View source for News of the World

{{Short description|1843–2011 British tabloid newspaper}}
{{about|the British tabloid newspaper}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2015}}
{{Infobox newspaper
| name               = News of the World
| logo               = News of the World Logo 2009.svg
| image              = Final NOTW cover.jpeg
| caption            = Front page of the final issue
| type               = Weekly newspaper
| format             = [[Tabloid (newspaper format)|Tabloid]]
| circulation        = 2,606,397 (April 2011)<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2011/may/13/sunday-newspapers-april-abcs |title=Sunday Express sales increase by 12.8%|access-date=6 July 2011|work=The Guardian |location=UK | date=13 May 2011 |first=Mark |last=Sweney}}</ref>
| founded            = {{Start date and age|1843|10|01|df=yes}}
| ceased_publication = {{End date and age|2011|07|10|df=yes}}
| political_position = [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| owners             = News Group Newspapers<br />([[News UK|News International]])
| sister_newspapers  = [[The Sun (United Kingdom)|''The Sun'']],<ref>{{Cite news | title = Newspaper review: Papers focus on NoW hacking claims | url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14041004 | website= BBC News | place = UK | date=6 July 2011}}</ref> ''[[The Times]]'', ''[[The Sunday Times]]''<ref>{{cite web | work=Mirror | location = UK | date = 9 July 2011
|url= https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2011/07/09/news-of-the-world-fallout-renault-pull-deals-from-all-news-international-titles-115875-23258209/
|title=News of the World fallout: Renault pull deals from all News International titles
|quote= Renault, which spent £343,829 with the Sunday paper last year, says it would not be advertising with sister publications such as The Sun, The Times and The Sunday Times.}}</ref>
| headquarters       = [[Wapping]], London
| editor             = [[Colin Myler]]
| website            = {{URL|http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/|newsoftheworld.co.uk}}<br />{{small|(inactive, no longer updated)}}
}}
The '''''News of the World''''' was a weekly national "[[Tabloid journalism#Red tops|red top]]" [[Tabloid (newspaper format)|tabloid newspaper]] published every Sunday in the [[United Kingdom]] from 1843 to 2011. It was at one time the world's highest-selling English-language newspaper, and at closure still had one of the highest English-language circulations.<ref name="The Guardian">{{cite news | url = https://www.theguardian.com/media/2011/jul/07/news-of-the-world-rupert-murdoch | title= News of the World to close as Rupert Murdoch acts to limit fallout |work=The Guardian |location=UK | date= 10 July 2011   | issn= 0261-3077 |oclc= 60623878 |access-date=10 July 2011 | first=James | last=Robinson}}</ref> It was originally established as a [[broadsheet]] by John Browne Bell, who identified crime, sensation and vice as the themes that would sell most copies.<ref>Addley, Esther  (7 July 2011). [https://www.theguardian.com/media/2011/jul/07/news-of-the-world-history "The News of the World's sensational history"], ''The Guardian'' (UK),  Retrieved 24 June 2014.</ref> The Bells sold to [[Henry Lascelles Carr]] in 1891; in 1969, it was bought from the Carrs by [[Rupert Murdoch]]'s media firm [[News Limited]]. In 1984, as News Limited reorganised into [[News UK|News International]], a subsidiary of [[News Corporation]], the newspaper transformed into a [[Tabloid (newspaper format)|tabloid]]  and became the Sunday [[sister paper]] of ''[[The Sun (United Kingdom)|The Sun]]''.

The ''News of the World'' concentrated in particular on [[celebrity]] scoops, [[gossip]] and populist news. Its somewhat prurient focus on [[sex scandal]]s gained it the nickname ''Screws of the World''.<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14070733 | title = News of the World to close amid hacking scandal | work=BBC News | date=7 July 2011}}</ref> In its last decade it had a reputation for exposing celebrities' drug use, sexual peccadilloes, or [[Crime|criminal acts]], by using insiders and journalists in disguise to provide video or photographic evidence, and covert [[News International phone hacking scandal|phone hacking]] in ongoing police investigations.<ref name="Forbes">{{cite news |url= https://blogs.forbes.com/petercohan/2011/07/08/how-much-will-news-of-the-worlds-closing-cost/ |title= How Much Will 'News of The World' Closing Cost? | first = Peter | last = Cohan |work=Forbes|year= 2011 |access-date=10 July 2011}}</ref><ref name="Closing">{{cite web |url= https://abcnews.go.com/International/news-world-closed-telephone-hacking-scandal/story?id=14037284 |title= News of the World Closed After Telephone Hacking Scandal | publisher=ABC | work=News | year= 2011 | access-date =10 July 2011}}</ref> Sales averaged 2,812,005 copies per week in October 2010.<ref>{{Cite web |last=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=July 9, 2011 |title=News of the World Is No More |url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/news-world-closed-telephone-hacking-scandal/story?id=14037284 |access-date=2023-09-10 |website=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] |language=en}}</ref>

From 2006, [[News International phone hacking scandal|allegations of phone hacking]] began to engulf the newspaper. These culminated in the revelation on 4 July 2011 that, nearly a decade earlier, a private investigator hired by the newspaper had intercepted the voicemail of missing British teenager [[Murder of Milly Dowler|Milly Dowler]], who was later found murdered.

Amid a public backlash and the withdrawal of advertising, News International announced the closure of the newspaper on 7 July 2011.<ref name="Closing" /><ref>{{cite news| location = UK | url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/8619123/News-of-the-World-loses-adverts-over-Milly-Dowler-scandal.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110707112055/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/8619123/News-of-the-World-loses-adverts-over-Milly-Dowler-scandal.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = 7 July 2011 | title=News of the World loses adverts over Milly Dowler scandal | newspaper=The Telegraph| date= 5 July 2011 |access-date=5 July 2011 | first=Tim | last=Ross}}</ref> The scandal deepened when the paper was alleged to have hacked into the phones of families of British service personnel killed in action. Senior figures on the newspaper have been held for questioning by police investigating the phone hacking and corruption allegations, alongside former ''[[Daily Mirror]]'' editor [[Piers Morgan]]. Arrested on 8 July 2011 were former editor [[Andy Coulson]] and former ''News of the World'' royal editor [[Clive Goodman]], the latter jailed for phone hacking in 2007. The former executive editor [[Neil Wallis]] was arrested on 15 July 2011 and former editor [[Rebekah Brooks]], the tenth person held in custody, on 17 July 2011.

During a visit to London on 17 February 2012, Murdoch announced he was soon to launch a Sunday edition of ''The Sun'', which acted as a replacement to the ''News of the World''. On 19 February 2012, it was announced that the first edition of ''The Sun on Sunday'' would be printed on 26 February 2012.<ref name="BBC">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-17092863|title=Sun on Sunday to launch next week|work=BBC News|date=20 February 2012}}</ref> It would employ some former ''News of the World'' journalists.

== History ==
[[File:NOTW-01.10.1843.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Front-page of the first issue]]

=== 1843 to 1968 ===
The newspaper was first published as '''''The News of the World''''' on 1 October 1843, by John Browne Bell in London.<ref name="168years">{{Cite web | url = https://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/dj-taylor-for-168-years-news-of-the-world-was-as-english-as-roast-beef-2308954.html |work=The Independent |location=UK | quote = For 168 years, News of the World was as English as roast beef. | first = DJ | last = Taylor | title = Opinion | date=8 July 2011 | edition = Commentators}}</ref> Priced at three pence (equal to £{{formatnum:{{Inflation |UK|0.0125|1843|r=2}}}} in {{Inflation-year|UK}}), even before the repeal of the [[Stamp act]] (1855) or paper duty (1861), it was the cheapest newspaper of its time<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2011/jul/07/news-of-the-world-history | date = 7 July 2011 |title=The News of the World's sensational history |work=The Guardian |location=UK |quote=Priced at threepence, it was the cheapest paper on news stands. | first=Esther | last=Addley}}<!-- of course, the world being what it is, maybe the Guardian journo copied this bit from Wikipedia? --></ref> and was aimed directly at the newly literate working classes. It quickly established itself as a purveyor of titillation, shock, and criminal news. Much of the source material came from coverage of vice prosecutions, including lurid transcripts of police descriptions of alleged brothels, [[streetwalker]]s, and "immoral" women. In 1924 the newspaper sponsored the [[1924 Women's Olympiad]] held at [[Stamford Bridge (stadium)|Stamford Bridge]] in London.

Before long, the ''News of the World'' established itself as the most widely read Sunday paper, with initial sales of around 12,000 copies a week. Circulation had grown to 24,100 by 1845 and was 109,100 in 1854.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Vann |first1=J. Don |last2=Van Arsdel |first2=Rosemary T. |title=Victorian Periodicals: A guide to research |date=1978 |publisher=The Modern Language Association of America |location=New York |page=172 |edition=First}}</ref> Sales then suffered because the price was not cut following the [[abolition of newspaper taxes]] and the paper was soon no longer among the leading Sunday titles, selling around 30,000 by 1880, a greater number but a smaller proportion, as newspaper sales had grown hugely. The title was sold by the Bell family in 1891 to [[Henry Lascelles Carr]] who owned the Welsh ''[[Western Mail (Wales)|Western Mail]]''. As editor, he installed his nephew [[Emsley Carr]], who held the post for 50 years. The real engine of the paper's now quick commercial success, however, was [[George Riddell, 1st Baron Riddell|George Riddell]], who reorganised its national distribution using local agents. [[Matthew Engel]], in his book ''Tickle the Public: One Hundred Years of the Popular Press'' (Gollancz, 1996), says that the ''News of the World'' of the 1890s was "a very fine paper indeed". The paper was not without its detractors, though. As one writer later related:

{{blockquote|[[Frederick Greenwood]], editor of  ''[[The Pall Mall Gazette]]'', met in his club one day Lord Riddell, who died a few years ago, and in the course of conversation Riddell said to him, "You know, I own a paper."

"Oh, do you?" said Greenwood, "what is it?"

"It's called the ''News of the World''—I'll send you a copy", replied Riddell, and in due course did so. Next time they met Riddell said, "Well Greenwood, what do you think of my paper?"

"I looked at it", replied Greenwood, "and then I put it in the waste-paper basket. And then I thought, 'If I leave it there the cook may read it'—so I burned it!"<ref>J. W. Robertson Scott, ''The Story of the Pall Mall Gazette'' (1950), 417.</ref>
}}

By 1912, the circulation was two million and around three million by the early 1920s. Sales reached four million by 1939. This success encouraged other similar newspapers, of which ''[[The Sunday People]]'', the ''[[Daily Mail]]'', the ''[[Daily Express]]'' and the ''[[Daily Mirror]]'' are still being published.

In 1928, the paper began printing in Manchester on the presses of the ''[[News Chronicle]]'' in Derby Street, moving in 1960 into Thomson House, Withy Grove (formerly known as Kemsley House) when the ''News Chronicle'' closed. The move to Thomson House led to the immediate closure of the ''[[Empire News]]'', a paper printed there and mainly circulating in the North of England and Wales with a circulation of about 2.5&nbsp;million. Officially the ''Empire News'' and ''News of the World'' merged but Thomson House was already printing the ''Sunday Pictorial'' (to become the ''Sunday Mirror'') and ''Sunday Times'' and did not have any further capacity with the ''News of the World'' arriving.
[[File:All human life is there News of the World Dublin.jpg|left|thumb|An advert for the ''News of the World'' in Dublin in 1969]]
The paper's motto was "All human life is there". The paper's name was linked with sports events as early as 1903 when the golfing tournament The [[News of the World Match Play]] Championship began (now under British PGA auspices). The [[News of the World Darts Championship]] existed from 1927 on a regional basis and became a national tournament from 1947 to 1990. There was also a News of the World Championship in snooker from 1950 to 1959 which eclipsed the official professionals' competition for a number of years. In athletics, the [[Emsley Carr Mile]] race was started in 1953 in memory of the former editor, and is still run annually. The paper's [[News of the World Football Annual|Football Annual]] was a long-standing publication (sponsoring it until 2008), and a Household Guide and [[Almanac]] was also published at one time.

By 1950, the ''News of the World'' had become the biggest-selling newspaper in the world with a weekly sale of 8,441,000 and individual editions sold over 9 million copies.

As with other [[Sunday newspaper]]s, the ''News of the World'' was published on Saturday whenever [[Christmas Day]] fell on Sunday.

=== Murdoch ownership ===
The newspaper passed into the hands of Rupert Murdoch's [[News Limited|News Ltd.]] in 1969, following a year-long struggle with [[Robert Maxwell]]'s [[Pergamon Press]]. Maxwell's Czech origin, combined with his political opinions, provoked a hostile response to his bid from the Carrs and from the editor of the ''News of the World'', [[Stafford Somerfield]], who declared in an October 1968 front page leading article attacking Maxwell<ref>Bill Grundy [http://archive.spectator.co.uk/article/25th-october-1968/6/mr-maxwell-and-the-ailing-giant "The Press: Mr Maxwell and the Ailing Giant"], ''The Spectator'', 24 October 1968, p. 6.</ref> that the paper was "as British as roast beef and [[Yorkshire pudding]]".<ref>Roy Greenslade [https://books.google.com/books?id=KPR0pB9UCS4C&pg=PA213 ''Press Gang: How Newspapers Make Profits From Propaganda''], London: Pan, 2004 [2003], p. 395.</ref>

News Ltd. arranged to swap shares in some of its minor ventures with the Carrs and by December it controlled 40% of the NOTW stock. Maxwell had been supported by the Jackson family (25% shareholders), but Murdoch had gained the support of the Carr family (30%) and then-chairman William Carr.

In January 1969, Maxwell's bid was rejected at a shareholders' meeting where half of those present were company staff, temporarily given voting shares. It was Murdoch's first [[Fleet Street]] acquisition. Maxwell accused Murdoch of employing "the laws of the jungle" to acquire the paper and said he had "made a fair and bona fide offer... which has been frustrated and defeated after three months of [cynical] manoeuvring." Murdoch denied this, arguing the shareholders of the News of the World Group had "judged [his] record in Australia." Illness removed Sir William Carr from the chairmanship in June 1969, and Murdoch succeeded him.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}

Murdoch came under severe criticism in a television interview with [[David Frost]] after the newspaper published extracts, in late summer 1969, from the memoirs of [[Christine Keeler]]. Keeler had been a central figure in the [[Profumo scandal]] which had emerged to public scrutiny in 1963. Murdoch regretted agreeing to the interview with Frost.<ref>Jerome Tuccille [https://books.google.com/books?id=2mj1FcArTE8C&pg=PA29 ''Rupert Murdoch: Creator of a Worldwide Media Empire''], Washington: Beard Books, 2003 [1989], pp. 29–30.</ref> In February 1970, Stafford Somerfield was dismissed as editor after coming into conflict with Murdoch, whose takeover he had opposed.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2507&dat=19700227&id=ppxAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=E6UMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5120,5132358 "'News of the World' editor sacked"], ''Glasgow Herald'', 27 February 1970, p. 26.</ref>

During the four decades of Murdoch's ownership, the newspaper had to frequently defend itself against [[libel]] charges as well as complaints to the [[Press Council (UK)|Press Council]] (later the [[Press Complaints Commission]]) on accusations of certain news-gathering techniques, such as [[entrapment]], and contentious campaigns. Some of the better-known of these were the "Bob and Sue" case with reporter [[Neville Thurlbeck]], and various cases involving journalist [[Mazher Mahmood]].<ref>{{cite web| author=Department of the Official Report (Hansard) | publisher=House of Commons | location = Westminster |url= https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199899/cmhansrd/vo990609/debtext/90609-54.htm#90609-54_head1 | title = Hansard Debates | at = pt 54 |date=9 June 1999 |access-date=14 March 2010}}</ref>

The newspaper, which had generally supported the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] throughout its history (endorsing [[Edward Heath]] in the 1970 and both 1974 elections), maintained its political posture during the early years of the Murdoch era, whereas its weekday sister [[The Sun (United Kingdom)|''The Sun'']] did not have a definitive allegiance, (supporting [[Harold Wilson]]'s [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] in [[1970 United Kingdom general election|1970]], Heath in [[February 1974 United Kingdom general election|February 1974]] and [[Jeremy Thorpe]]'s [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal Party]] in [[October 1974 United Kingdom general election|October 1974]]) until the late 1970s when it became a strong supporter of the Conservative Party. Both newspapers later endorsed [[Tony Blair]]'s [[New Labour]] during the late 1990s and early 2000s before switching back to the Conservatives during [[David Cameron]]'s leadership.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}

Starting in 1981, a magazine supplement (''Sunday'') was included with the paper and, in 1984, the newspaper changed from [[broadsheet]] to tabloid format. The paper was printed in [[Hertfordshire]], Liverpool, [[Dinnington, South Yorkshire|Dinnington]] near Sheffield, Portsmouth, Glasgow and Dublin, with a separate edition produced in Belfast. It was also printed at a number of sites abroad including Madrid, Brussels, Cyprus and Orlando in Florida, US.

In 1985, the ''News of the World'' moved out of Thomson House when the building was bought by the tycoon [[Robert Maxwell]] (and renamed Maxwell House) and, after a short spell on the ''Daily Express'' presses in Great Ancoats Street, moved to a new plant at Knowsley on Merseyside.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}

In 2011 the then editor, Colin Myler, described it as "the greatest newspaper in the world" as it had won four awards at the British Press Awards. The award for News Reporter of the Year, went to Mazher Mahmood, the "fake sheikh" who hides his identity, for his exposé of corruption in the cricketing world. The paper also won top show-business reporter and magazine of the year.

=== End of publication ===
It was announced on 7 July 2011 that, after 168 years in print,<ref name="168years" /> the newspaper would print its final edition on 10 July 2011 following revelations of the ongoing [[News International phone hacking scandal|phone hacking scandal]], with the loss of 200 jobs. The paper announced that all profits from the final edition – 74 pence out of the £1 cover price – would go to "good causes", and advertising space would be given to charities; the remaining 26 pence for each copy went to retailers selling the paper and to wholesalers.<ref name="CNN071011">{{Cite web |last=Green |first=Richard Allen |date=July 10, 2011 |title=Murdoch flies in as scandal closes News of the World |url=http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/europe/07/10/uk.phonehacking/index.html |access-date=2023-09-10 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref> Shutting the newspaper cost [[News Group Newspapers]] around £240m.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.thetimes.com/best-law-firms/profile-legal/article/tabloid-closure-costs-pound240m-dj7jwr7g07t |title= Tabloid closure costs £240m |author= Peter Stiff |date= 6 April 2012 |newspaper= [[The Times]] |access-date=6 April 2012 }}</ref>

The [[government of the United Kingdom]] said it had no role in the decision.<ref>{{cite news| url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/phone-hacking-scandal-closes-news-of-the-world/2011/07/07/gIQAy5RA2H_story.html|title= Phone hacking scandal closes News of the World|date=7 July 2011|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=7 July 2011|first=Steve|last=Hendrix}}</ref> [[James Murdoch (media executive)|James Murdoch]] claimed that the company was fully co-operating with ongoing police investigations.<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14070733 | work=News | title = News of the World to close amid hacking scandal |publisher=BBC  | location = UK |access-date =7 July 2011 | date=7 July 2011}}</ref>

The edition of 10 July 2011 of the ''News of the World'' carried its final headline, "Thank You & Goodbye", superimposed on top of a collage of past front pages. The back cover featured a quote from [[George Orwell]]'s [[Nineteen Eighty-Four]] that mentions the paper, and a recent quote from a NotW reader. The final edition also included a 48-page pullout documenting the history of the paper.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2011-07-09 |title=Phone hacking probe: NoW goes into print for last time |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-14096215 |access-date=2023-09-10}}</ref> On 9 July 2011, after production of the final edition wrapped, editor Colin Myler led the staff out of the building, where he held a press conference thanking the staff and its readers, concluding, "In the best tradition, we are going to the pub."<ref>{{Cite news | url = https://www.ctvnews.ca/final-front-page-of-news-of-the-world-revealed-1.667964 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140102071103/http://www.ctvnews.ca/final-front-page-of-news-of-the-world-revealed-1.667964 | url-status = dead | archive-date = 2 January 2014 | place = CA |agency=Associated Press   | title = CTV | quote = Final front page of News of the World revealed. | date = 9 July 2011}}</ref> The paper's final, and unattributed, editorial, stated that "Phones were hacked, and for that this newspaper is truly sorry... there is no justification for this appalling wrongdoing."<ref name=CNN071011 /> The final edition sold 3.8 million copies, about a million more than usual.

News International launched a Sunday edition of ''[[The Sun (United Kingdom)|The Sun]]'' to replace the ''News of the World'' on 26 February 2012 following speculation.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/davidhughes/100095915/the-news-of-the-world-is-sacrificed-how-long-before-we-have-the-sun-on-sunday/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110709151806/http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/davidhughes/100095915/the-news-of-the-world-is-sacrificed-how-long-before-we-have-the-sun-on-sunday/|url-status=dead|archive-date=9 July 2011|title=The News of the World is sacrificed – how long before we have The Sun on Sunday?|work=The Daily Telegraph |location=UK | date= 7 July 2011 | access-date=7 July 2011}}</ref> The domain names ''sunonsunday.co.uk'', ''thesunonsunday.co.uk'' and ''thesunonsunday.com'' were registered on 5 July 2011 by News International Newspapers Limited.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/sectors/media/sun-on-sunday-set-for-launch-following-notw-closure/3028241.article|title=Sun on Sunday set for launch following NOTW closure|magazine=Marketing Week|date=8 July 2011|access-date=11 July 2011}}</ref>

== Editors ==
*1843: John Browne Bell
*1855: John William Bell
*1877: Walter John Bell and Adolphus William Bell
*1891: [[Emsley Carr]]
*1941: [[David Percy Davies]]
*1946: [[Robert Skelton]]
*1947: [[Arthur Waters]]
*1953: [[Reg Cudlipp]]
*1960: [[Stafford Somerfield]]
*1970: [[Cyril Lear]]
*1974: [[Peter Stephens (journalist)|Peter Stephens]]
*1975: [[Bernard Shrimsley]]
*1980: [[Kenneth Donlan]]
*1981: [[Barry Askew]]
*1981: [[Derek Jameson]]
*1984: [[Nicholas Lloyd]]
*1985: [[David Montgomery (newspaper executive)|David Montgomery]]
*1987: [[Wendy Henry]]
*1988: [[Patsy Chapman]]
*1993: [[Stuart Higgins]]
*1994: [[Piers Morgan]]
*1995: [[Phil Hall (journalist)|Phil Hall]]
*2000: [[Rebekah Wade]]
*2003: [[Andy Coulson]]
*2007: [[Colin Myler]]<ref>{{cite news |title=Colin Myler: 25th and last editor of the News of the World |author=Dominic Ponsford |url=http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=47460 |newspaper=[[Press Gazette]] |date=8 July 2011 |access-date=6 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111016033334/http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=47460 |archive-date=16 October 2011 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

== Notable contributors ==
* [[Bob Bird (editor)|Bob Bird]] – final Scottish News of the World editor
* [[Victoria Newton]] – final deputy editor
* [[Neville Thurlbeck]] – mainly responsible for the Beckham/Loos story<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.davidrowan.com/2005/03/interview-andy-coulson-news-of-world.html |title=Interview: Andy Coulson, ''News of the World'' editor (''Evening Standard'') |author=David Rowan |year=2005 |publisher=DavidRowan.com |access-date=4 June 2011 |archive-date=10 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310090524/http://davidrowan.com/2005/03/interview-andy-coulson-news-of-world.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[Dan Wootton]] – showbusiness
* [[Bertie Ahern]] – former Irish [[taoiseach]]
* Philip Wrack – deputy editor 1970–1989, later [[Ombudsman#In organizations|ombudsman]]<ref name="NC">{{cite news |last=Cole |first=Nick |title=1947 freeze was his big break |work=[[Scunthorpe Telegraph]] |orig-date=2000 |date=25 Jun 2007 |url=https://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2007/news/1947-freeze-was-his-big-break/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220703234356/https://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2007/news/1947-freeze-was-his-big-break/ |archive-date=3 July 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Wyatt's 'Sex' Insult Gets a Whitewash |journal=[[Fire Brigades Union|Firefighter]] |volume=21 |issue=9 |date=November 1993 |p=12 |url=https://wdc.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/api/collection/fbu/id/8326/download}}</ref>
* Unity Tanzier Hall – the [[agony aunt]]<ref name="NC" /><ref>{{cite news |title=Wills |work=The Independent |date=22 August 1992 |accessdate=17 October 2025 |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/wills-1541834.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150715024416/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/wills-1541834.html |archive-date=15 July 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Stuart Kuttner]] – assistant editor from 1980, managing editor 1987–2009<ref>{{cite news |last=Ponsford |first=Dominic |title=What is 'the Murdoch factor'? News Corp insiders reveal secrets to KRM's success |work=Press Gazette |date=28 September 2023 |accessdate=17 October 2025 |url=https://pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/rupert-murdoch-factor-insiders-piers-morgan/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231002175757/https://pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/rupert-murdoch-factor-insiders-piers-morgan/ |archive-date=2 October 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref>

== Controversies ==
{{criticism section|date=March 2025}}

=== Imprisonment of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards (1967) ===
In early 1967, the newspaper ran a three-part feature entitled "Pop Stars and Drugs: Facts That Will Shock You". The series described alleged [[LSD]] parties hosted by [[the Moody Blues]] and attended by top stars including [[the Who]]'s [[Pete Townshend]] and [[Cream (band)|Cream]]'s [[Ginger Baker]], and alleged admissions of drug use by leading pop musicians. The first article targeted [[Donovan]] (who was raided and charged soon after); the second installment (published on 5 February) targeted the [[Rolling Stones]]. A reporter who contributed to the story spent an evening at the exclusive London club Blaise's, where a member of the Rolling Stones allegedly took several [[Benzedrine]] tablets, displayed a piece of [[hashish]] and invited his companions back to his flat for a "smoke". The article claimed that the member was singer [[Mick Jagger]], although the reporter had in fact been eavesdropping on guitarist [[Brian Jones]].<ref>Paytress, Mark (2003). Rolling Stones: Off the Record. London: Omnibus. {{ISBN|978-0-7119-8869-9}} p. 116</ref>

On 10 May 1967, Jagger, [[Keith Richards]], and their friend art dealer [[Robert Fraser (art dealer)|Robert Fraser]] were arrested at Richards' [[Redlands, West Wittering|Redlands]] estate in [[West Wittering]] and charged with possession of [[cannabis (drug)|cannabis]] and [[amphetamine]]s, while bandmate Jones' London house was also raided by police and he was arrested and charged with cannabis possession along with his friend Stanislas "Stash" Klossowski, son of French artist [[Balthus]].<ref name=stonemag>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/the-rolling-stones/biography|title=The Rolling Stones Biography|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|access-date=6 June 2006}}</ref> Jagger and Richards were tried at the end of June. On 29 June, Jagger was sentenced to three months' imprisonment for possession of four amphetamine tablets; Richards was found guilty of allowing cannabis to be smoked on his property and sentenced to one year in prison.<ref name=raid>{{cite web|title=Police raid Keith Richard's "Redlands" home in Sussex for drugs|url=http://thehistoryofrockmusic.com/1967/02/12/police-raid-keith-richards-redlands-home-in-sussex-for-drugs/|website=The History of Rock Music|access-date=25 June 2015}}</ref>{{sfn|Booth|2000|p=276}} Both Jagger and Richards were imprisoned at that point, but were released on bail the next day pending appeal.{{sfn|Wyman|2002|pp=278–282}}

The ''News of the World'' was rapidly identified by the [[UK underground|hippy counterculture]] as the prime culprit for the imprisonments, which were seen as an attempt by the Establishment to send a collective message to a hedonistic young generation. ''[[International Times]]'' and activist and musician [[Mick Farren]] organised protests outside the Fleet Street offices of the newspaper. Protesters informed the paper's staff that their objective was "freeing the fucking Stones and closing down the fucking ''News of the World''". Farren later credited his colleague [[Sue Miles]] with identifying the paper as a target for protest because, as she put it, "they were the bastards who started this" (with their feature on drugs in music). Farren reported that a second night of protests was broken up by officers from [[City of London Police]], who beat him up and made a number of arrests.<ref>[[Mick Farren]] ''Give The Anarchist A Cigarette – Chapter: Breaking the Butterflies'' pp. 144–149 Pimlico Press 2001 {{ISBN|978-0-7126-6732-6}}</ref>

Criticism of the sentences also came from the ''News of the World'''s future sister publication ''[[The Times]]'', which ran an editorial entitled "[[Who breaks a butterfly upon a wheel?|Who breaks a butterfly on a wheel?]]" in which conservative editor [[William Rees-Mogg]] surprised his readers by his unusually critical discourse on the sentencing, pointing out that Jagger had been treated far more harshly for a minor first offence than "any purely anonymous young man".<ref>{{cite book |last=Booth |first=Stanley |title=The True Adventures of the Rolling Stones |publisher=A Capella Books |date=2000 |isbn=1-55652-400-5 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/trueadventuresof00boot/page/271 271–278] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/trueadventuresof00boot/page/271 |edition=2nd }}</ref> On 31 July, the appeals court overturned Richards' conviction, and Jagger's sentence was reduced to a [[conditional discharge]].{{sfn|Wyman|2002|p=286}} Brian Jones' trial took place in November 1967; in December, after appealing the original prison sentence, Jones was fined £1,000, put on three years' probation and ordered to seek professional help.{{sfn|Wyman|2002|pp=292–293, 299}}

Commenting on the closure in 2011 of the newspaper against which he had led protests 44 years earlier, Farren was in triumphant mood: {{blockquote|The British counterculture and ''The News Of The World'' have had an adversarial relationship that goes back for almost half a century. I recall, way back in 1967, being beaten bloody by police outside the ''NOTW'' offices in London's Fleet Street while protesting the newspaper's part in the jailing of Keith Richards and Mick Jagger after the Redlands drug bust. And then there were the regular stamp-out-these-hippie-dope-fiends "exposés" that fueled the dangerous red-faced ire of all the saloon bar tweed blowhards who "only read the paper for the sports" and not the weekly catalogue of rape cases. And then, of course, the whole game was played all over again against [[John Lydon|John Rotten]] and his ilk in the [[Punk subculture|punk]] era. Rupert Murdoch has closed down his disgusting organ and I hope its memory will yellow and decay. Unfortunately, I suspect the ''NOTW'' will soon be replaced by something equally loathsome like ''[[Sun on Sunday|The Sunday Sun]]''.<ref>Mick Farren, "The News of the World Is Dead. Good Riddance", Funtopia, July 08, 2011</ref>}}

=== "Chequebook" journalism ===
The paper became notorious for [[chequebook journalism]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2012/sep/14/leveson-inquiry-rupert-murdoch|title=Hacking book: how Murdoch's papers twisted the news to his advantage|author=Roy Greenslade|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=14 September 2012|access-date=23 September 2012}}</ref> as it was often discovered attempting to buy stories, typically concerning private affairs and relationships, of people closely involved with figures of public interest such as politicians, celebrities and high-profile criminals. With this intention, the paper on occasion paid key witnesses in criminal trials such as the 1966 [[Moors murders]] case,<ref>Lee, Carol Ann (2010), ''One of Your Own: The Life and Death of Myra Hindley'': p. 272.</ref><ref>Topping, Peter (1989), ''Topping: The Autobiography of the Police Chief in the Moors Murder Case'': p. 143.</ref> and the 1999 trial of [[Gary Glitter]] on charges of assaulting an underage teenage fan.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/550343.stm |work=BBC News  |title= Press warned over witness payments | date=5 December 1999 | access-date=23 September 2012}}</ref>

=== Anti-paedophile campaign (2000) ===
{{Main|Name and shame (campaign)}}
The paper began a controversial campaign to [[name and shame]] alleged [[pedophilia|paedophiles]] in July 2000, following the abduction and [[murder of Sarah Payne]] in West Sussex. During the trial of her killer [[Roy Whiting]], it emerged that he had a previous conviction for abduction and sexual assault against a child. The paper's decision led to some instances of action being taken against those suspected of being child sex offenders,<ref>{{cite news
  | title = Police condemn vigilante violence
  |work=BBC News
  | date = 4 August 2000
  | url = https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/865633.stm
  | access-date =12 October 2007}}</ref> which included several cases of mistaken identity, including one instance where a [[pediatrics|paediatrician]] had her house vandalised,<ref>{{cite news
  | title = Paediatrician attacks 'ignorant' vandals
  |work=BBC News
  | date = 30 August 2000
  | url = https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/901723.stm
  | access-date =12 October 2007}}</ref> and another where a man was confronted because he had a [[cervical collar|neck brace]] similar to one a paedophile was wearing when pictured.<ref name="BBC849098">{{cite news
 | url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/849098.stm
 | title=Mob mistakes man for sex abuser
 |work=BBC News
 | date=24 July 2000
 | access-date=1 September 2009}}</ref><ref name="BBC848737">{{cite news
 | url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/848737.stm
 | title=Vigilante attack on innocent man
 |work=BBC News
 | date=25 July 2000
 | access-date=1 September 2009}}</ref> The campaign was labelled "grossly irresponsible" journalism by the then-[[chief constable]] of [[Gloucestershire Constabulary|Gloucestershire]], Tony Butler.<ref name="BBCprofile1">{{cite news
  | title = Rebekah Wade: Profile
  |work=BBC News
  | date = 13 January 2003
  | url = https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1714303.stm
  | access-date =12 October 2007}}</ref>

=== Phone hacking scandal ===
{{Main|News International phone hacking scandal}}
From the nineties until the newspaper’s demise in 2011, reporters at the paper used private investigators to illegally gain access to hundreds of mobile phone voicemail accounts held by a variety of people of interest to the newspaper. In 2007 the paper's royal correspondent, [[Clive Goodman]], pleaded guilty to illegal interception of personal communication and was jailed for four months; the paper's editor, [[Andy Coulson]], had resigned two weeks earlier. In 2009/2010, further revelations emerged on the extent of the phone hacking, and how it was common knowledge within the ''News of the World'' and its [[News UK|News International]] parent. According to a former reporter at the paper, "Everyone knew. The office cat knew", about the illegal activities used to scoop stories.<ref>{{cite web|last=Behr |first=Rafael |url=http://www.newstatesman.com/uk-politics/2010/09/former-reporter-knew-coulson |title=NYT: Cameron's chief media adviser Andy Coulson "actively encouraged" NoW phone-hacking |work=New Statesman |location=UK |access-date=7 July 2011}}</ref>

On 17 January 2011, ''[[The Guardian]]'' reported that Glenn Mulcaire, a private investigator paid by the paper, testified that he had been asked by the newspaper's leadership to hack voicemail accounts on its behalf.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2011/jan/17/phone-hacking-news-of-the-world?CMP=twt_fd | location=London | work=The Guardian | first=James | last=Robinson | title=NoW phone-hacking scandal: News Corp's 'rogue reporter' defence unravels | date=17 January 2011}}</ref> In April 2011, attorneys for the victims alleged that as many as 7,000 people had their phones hacked by the ''News of the World'';<ref>[http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/news-corp-phone-hacking-scandal-gets-new-legs-126175 News Corp. Phone-Hacking Scandal Gets New Legs], AdWeek.com, 6 April 2011.</ref> it was further revealed that the paper's owner, [[Rupert Murdoch]], had attempted to pressure Prime Minister [[Gordon Brown]] and [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] MPs to "back away" from investigating the scandal.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2011/apr/09/phone-hacking-rupert-murdoch-gordon-brown Phone hacking: Rupert Murdoch 'urged Gordon Brown' to halt Labour attacks]. ''The Guardian'', 9 April 2011.</ref> Three journalists on the newspaper were initially arrested: [[Ian Edmondson]] and [[Neville Thurlbeck]] on 5 April<ref>Amelia Hill, et al [https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2011/apr/05/phone-hacking-journalists-arrested "Phone hacking: two News of the World journalists arrested"], ''The Guardian'', 6 April 2011.</ref> and [[James Weatherup]] on 14 April.<ref>Amelia Hill [https://www.theguardian.com/media/2011/apr/14/news-of-the-world-journalist-arrested "Phone hacking: senior News of the World journalist arrested."], ''The Guardian'', 14 April 2011.</ref> The newspaper "unreservedly" apologised for its phone hacking activities during April 2011.<ref>Liam Creedon and Lauren Turner, (Press Association) [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/news-of-the-world-apologises-to-hacking-victims-2265952.html "News of the World apologises to hacking victims"], ''The Independent'', 10 April 2011.</ref> On 4 July 2011, it was disclosed that potential evidence had been deleted in spring 2002 from the hacked voicemail account of [[Murder of Milly Dowler|Milly Dowler]], then missing, but later found to have been murdered.<ref name="DaviesHill">Nick Davies and Amelia Hill [https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2011/jul/04/milly-dowler-voicemail-hacked-news-of-world "Missing Milly Dowler's voicemail was hacked by News of the World"], ''The Guardian'', 4 July 2011.</ref>

=== 2006 reward for information on murders ===
On 13 December 2006, the newspaper announced that it was offering a record-breaking reward of £250,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for [[Ipswich serial murders|the murders of five prostitutes]] around [[Ipswich]], Suffolk. The reward went unclaimed; [[Steve Wright (serial killer)|Steve Wright]] was arrested on suspicion of murder six days later following the use of unrelated information to link him to the murders. He was found guilty of all five murders at his trial 14 months later and sentenced to [[life imprisonment]].{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}

=== The Victoria Beckham 'kidnap plot' ===
In 2002, [[Mazher Mahmood]], an undercover reporter working for the ''News of the World'', also known as the Fake Sheikh, allegedly exposed a plot to kidnap [[Victoria Beckham]]. Five men were arrested but the trial later collapsed when it emerged the ''News of the World'' had paid its main witness Florim Gashi £10,000 to work with Mazher Mahmood. Florim Gashi later admitted working with Mahmood to set up the kidnap plot. This led to an investigation by [[Scotland Yard]] on the ''News of the World'' called Operation Canopus.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2005/oct/17/newsoftheworld.pressandpublishing | work=The Guardian | title=Police probe News of the World stories | date=17 October 2005}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4471142.stm | work=BBC News | title=Is this the end for 'fake sheikh'? | date=26 July 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Sweeney|first1=John|title=Panorama: How we uncovered the Fake Sheikh's sting tactics|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/press/panorama-how-we-uncovered-the-fake-sheikhs-sting-tactics-9862446.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/press/panorama-how-we-uncovered-the-fake-sheikhs-sting-tactics-9862446.html |archive-date=18 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=16 November 2014|work=The Independent|date=16 November 2014}}</ref>

=== "Fake sheikh" cricket scandal ===
{{further|Pakistan cricket spot-fixing controversy}}
In August 2010, Mahmood posed as the "Fake Sheikh" to expose a cricket bookie named [[Mazhar Majeed]] who claimed Pakistani cricketers had committed [[spot-fixing]] during Pakistan's 2010 tour of England. In November 2011, [[Salman Butt]] and [[Mohammad Asif (cricketer)|Mohammad Asif]] were found guilty by a London court on criminal charges relating to spot-fixing. [[Mohammad Amir]] and Majeed had entered guilty pleas on the same charges.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15538516 | work=BBC News | title=Pakistan cricketers guilty of betting scam | date=1 November 2011}}</ref>

=== Links to police corruption ===
In a September 2010 interview broadcast on 7 July 2011 on the BBC Radio 4 news programme ''[[The World at One]]'', former ''News of the World'' features editor Paul McMullan made an admission relating to police corruption. He told of having used material obtained by a colleague's bribery of a police officer as the basis of a series of articles published over several years on Jennifer Elliott, the daughter of the actor [[Denholm Elliott]]. The articles described Jennifer Elliott's destitute situation and stated that she had worked as a prostitute. She took her own life in 2003.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}} In 2011, the paper knowingly used private investigators to gain stories from corrupt police officers.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/media/2011/mar/11/news-of-the-world-police-corruption Murder trial collapse exposes News of the World links to police corruption], ''[[The Guardian]]'', 11 March 2011.</ref>

=== Libel actions ===
[[File:News of the World (newspaper) cover.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Max Mosley]] won damages for the newspaper's invasion of privacy and incorrect assertion about the Nazi theme in ''[[Mosley v News Group Newspapers]] Limited''.]]
* In 1988, the parents of actor [[David Scarboro]], who played [[Mark Fowler]] on the BBC soap opera ''[[EastEnders]]'', commenced libel proceedings with solicitor Michael Shelton due to the alleged hounding of Scarboro whilst he suffered from mental illness. During this time the ''News of the World'' and its sister paper ''The Sun'' published negative stories about Scarboro and suggested that he took cocaine. According to the parents of David Scarboro this escalated Scarboro's depression resulting in his suicide on 27 April 1988. Due to the suicide the libel action was forced to cease.<ref>''My Brother David'', a film presented by David's brother Simon and produced by Roger Tonge for BBC TV.</ref>{{primary source inline|date=March 2025}}
* In 2005, British television personality [[Ahmed Aghil]] won an apology from the ''News of the World'' in a libel case.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Price|first1=David|title=Big Brother's Ahmed wins apology from the News of the World|url=http://www.dpsa.uk/big-brothers-ahmed-wins-apology-from-the-news-of-the-world/|access-date=25 September 2017|publisher=DPSA|date=1 August 2005|archive-date=26 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170926095657/http://www.dpsa.uk/big-brothers-ahmed-wins-apology-from-the-news-of-the-world/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* In 2005, England footballer [[David Beckham]] and his wife [[Victoria Beckham|Victoria]] brought a legal action against the paper seeking libel damages over an article that carried the headline "Posh and Becks on the Rocks"; suggesting that their marriage was under pressure. The legal action was withdrawn in 2006 and "resolved on a confidential basis", according to the couple's spokeswoman Jo Milloy.<ref>{{cite news|title=Settlement in Beckham libel case|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4789930.stm|access-date=25 September 2017|work=BBC News|date=9 March 2006}}</ref>
* In April 2006, England footballer [[Wayne Rooney]] received £100,000 in damages from the publishers of the ''News of the World'' and its sister paper ''[[The Sun (United Kingdom)|The Sun]]'' over articles falsely reporting he had slapped his fiancée [[Coleen Rooney|Coleen McLoughlin]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Tryhorn|first1=Chris|title=Rooney wins £100k damages|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2006/apr/12/newsoftheworld.sun|access-date=25 September 2017|work=The Guardian|date=12 April 2006}}</ref>
* In June 2006, England footballer [[Ashley Cole]] received an estimated minimum £100,000 in damages from the publishers of the ''News of the World'' and its sister paper ''The Sun''. The ''News of the World'' had published a false story about two footballers having a gay orgy with a DJ; while not naming any of them, it used a pixelated photograph of Cole to illustrate the story.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Brook|first1=Stephen|title=England star wins libel payout over sex slur|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2006/jun/26/newsoftheworld.pressandpublishing1|access-date=25 September 2017|work=The Guardian|date=26 June 2006}}</ref>
* In July 2006, Scottish politician [[Tommy Sheridan]] initiated [[Sheridan v News Group Newspapers Ltd|a libel case against the ''News of the World'']] in Edinburgh. Sheridan denied allegations, made by the newspaper in November 2004 and January 2005, that he had an affair, engaged in [[group sex]] and attended a [[Swinging (sexual practice)|swinger's]] club in Manchester. Sheridan won the case and was awarded £200,000 in damages. The newspaper appealed against the jury's decision,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/5246378.stm | title = Sheridan victory in court battle |work=BBC News |date= 4 August 2006 | access-date=14 March 2010}}</ref> and refused to pay out the money; Sheridan and his wife Gail were charged with perjury; the court case commenced on 4 October 2010. Charges against Gail Sheridan were dropped and she was acquitted on 17 December 2010.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-12020014 |title= Gail Sheridan cleared of perjury charges |work=BBC News |date= 17 December 2010|access-date=7 January 2011}}</ref> Sheridan was subsequently convicted<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-12059037 | title = Tommy Sheridan found guilty of perjury |work=BBC News |date=23 December 2010 |access-date=7 January 2011}}</ref> on 23 December 2010. The case was the longest perjury trial in Scottish history.
* In 2008 in the invasion of privacy case ''[[Mosley v News Group Newspapers]] Limited'' the President of the [[Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile|FIA]] [[Max Mosley]] challenged the ''News of the World'' which had alleged on 30 March 2008 that he had been involved in a [[sadomasochistic]] sex act involving several female prostitutes, when they published a video of the incident recorded by one of the women, and published details of the incident. The case resulted in Mosley being awarded £60,000 in damages.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}
* In 2009 [[Barry George]], a man who had been falsely convicted of murdering television presenter [[Jill Dando]], won a libel claim filed against the publisher of the ''News of the World'' after the paper fabricated quotes to suggest he had stalked other women.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2009/dec/16/barry-george-news-of-world|title=Barry George wins libel damages from News of the World and the Sun|website=The Guardian|last=Laville|first=Sandra|date=16 December 2009}}</ref>
* In January 2010, [[Norwich City Football Club]] started legal proceedings against the ''News of the World'' after they published an article, "Canaries on Brink" on 24 January 2010 claiming that the club had begun the processes of going into administration.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/norfolk/8492302.stm |title=Norwich City sue News of the World over 'debt' story |work=BBC News |date=1 February 2010 |access-date=14 March 2010}}</ref>
* In February 2010, actor [[Brad Pitt]] and his partner, actress [[Angelina Jolie]] made plans to sue the ''News of the World'' after it published allegations about their [[Brangelina|relationship]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8505035.stm |title=Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt sue newspaper |work=BBC News |date=8 February 2010 |access-date=14 March 2010}}</ref>
* In June 2011, the UK Press Complaint Commission (PCC) gave [[Yasir Hameed]], a Pakistani cricketer, a victory by ordering the ''News of the World'' to remove a video and story about him from its website.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/pakistan/content/story/519089.html |title=Hameed gets partial newspaper victory |work=ESPN-Cricinfo |date=14 June 2011}}</ref>
* Also in 2011, Polish footballer [[Artur Boruc]] won an out-of-court settlement against the ''News of the World'' after the newspaper made false allegations that he was unfaithful to his girlfriend. Boruc was paid £70,000 and a full apology was issued.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-13816394 Artur Boruc 'elaborate sting' fooled News of the World], ''BBC News''.</ref>

== Awards ==
[[The Press Awards|The British Press Awards]]:<ref>''[[Press Gazette]]'', [http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/hybrid.asp?typeCode=99&navcode=92# Roll of Honour] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616181807/http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/hybrid.asp?typeCode=99&navcode=92%23 |date=16 June 2011 }}. Retrieved 24 July 2011.</ref>
* "Newspaper of the Year" (2005)
* "Scoop of the Year" (2000, 'Archer quits'; 2005, 'Beckham's secret affair'; 2011, 'Cricket corruption'<ref>{{Cite web |title=Press Awards |url=http://www.pressawards.org.uk/page-view.php?pagename=Scoop-of-the-Year |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120322093541/http://www.pressawards.org.uk/page-view.php?pagename=Scoop-of-the-Year |archive-date=22 March 2012 |access-date=24 July 2011}}</ref>)
* "Front Page of the Year" (2004, 'Huntley in his cell')
* "Reporter of the Year" ([[Gary Jones (journalist)|Gary Jones]], 1995,<ref>Jon Slattery, ''[[Press Gazette]]'', 8 April 2005, [https://archive.today/20120909061004/http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=30072&sectioncode=1 back Issues 08.04.05: Insight team wins two awards.]</ref> [[Mazher Mahmood]], 1999,<ref name="Indp539589">{{Cite news |last=Brown |first=Jonathan |date=3 June 2003 |title=The award-winning 'fake sheikh' who terrifies the rich and famous |work=The Independent |location=London |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/the-awardwinning-fake-sheikh-who-terrifies-the-rich-and-famous-107311.html |access-date=10 September 2023}}</ref> 2011<ref>{{Cite web |last=Deans |first=Jason |date=6 Apr 2011 |title=Guardian, Times and NoW win big at Press Awards |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2011/apr/06/guardian-times-win-big-press-awards-2011 |website=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref>)

== See also ==
{{portal|Journalism}}
* ''[[Sun On Sunday]]''
* [[News media phone hacking scandal reference lists]]
* [[Metropolitan police role in phone hacking scandal]]
* [[Rebekah Brooks]] (Current [[CEO]] of [[News UK]])
* [[Operation Weeting]]
* [[Junk food news]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|News of the World}}
* {{Official website|http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/}} inactive.
* [http://www.life.com/gallery/62551/news-of-the-world-back-in-the-day#index/0 ''News of the World'': Back in the Day] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714040438/http://www.life.com/gallery/62551/news-of-the-world-back-in-the-day#index/0 |date=14 July 2011 }} slideshow by ''[[Life magazine]]''
*{{NYTtopic|organizations/n/news_of_the_world}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071120141114/http://news.independent.co.uk/media/article346268.ece How the 'Screws' screwed its rivals] [[Tim Luckhurst]], ''[[The Independent]]'', 19 February 2006
* [http://boycott-notw.com/ Social Media Campaign on Phone Hacking Scandal] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710022700/http://boycott-notw.com/ |date=10 July 2011 }}. 7 July 2011.

{{News UK}}
{{2011 News Corporation scandal}}
{{Defunct UK newspapers}}
{{Media in the United Kingdom|newsmag}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:News of the World| ]]
[[Category:News Corporation subsidiaries]]
[[Category:Newspapers established in 1843]]
[[Category:Newspapers disestablished in 2011]]
[[Category:1843 establishments in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:2011 disestablishments in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Supermarket tabloids]]
[[Category:Defunct Sunday newspapers published in the United Kingdom]]