Murdoch back in tabloid mart with ‘Sun on Sunday’
25 Feb 2012
The News of the World, the UK tabloid forced to shut down after a phone hacking scandal seven months ago, will return on Sunday under a new avatar, Sun on Sunday.
Rupert Murdoch, the 80-year-old media baron who controls News International and its UK arm News Corp, has thus unexpectedly taken a fresh plunge into the UK tabloid market after being forced out in ignominy over the scandal, where phones of celebrities, politicians and Buckingham Palace officials were illegally tapped for news 'exclusives'.
In an upbeat Twitter posting on Friday, Murdoch said, "More good Sun news. We're completely sold out for advertising!"
On circulation, he said, ''I will be very happy at anything substantially over two million!''
The first Sunday edition of the Sun newspaper will go on sale for 50 pence, half the price of The News of the World. It will feature stories about soccer and celebrities and competing with publications including the Sunday versions of the Mirror and the Mail for the UK's 8.3 million Sunday newspaper readers.
The News of the World closed after 168 years as advertisers pulled out following an outcry against reporters who had hacked into mobile phones, including that of a murdered schoolgirl. News Corp.