1925 and was dissolved on 9 July 2024.<ref name=govuktimes>{{cite web | title=Times Newspapers Holdings Limited people | website=GOV.UK | date=4 December 2015 | url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/00206377/officers | access-date=18 September 2024}}</ref> The Times Limited has existed as a separate company since 1968 and {{as of|lc=yes|September 2024}}, registered at the same address, as a private, limited, non-trading company.<ref>{{cite web | title= The Times Limited| website=GOV.UK | date=10 May 1968 | url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/00931844 | access-date=19 September 2024}}</ref>

An American edition of ''The Times'' was launched in [[New York City]], [[Boston]] and some other [[East Coast of the United States|East Coast US]] cities in 2006.{{cn|date=September 2024}}

Rupert Murdoch has stated that the law and the independent board prevent him from exercising editorial control.<ref name=Parliament070917>{{cite conference |title=Minute of the meeting with Mr Rupert Murdoch, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, News Corporation |book-title=Inquiry into Media Ownership and the News |page=10 |publisher=House of Commons Select Committee on Communications |date=17 September 2007 |location=New York |url=http://www.parliament.uk/documents/upload/us.doc |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071201082014/http://www.parliament.uk/documents/upload/us.doc |archive-date=1 December 2007}}</ref> However, an article in ''[[The Spectator]]'' following the resignation of [[James Harding (journalist)|James Harding]] stated that the trust has "never played much of a role in the 30 years Murdoch has owned the paper", and suggested that Murdoch had pressurised Harding to resign.<ref>{{cite news |title=Why James Harding had to quit as Times editor |url=http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/steerpike/2012/12/why-did-james-harding-had-to-quit-as-times-editor/ |work=[[The Spectator]] |date=13 December 2013 |access-date=22 May 2013 |archive-date=31 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130331033322/http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/steerpike/2012/12/why-did-james-harding-had-to-quit-as-times-editor/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===News Group Newspapers Ltd===
News Group Newspapers Ltd publishes the tabloid newspaper ''[[The Sun (United Kingdom)|The Sun]]''. The ''[[News of the World]]'' was another tabloid newspaper owned by the company; however, its closure was announced on 7 July 2011, following new evidence about a [[phone hacking scandal]] at the newspaper. The final issue was released on 10 July 2011.

The ''News of the World'' was purchased by Murdoch in January 1969. ''The Sun'' was acquired in October 1969 from [[IPC Media|International Publishing Corporation]].

Murdoch states that he acts as a "traditional [[proprietor]]"; exercising editorial control on major issues, such as which political party to back in a general election or policy on Europe.<ref name=Parliament070917 />

===NI Free Newspapers Limited===
''[[The London Paper]]'' was the first newspaper to be launched by News International rather than bought. It was an evening [[Free daily newspaper|freesheet]] distributed at bus and rail stations in London. It was published five days a week from September 2006 to September 2009, when it closed down, faced with competition from other free papers.<ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/8262303.stm Final edition of The London Paper], BBC News, 18 September 2009</ref>

===Wireless Group Limited===
In 2016, News UK acquired [[Wireless Group]] Limited, the operator of a number of radio stations across the [[United Kingdom]] and Ireland.

===Talk===
{{main|Talk (streaming service)}}
In December 2020, [[Ofcom]] granted a licence to News UK & Ireland Limited to operate a new television channel on satellite and cable<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://static.ofcom.org.uk/static/radiolicensing/html/tv/cs/tlcs103693ba1newsuktv.htm|title=Ofcom &#124; TV Cable and Satellite|website=static.ofcom.org.uk}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Waterson|first=Jim|url=http://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/dec/01/rupert-murdochs-news-uk-tv-channel-given-approval-to-launch|title=Rupert Murdoch's News UK TV channel given approval to launch|work=The Guardian|date=1 December 2020|access-date=27 March 2021}}</ref> (not to be confused with [[Andrew Neil]]'s [[GB News]], which is a separate news channel launched in June 2021).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/gb-news-launch-why-advertisers-are-positive-about-new-news-channel-for-uk/|title=GB News launch: What is UK news channel and will advertisers support it|date=5 October 2020|website=Press Gazette}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://static.ofcom.org.uk/static/radiolicensing/html/tv/cs/dtps103140ba2gbnews.htm|title=Ofcom &#124; TV Cable and Satellite|website=static.ofcom.org.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://inews.co.uk/news/media/rupert-murdoch-opinionated-news-uk-tv-channel-launch-ofcom-approval-779383|title=Rupert Murdoch's 'opinionated' News UK TV channel set to launch next year after Ofcom approval|date=1 December 2020|website=inews.co.uk}}</ref> At that time, News UK TV was overseen by [[David Rhodes (media executive)|David Rhodes]] who had been a [[Fox News]] executive and president of [[CBS News]].<ref>Smith, Ben (1 May 2020). [https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/01/business/media/fox-news-david-rhodes-murdoch.html "A Onetime Leader of Fox News Returns to the Murdoch Fold"]. ''The New York Times''.</ref>

In April 2021, News UK CEO [[Rebekah Brooks]] announced that plans for the new service had been much reduced: a British equivalent of Fox was considered unviable; programmes would be available only via streaming. David Rhodes was to return to the United States in June that year.<ref>{{cite news|last=Waterson|first=Jim|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2021/apr/27/rupert-murdoch-scales-back-plan-for-news-uk-tv-channel|title=Rupert Murdoch scales back plan for News UK TV channel|work=The Guardian|date=27 April 2021|access-date=27 April 2021}}</ref>

In September 2021, a few days after Neil had resigned as chairman of rival GB News,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2021/sep/13/andrew-neil-resigns-as-lead-presenter-and-chairman-of-gb-news|title=Andrew Neil resigns as lead presenter and chairman of GB News|date=13 September 2021|website=The Guardian}}</ref> it was reported that News UK's channel would now be called [[TalkTV (British TV channel)|TalkTV]] (after the radio stations [[Talkradio|TalkRadio]] and [[Talksport]]); [[Piers Morgan]] would be a presenter on the new service. News UK decided TalkTV would run on [[Freesat|FreeSat]], [[Freeview (UK)|Freeview]], [[Sky UK]] and [[Virgin TV|Virgin Media]] (if slots could be acquired); the channel would feature current affairs, sport, and entertainment.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-58586493|title=Piers Morgan to launch new show on Rupert Murdoch-owned network|date=16 September 2021|publisher=BBC}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2021/sep/16/piers-morgan-hired-to-launch-rupert-murdoch-tv-station-talktv|title=Piers Morgan hired to launch Rupert Murdoch TV station talkTV|date=16 September 2021|website=The Guardian}}</ref>

In response to poor viewer ratings the television channel was rebranded as "Talk" and became an internet-only service in 2024.<ref name=weaver>{{cite news |last1=Weaver |first1=Matthew |title=TalkTV to close down television channel and go online only |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2024/mar/05/talktv-to-close-down-television-channel-and-go-online-only |work=The Guardian |date=5 March 2024}}</ref>

===Other===
* News International (Advertisements) Limited
* News International Associated Services Limited
* News International Distribution Limited
* News Ireland 
* News Printers (Knowsley) Limited
* News Printers (Scotland) Limited
* News International Pension Trustees Limited
* News International Supply Company Limited
* News International Television Investment Company Limited
* News International Television Limited
* NI Syndication Limited
* The Fifth – Influencer Marketing Agency<ref>{{cite news |url=https://digiday.com/media/news-uk-launches-influencer-marketing-agency/ |title=News UK launches 8-person influencer marketing agency |first=Jessica |last=Davis |date=18 March 2019 |access-date=18 March 2019}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Metropolitan police role in phone hacking scandal]]
* [[News Corp Australia]]
* [[News International phone hacking scandal]]
* [[Phone hacking scandal reference lists]]
* [[List of companies based in London]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.news.co.uk/ News UK]

{{News UK}}
{{2011 News Corporation scandal}}
{{Media in the United Kingdom|comporg}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:News UK| ]]
[[Category:British companies established in 1981]]
[[Category:British subsidiaries of foreign companies]]
[[Category:Publishing companies established in 1981]]
[[Category:News Corporation subsidiaries]]