Rupert Murdoch flies to Britain to tackle fresh newspaper crisis

Feb 16, 2012, 15:43 GMT

London - International media mogul Rupert Murdoch was due to arrive in Britain Thursday to take charge of the latest crisis involving one of his leading newspaper titles.

The 80-year-old tycoon is expected to address staff at the tabloid Sun newspaper Friday, following the arrest of five senior journalists at the paper in connection with corruption allegations.

The five men, including some in senior positions at the paper, have since been released on bail. The arrests brought to 10 the total number of Sun journalists questioned over 'corrupt payments to the police and public officials' since last November.

In an initial response to the arrests, Murdoch dismissed fresh speculation over the future of the Sun, a tabloid with a daily circulation of 2.7 million.

He remained totally committed 'to continue to own and publish' the newspaper, a spokesman for Murdoch said. However, the media tycoon has also repeatedly stressed that his company, News Corporation, has no choice but to cooperate with the police in the current investigations.

The arrests at the Sun, which have been sharply condemned by fellow journalists at the paper, followed last year's phone hacking scandal at the News of the World, another of Murdoch's papers, which was subsequently closed down by him.

The Australian-born magnate, who has US citizenship, also owns the Times newspaper in Britain. He withdrew a bid for the full takeover of BSkyB news channel at the height of the furore over the phone hacking scandal in the summer of 2011.