[July 06, 2011] Ford drops ads from News of the World after reports of phone hacking Tweet Jul 06, 2011 (Detroit Free Press - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Ford has stopped advertising in Rupert Murdoch's News of the World after reports the British tabloid hacked the mobile phone of a teenage girl who was abducted and killed in 2002. "We are awaiting an outcome from the News of the World investigation, and we expect a speedy and decisive response," Ford said in a statement. "Pending this response, we will be using alternative media within and outside News International Group." That group of Murdoch's British properties also includes the Times of London and the Sun. It's a unit of Murdoch's global News Corp. empire, whose U.S. properties range from Fox broadcasting to the Wall Street Journal and the New York Post. Ford's move came as British Prime Minister David Cameron said Tuesday that he's shocked by allegations the tabloid hacked into Milly Dowler's cell phone after she disappeared. "If they are true, this is a truly dreadful act and a truly dreadful situation," he said. At the scandal's center is News of the World Editor Rebekah Brooks, who is under public criticism after the newspaper's interception of voice mail messages belonging to celebrities and other public figures. Levi Bellfield, who already was serving a life sentence for two other murders, was convicted of Dowler's slaying two weeks ago. USA TODAY contributed to this report. To see more of the Detroit Free Press, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.freep.com Copyright (c) 2011, Detroit Free Press Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]