News Corp. Editors Had Been Aware of Phone Hacking Since '07

News of the World executives may have been aware of widespread phone hacking at the U.K. tabloid since 2007, U.K. lawmaker Damian Collins said, citing a letter by former royal reporter Clive Goodman. Goodman wrote that hacking was discussed at editorial conferences in a letter in which he was suing for unfair dismissal, Collins said in an interview today. Goodman is the only journalist from the newspaper who has been jailed for phone hacking. Parliament’s Culture, Media and Sport Committee examined responses from former News Corp. employees and found “devastating revelations.”

News Corp COO James Murdoch is likely to be called back to testify again before the Media Committee. Among the conflicts, some former News of the World and News Intl. editorial and legal executives say James Murdoch was more informed than he claims about pertinent details, including the reason for making a high-end settlement with a hacking victim.