Sky News reporters angered by email audit over possible malpractice
Reporters at Sky News have reacted angrily to an investigation being mounted by their employers, BSkyB, into illegal news gathering methods.
The investigation has seen a team of outside lawyers employed to trawl their emails in a bid to allow the firm to categorically deny any allegations of similar wrongdoing to that undertaken by elements of News International.
Controversially, the searches will focus on half a dozen senior journalists who routinely break stories – trawling through their email traffic for the past five years.
The audit has been initiated by John Riley, the head of Sky news, who stressed: “There has been no suggestion of any impropriety at Sky News. We remain committed to the highest standards.”
News International owner Rupert Murdoch is BSkyB’s largest shareholder.