[July 24, 2011] Commentary: Who else should sit on "defendant's seat" for phone-hacking scandal Tweet BEIJING, Jul 24, 2011 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- As more media executives, police officers and politicians were involved in the phone-hacking scandal, people cannot help but ask who should be held responsible for the scandal that greatly outraged the public. The primary defendants, for sure, are those unethical media and their personnel. Preliminary investigation indicates phone-hacking conducted by the News of the World is by no means accidental and the tabloid is not alone in resorting to such dirty practice. U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation is reportedly probing into similar cases by other British news organizations. Also should be blamed is the profit-making nature of the Western media, which would stop at nothing to push up circulations or ratings with sensational scoops. Driven by cut-throat competition, some Western media have made illegal eavesdropping their standard practice. Just as U.S. scholar Robert McChesney put it, "In today's media, the power is purely in the hands of commercial interests. Reporters and editors have no power except that which they're granted by the owners." Indeed, it is the system of Western media that gives rise to such phone-hacking scandals. Contrary to Western media's alleged absolute independence from the executive and judiciary branches of the government, top News Corporation executives have kept close ties with British Prime Minister David Cameron as well as other previous governments, according to British media. Meanwhile, U.S. media reported that some U.S. congressmen, including House Speaker John Boehner, had allegedly received donations from News Corporation. Ironically, when asked about his frequent meetings with British prime ministers at the parliamentary hearing, News Corporation chief Rupert Murdoch was quoted as saying that he would rather not to be bothered by them. This may well give the public a glimpse into the complicated relationship between politicians and the media in the West. Their close interdependence has led to media's coverup of government's wrongdoing and the government's tacit consent of media's malpractice. It is these inherent and underlying ailments that caused phone-hacking scandals. Without tackling these fundamental causes, scandals like these only served to trigger some political and business uproars, and then end up with the punishment of a few implicated journalists. The ongoing News Corporation's phone-hackling scandal seems to follow the similar scenario. A political haggling is unfolding in Britain, and the media empire of News Corporation is shaken to its foundation by forces from many parts of the world. Yet, the public can only act as onlookers and the victims may not get the real care they deserve. Someone will have to pay dearly and stand for trial for their crimes in this shocking scandal. But pitifully, the journalistic concept and system that have led to these scandals in the Western media are again absent from the defendant's seat. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]