Piers Morgan runs into flak in US as magazines question fierce support for Murdoch
Rupert Murdoch made Piers Morgan editor of the News of the World at 28. Now American commentators are questioning Piers's fierce loyalty to the man who gave him his big chance.
The first comment by Adweek magazine, referred to Piers's appearance on Wolf Blitzer's Situation Room on CNN, where he also roundly rejected as lies a claim by MP Louise Mensch that he admitted phone hacking in his book The Insider.
Morgan did NOT defend the phone hacking at the heart of the current controversy but added, “I’ve known Rupert and James Murdoch for a very long time. Rupert Murdoch made me one of the youngest editors in Fleet Street history when I was 28. I owe him a lot. I wouldn’t probably be here without his help."
And Morgan "wasn't done gushing," said Adweek. "I also know Rebekah Brooks very well," he said, "One of my oldest friends. And I’m proud to be their friends.
" I don’t think to any neutral observer, that Rupert Murdoch had any personal knowledge of what was going on with this phone hacking. Or James Murdoch for that matter, or Rebekah Brooks.”
The Adweek writer commented that it was "a rare thing for a host on CNN—a network that has defined its brand by news and not opinion—to be so open about his sympathies in an unfolding news story."
However, sources close to the network told Adweek that it would be odd for Morgan NOT to offer personal commentary, seeing as he worked as an editor for Murdoch.
Rival magazine Adage reported that Morgan, who had been largely silent until this week, had attempted to tamp down speculation about his own activities at the News of the World.
Ad Age was not flattering about the Brit who replaced Larry King (and improved on his ratings). The magazine said Mr. Morgan was "a relatively minor figure on U.S. TV these days (he also serves as a judge on NBC's "America's Got Talent").
But the scrutiny he was now under showed how intense the interest had grown in the News Corp. scandal, said Adage.
"Other figures have denied knowledge of phone-hacking practices and have yet been brought to account, which may illumine the reasons why speculation about Mr. Morgan has yet to ebb," said Adage .
The magazine suggested if Mr. Morgan was "subsumed by the furore," it would prove a major annoyance to Time Warner's CNN.
Ad Age said a tweet about the News Corp stock price rising during the parliamentary appearance "made it sound as if he was cheering for Mr. Murdoch.
"Strong finish by Rupert," Piers wrote. "Love him or hate him, does anyone genuinely think he's a crook or condoned crime? Because I don't."