Glossary of Corruption

LONDON — With a political firestorm cascading over the British government’s ties to his media empire, Rupert Murdoch faced rare public scrutiny about his relationships with elected officials on Wednesday, seeking to deflect suggestions that he sought to use his links to powerful public figures to further corporate commercial interests.

LONDON — With a political firestorm cascading over the British government’s ties to his media empire, Rupert Murdoch faced rare public scrutiny about his relationships with elected officials on Wednesday, seeking to deflect suggestions that he sought to use his links to powerful public figures to further corporate commercial interests.

His appearance at the so-called Leveson inquiry came a day after testimony implicated a senior cabinet minister, or at least an aide claiming to speak for him, in a covert effort to win approval for his company’s $12 billion bid to take over the BSkyB network.

His appearance at the so-called Leveson inquiry came a day after testimony implicated a senior cabinet minister, or at least an aide claiming to speak for him, in a covert effort to win approval for his company’s $12 billion bid to take over the BSkyB network.

His appearance at the so-called Leveson inquiry came a day after testimony implicated a senior cabinet minister, or at least an aide claiming to speak for him, in a covert effort to win approval for his company’s $12 billion bid to take over the BSkyB network.

A trove of e-mails, released at the same inquiry on Tuesday, pointed to hand-in-glove collaboration between a lobbyist for Mr. Murdoch’s News Corporation and the office of Culture Minister Jeremy Hunt, the official designated to pass judgment on the Murdoch proposal for full control of BSkyB.

But during a raucous and confrontational session of Parliament on Wednesday, Mr. Hunt rejected opposition calls for his resignation and denied that he had acted improperly toward Mr. Murdoch.

But during a raucous and confrontational session of Parliament on Wednesday, Mr. Hunt rejected opposition calls for his resignation and denied that he had acted improperly toward Mr. Murdoch.

He also assailed the Labour opposition over its own ties to Mr. Murdoch, particularly those of former Prime Minister Tony Blair, underscoring the importance that successive British administrations have attached to securing the endorsement of Mr. Murdoch’s tabloid daily, The Sun, for their electoral aspirations.

He also assailed the Labour opposition over its own ties to Mr. Murdoch, particularly those of former Prime Minister Tony Blair, underscoring the importance that successive British administrations have attached to securing the endorsement of Mr. Murdoch’s tabloid daily, The Sun, for their electoral aspirations.

He also assailed the Labour opposition over its own ties to Mr. Murdoch, particularly those of former Prime Minister Tony Blair, underscoring the importance that successive British administrations have attached to securing the endorsement of Mr. Murdoch’s tabloid daily, The Sun, for their electoral aspirations.

The BSkyB deal, which would have crowned Mr. Murdoch’s 60-year media career, was scuttled last year as the scandal over illicit phone hacking at his British newspapers exploded, and now appears out of his reach for years, if not permanently.

The BSkyB deal, which would have crowned Mr. Murdoch’s 60-year media career, was scuttled last year as the scandal over illicit phone hacking at his British newspapers exploded, and now appears out of his reach for years, if not permanently.

The BSkyB deal, which would have crowned Mr. Murdoch’s 60-year media career, was scuttled last year as the scandal over illicit phone hacking at his British newspapers exploded, and now appears out of his reach for years, if not permanently.

Much of the questioning centered on meetings with British political leaders and the pledges Mr. Murdoch had made not to influence his newspapers’ editorial policies.

He acknowledged meetings, dinners and shared quips with a series of prime ministers, but sought to dismiss suggestions that he wielded any influence.

“I don’t know many politicians,” he said, on one of many occasions on which he denied allegations from Mr. Jay that his newspapers supported politicians whose policies might offer him some commercial benefit.

“I don’t know many politicians,” he said, on one of many occasions on which he denied allegations from Mr. Jay that his newspapers supported politicians whose policies might offer him some commercial benefit.

As to suggestions that his power might be more subtle than such obvious exchanges, he responded, “I’m afraid I don’t have much subtlety about me.”

As to suggestions that his power might be more subtle than such obvious exchanges, he responded, “I’m afraid I don’t have much subtlety about me.”

On occasions, he seemed laconic and cautious in his responses to Mr. Jay, mildly disputing suggestions that he ran his companies as a charismatic figure.

But Mr. Murdoch seemed keen to rebut allegations that he had sought political cover for his entry into the British newspaper market.

The Murdoch newspapers in Britain also include The Sun and the now defunct News of the World, a Sunday tabloid, which Mr. Murdoch closed last July as it emerged as the epicenter of the hacking scandal.

As the media tycoon smoothly parried questions at the inquiry, Britain’s political leaders played out a noisy drama in Parliament and elsewhere, with the Labour opposition seeking to pile pressure on the government by depicting Tuesday’s disclosures at the Leveson hearings as only the latest in a catalog of errors.

As the media tycoon smoothly parried questions at the inquiry, Britain’s political leaders played out a noisy drama in Parliament and elsewhere, with the Labour opposition seeking to pile pressure on the government by depicting Tuesday’s disclosures at the Leveson hearings as only the latest in a catalog of errors.

Mr. Hunt, the beleaguered minister, insisted to reporters on Wednesday that he behaved “scrupulously fairly” and “with total integrity” in the BSkyB negotiations.

Mr. Hunt, the beleaguered minister, insisted to reporters on Wednesday that he behaved “scrupulously fairly” and “with total integrity” in the BSkyB negotiations.

Prime Minister David Cameron said on Tuesday that he had “full confidence” in Mr. Hunt and repeated that assurance to Parliament on Wednesday.

The political furor over Mr. Hunt erupted after James Murdoch, the media tycoon’s son, testified at the Leveson inquiry for five hours on Tuesday.

Mr. Murdoch has been in London since last Thursday, conferring with a coterie of advisers, lawyers and communications consultants behind closed doors.

Over the last year, the ever-growing scandal has exposed unsavory and sometimes illegal interlocking ties among figures in the government, political leadership, law enforcement and News International, the British newspaper arm of Mr. Murdoch’s News Corporation, along with Britain‘s other free-wheeling media outlets.

Over the last year, the ever-growing scandal has exposed unsavory and sometimes illegal interlocking ties among figures in the government, political leadership, law enforcement and News International, the British newspaper arm of Mr. Murdoch’s News Corporation, along with Britain‘s other free-wheeling media outlets.

Over the last year, the ever-growing scandal has exposed unsavory and sometimes illegal interlocking ties among figures in the government, political leadership, law enforcement and News International, the British newspaper arm of Mr. Murdoch’s News Corporation, along with Britain‘s other free-wheeling media outlets.

The network generates billion-dollar annual profits and is increasingly a serious competitor to the BBC.

Mr. Smith’s e-mails depict Mr. Hunt as an avid supporter of the BSkyB takeover and ready, in effect, to manipulate the approval process in the Murdochs’ favor, in part by giving the lobbyist — and through him, James Murdoch — advance notice of government moves.

Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions, the Prime Minister said: "I think hand on heart, we all did a bit too much cosying up to Rupert Murdoch." --PoliticsHome.com

Media tycoon Rupert Murdoch said he does not believe in journalists using phone hacking or private detectives, calling it "a lazy way of reporters doing their job." --CNN.com