http://www.news.com.au/world/rupert-murdoch-faces-media-ethics-inquiry/story-e6f...Rupert Murdoch faces media ethics inquiry
RUPERT Murdoch has declared he had "never asked a prime minster for anything" as the UK inquiry into media ethics claimed its first political scalp.
The media mogul denied that he had an "aura" of influence and welcomed the opportunity at the Leveson Inquiry to put some "myths to bed" on his first day of giving evidence at the Royal Courts of Justice.
"I take a particular pride that we have never pushed our political interests in our newspapers," he said.
Counsel Robert Jay QC asked the News Corp chairman if his mere presence was enough to influence politicians and that he never had to directly ask politicians for what he wanted.
"I try very hard to set an example of ethical behaviour and I make clear I expect it," he said.
"Aura or charisma? I don't think so."
As Mr Murdoch provided his testimony, an aide for Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt stepped down.
Adviser Adam Smith paid the price following revelations from the inquiry yesterday that he provided regular, private briefings to News Corp on the proposed BSkyB takeover.
Mr Hunt was in charge of the bid until Mr Murdoch abandoned his plans in the dramatic fall-out from the phone-hacking scandal at the now-defunct News of the World.
Mr Murdoch, 81, was afforded more regular breaks at the inquiry because of his age while wife Wendi Deng sat in the public gallery to support him.
Mr Murdoch denied rumours that he was angry at Prime Minister David Cameron for setting up the wide-ranging inquiry.
Mr Murdoch has been criticised for years for having too much influence within both of Britain's major political parties.
Those concerns have been heightened by the close ties between Mr Cameron and controversial past and present Murdoch employees such as former spin doctor Andy Coulson and newspaper executive Rebekah Brooks.
The inquiry has shifted its focus towards the relationship between the press and politicians, with Mr Murdoch admitting that politicians or third parties for them "typically initiated" meetings with him.
"I go to an election every day. People can stop buying my newspapers any time and often do. It is only natural for politicians to reach out to editors and sometimes proprietors, if they are available, to explain what they are doing and hope that makes an impression and that gets through.
"I am only one of several. I am still only one of several, and I think we have seen that over the past few days."
He denounced phone-hacking and said that public figures had less rights to privacy than the average person.
"I don't believe in using hacking, in using private detectives or whatever, that's a lazy way of reporters not doing their job," he said.
"But I think it is fair when people have themselves held up as iconic figures or great actors that they be looked at.
"A lot of these people are very big in the lives of ordinary people, big television stars, film stars, and, of course, I must include politicians.
"If we are getting into the issue of privacy, people with public responsibilities, I would even include press proprietors in that, I don't think they are entitled to the same privacy as the ordinary man in the street.
"If we are going to have a transparent society, let's have everything out there."
He said News Corp shareholders would like him to get rid of all his newspapers but that kept hold of them because he loved them.
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