Sources : Murdoch says he would have torn News of the World apart if he knew more in 2007 . The media baron says he closed the tabloid out of ` ` . '' He denies responsibility for the cover - up of phone tapping . The scandal has forced News Corp. to pay hundreds of thousands of pounds in compensation to the victims of phone hacking . Murdoch says the scandal has been ` ` a serious blot '' on his reputation .
Sources : Murdoch says he would have torn News of the World apart if he knew more in 2007 . The media baron says he closed the tabloid out of ` ` . '' He denies responsibility for the cover - up of phone tapping . Murdoch says the scandal has been ` ` a serious blot '' on his reputation .