Lights go out all over the News of the World, and flicker fitfully over David Cameron, the Metropolitan Police, and Rupert Murdoch.
"Thank You and Goodbye" was the headline of Britain's News of the World on Sunday. After 168 years, amid an escalating scandal of phone hacking, the country's biggest selling newspaper published its last issue. With the final edition of the tabloid in hand, News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch descended on London today to face the growing scandal that prompted the paper's closure.
In Britain, devotees of the tabloid are wistful, the guilty pleasure paper will be no more. Lets take a look at some of the front pages of the NOTW over its 168 year reign.
On August 7th,1910, NOTW recorded the lead up to the arrest of Dr Hawley Harvey Crippen - as he tried to flee to the US with his lover .
On April 21st,1912, NOTW documented the tragedy and terror of the affected crew and passengers of the Titanics Maiden Voyage.
On September 10th,1939, NOTW documented that Britain had declared war on Nazi Germany and were preparing for a conflict of "three years or more."
On August 11, 1963, just three days after one of the most famous robberies in British history, NOTW told just how the gang including Bruce Reynolds, Gordon Goody, Charlie Wilson and Ronald "Buster" Edwards - managed to nick £2.6million.
On February 24th, 1981, A special late edition of the News of the World told how the ground offensive in Gulf War One had dramatically begun with Allied tanks and troops surging into Kuwait. The hunt for Saddam Hussein began.
On August 31st,1997 shocked reporters of NOTW wrote about the passing of the People's Princess, aged just 36, in a car crash in Paris.
On June 4th, 2000, NOTW documented the Queen and Camillas first public meeting, where the queen gave the couple her blessing.
On July 23rd, 2000, following the murder of eight-year-old Sarah Payne by a convicted paedophile, the News of the World warned readers about the names and locations of child sex offenders in Britain .
On March 31st, 2002, NOTW documented the death of the Queen Mother, aged 101, with a special tribute edition devoted to 'Marathon Ma'am'.
On April 4th, 2004, in a headline that rocked the world, NOTW revealed that football golden balls-Beckham had been having a secret affair with Rebecca Loos.
On January 11th, 2009 the NOTW revealed a scandal on Prince Harry racially abusing Asian army comrades. The soldier prince called Ahmed Raza Khan a "paki" and labelled another "a raghead".
On August 2nd, 2009- NOTW took scoops too far taking photos of where Michael Jackson had died- no time for grieving when NOTW are around.
On August 16th, 2009 NOTW celeb footage showed Katona hoovering up a line of coke in the bathroom of her Cheshire home while her kids played downstairs.
On June 5th, 2011 the extent of Ryan Giggs' betrayal of his wife Stacey and his brother Rhodri was revealed by NOTW. Giggs' eight- year affair with sister-in-law Natasha came to light after he tried to keep quiet his fling.
On July 10th, 2011 the final issue of NOTW is published. In an article entitled "Old the page" the first front page is re-published, the issue also includes a list of 250 crooks and paedos caught out by NOTW. The issue includes a piece called "Thankyou all- remember the times we did you proud" and a sport nostalgia called "simply the best." The final words are "Goodbye to our millions of readers- you've been world class too!"
While the circumstances have left NOTW slated by recent circumstance- it is still a sad end of an era. The clear outline from the front pages shows a decent from hard-hitting news to celeb scandal- which unfortunately took hold of NOTW. Never-the-less it is a sad fair-well to the guilty pleasure paper.
Goodbye News of the World!
-ZB
0 comments:
Post a Comment