News of the World: What They Said to Subscribers

After News Corporation's deputy COO James Murdoch announced Thursday that The News of the World will print its last edition Sunday, the newspaper sent an email explaining the decision to subscribers Friday. 

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While promoting its "proud history of fighting crime," the letter also addressed the recent scandals that instigated the closure, saying, "in recent times the good things that the News of the World have done have been sullied by behaviour that was wrong and inexcusable."

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NOTW plans to make its subscriber-based website free on Sunday and credit the accounts of subscribers' who have paid for access. The letter also says the advertising space will be donated to charities and the revenue generated from the paper's final edition "will go to organizations that improve life in Britain and are devoted to treating others with dignity." 

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The new mea culpa comes on the same day News Corp. executive Rebekah Brooks announced she has no plans to step down amidst the paper's growing phone-tapping and out-of-court payment scandals. 

Read the full email below: 

Dear [subscriber],

It is with great regret that we write to inform you that after 168 years we will publish the final edition of the News of the World this Sunday.

You will know that the paper has a proud history of fighting crime, exposing wrong-doing and regularly setting the news agenda for the nation.

However, in recent times the good things that the News of the World have done have been sullied by behaviour that was wrong and inexcusable.

As a result, the very difficult decision to close down the paper and notw.co.uk has been made.

Advertising space in this last edition of the paper will be donated to good causes and charities and all revenues will go to organisations that improve life in Britain and are devoted to treating others with dignity.  

As a result of this decision, notw.co.uk will be open to the public for free for our final edition on Sunday 10th July.  If you have already paid for access to the sites for this weekend and have outstanding credit on your account, we will contact you shortly and arrange a refund within the next 28 days.

If you have any other questions please email help@notw.co.uk

Thank you for reading the News of the World.

Yours sincerely,

The News of the World

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