Phone hacking: 'Humbled' Murdoch denies blame

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Rupert Murdoch: "This is the most humble day of my life"
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Phone-hacking scandal

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Rupert Murdoch has said he cannot be held responsible for the scandal at the News of the World, saying he was let down by "people I trusted".

The News Corp boss said he was not aware of the extent of phone hacking there and had "clearly" been misled by some of his staff.

But he said he was "humbled" to have to explain his firm's conduct to MPs.

His son James apologised to victims, saying hacking was "inexcusable" and a "matter of great regret".

Rupert Murdoch's appearance before the Commons media committee is the first time he has faced direct scrutiny by MPs during his 40-year media UK career.

Faced with a series of questions from Labour MP Tom Watson, Mr Murdoch paused extensively and his son James made several attempts to intervene.

However. Mr Watson made clear that he wanted to hear answers from the father - whose wife Wendy was in the audience - and not the son.

He added: "Your father is responsible for corporate governance and serious wrongdoing has been brought about in the company.

"It is revealing in itself what he does not know and what executives chose not to tell him."
'Humbled'

Rupert Murdoch said his questioning by MPs - which are investigating alleged criminal behaviour at the News of the World and what senior executives knew - was the "most humble day of my life".

The News Corp boss said he was not aware of the extent of phone hacking at the company until earlier this year when it handed over new information to the police - triggering a new inquiry.
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“Start Quote

I was absolutely shocked, appalled and ashamed when I heard about the Milly Dowler case two weeks ago”

End Quote Rupert Murdoch

* Nick Robinson: Inside the hearing
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"I was absolutely shocked, appalled and ashamed when I heard about the Milly Dowler case two weeks ago," he told MPs.

Arguing that he ran a global business of 53,000 people and the paper was "just 1%" of this, he said he was not ultimately responsible for what went at the News of the World.

Asked who was responsible for this he said: "The people I trusted to run it and maybe the people they trusted".

Mr Murdoch said he was focused on his US newspaper interests and that he had "perhaps lost sight" of what was going on at the paper, saying he spoke to the editor "very seldom".

James Murdoch, chairman of News International, said the firm failed to live up to "the standards they aspired to" and was "determined to put things right and make sure they do not happen again".

He added: "I would like to say just how sorry I am and how sorry we are to particularly the victims of illegal voicemail interceptions and to their families."
'Lost sight'

The two men are being questioned about what they knew about phone hacking at the News of the World and whether MPs and the police were misled about the extent of it.

Rupert Murdoch said he had not been made awa