Rupert Murdoch Is Launching A New Sunday Edition Of The Sun

Rupert Murdoch is officially launching a new Sunday paper, according to an email he sent to his staff — following the arrest of five Sun journalists allegedly linked to illegal payments to police. The Sun on Sunday will replace News of the World, a Murdoch-owned tabloid that became a casualty of the phone-hacking scandal over the summer.

In his email (which the Guardian published in full), Murdoch said:

We will obey the law. Illegal activities simply cannot and will not be tolerated – at any of our publications. Our board of directors, our management team and I take these issues very seriously.
[…]
We are doing everything we can to assist those who were arrested – all suspensions are hereby lifted until or whether charged and they are welcome to return to work. News Corporation will cover their legal expenses. Everyone is innocent unless proven otherwise.

He added that having “a winning paper is the best answer to our critics.” The paper’s staff has been angry over the arrest, which, according to CNN, they “have likened to a witch-hunt.”

Murdoch underlined his “unwavering” support of his staff, and touted their “exceptional journalism.” The Sun on Sunday will launch “very soon.”

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