Murdoch to address staff over crisis at Sun newspaper

Feb 17, 2012, 11:04 GMT

London - Media mogul Rupert Murdoch was in London Friday to calm fears over the future of one of his best-selling tabloid newspapers following corruption allegations against top journalists.

Murdoch, 80, flew into Britain late Thursday and was due to speak to staff later at the headquarters of News International (NI), his British operations in Wapping, east London.

A total of 10 Sun journalists have been arrested - and bailed - since last year over a police investigation into allegations that corrupt payments were made to public officials in exchange for information.

After the arrest of five senior journalists and executives at the weekend - all of whom have been freed on bail - Murdoch said there was no question that he would remain committed to the Sun, a tabloid with a daily circulation of 2.7 million.

Journalists on the paper have been angered by the cooperation of News International with the police investigation, which they have described as 'betrayal.'

A committee set up by Murdoch last year, in the wake of the huge phone-hacking scandal, is said to have supplied police with millions of emails for their corruption investigation.

Meanwhile, the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has raised concern over the threat to press freedom in connection with the crisis.

The NUJ said news organizations had a duty to protect their sources, and did not rule out legal action to challenge News International's conduct in the affair.