July 29, 2011, 5:13 pm
The New York Times
By JEREMY W. PETERS
Employees of The New York Post, Rupert Murdoch’s irreverent and hard-charging city tabloid, were told Friday to keep any documents they may have that pertain to the kind of illegal activity that has led to numerous arrests and a widening investigation at the News Corporation’s British newspapers.
The paper’s editor, Col Allan, told employees in an e-mail late Friday afternoon that the instructions were being made out of an abundance of caution, not because any illegal acts had been uncovered. Lawyers for News Corporation asked that employees be told they should preserve any such documents or files because of the investigations in London, he said.
“As we watched the news in the U.K. over the last few weeks, we knew that as a News Corporation tabloid, we would be looked at more closely. So this is not unexpected,” he wrote. “I am sorry for any inconvenience caused by this directive. However, given what has taken place in London, it is necessary for us to take this step.”
News Corporation officials would not comment on the matter.
Though Mr. Allan and News Corporation lawyers were adamant that the directive did not indicate that anyone at The Post had broken the law, the move shows just how concerned the company is that it could face a wide-ranging investigation in the United States.
The notice appears to be limited to The Post. Journalists at Mr. Murdoch’s other New York-based newspaper, The Wall Street Journal, did not receive similar instructions.
The memo from Col Allan read:
By now, you have received an email from News Corporation’s in-house legal counsel to preserve and maintain documents.
All New York Post employees have been asked to do this in light of what has gone on in London at News of the World, and not because any recipient has done anything improper or unlawful.
As we watched the news in the U.K. over the last few weeks, we knew that as a News Corporation tabloid, we would be looked at more closely. So this is not unexpected.
I want to stress that your full and absolute cooperation is necessary and you are expected to comply with this direction from our legal department. At the same time, please know we understand and take very seriously your concerns over the protection of legitimate journalistic sources. While we have instituted this hold, we do intend to protect from disclosure all legitimate and lawful journalistic sources in accordance with the law.
I am sorry for any inconvenience caused by this directive. However, given what has taken place in London, it is necessary for us to take this step.
Let me say how grateful I am for the hard work and terrific reporting all of you do here each and every day. The New York Post has a proud history. We will also have a proud future.
Thank you for your professionalism and full cooperation in this matter.
The memo from News Corp. Legal read:
Dear New York Post Colleagues,
As you have undoubtedly seen, there have been press accounts of inquiries into whether employees or agents of News Corporation or its subsidiaries have (a) accessed telephone and/or other personal data of third-parties without authorization, and/or (
made unlawful payments to government officials in order to obtain information. As you also know, these stem from the actions at The News of the World in London, as well as unsourced, unsubstantiated reports in one London tabloid.
Starting today, all employees must preserve and maintain all documents and information that are related in any way to the above mentioned issues.
Please know we are sending this notice not because any recipient has done anything improper or unlawful. However, given what has taken place in London, we believe that taking this step will help to underscore how seriously we are taking this matter.
Here is what is required of you:
Any documents pertaining to unauthorized retrieval of phone or personal data, to payments for information to government officials, or that is related in any way to these issues, must be retained.
Please note that the term “documents” should be construed in its broadest sense, including but not limited to: written material, graphs, charts, files, e-mail, text messages, instant messages, any content in social media, voicemail, tape recordings, microfiche, video and film, handwritten notes, draft documents, memoranda, calendars, card files, appointment books, and the like whether in hard copy or on computer databases, hard drives, desk tops, laptops, thumb drives, disks, backup tapes, or any other storage medium, and regardless of whether the document is located on a company-issued or personal device. It also includes all copies of the same document.
The term “related in any way” should also be applied broadly. If you have any doubt whether a document should be preserved, you should err on the side of preserving it.
You do not need to collect relevant documents. However, if relevant documents are destroyed or otherwise made unavailable, it may prevent the New York Post from protecting its interests and subject you and individual officers or employees of the New York Post to severe sanctions. Any destruction of such documents or information, inadvertent or otherwise, should be reported to the Legal Department.
In sum, effective immediately, and until further notice, you and your staff must comply with the following directive: do not destroy, discard, alter or change any potentially relevant documents as defined above, even if such documents or materials would otherwise be routinely discarded or destroyed in the ordinary course of your business.
Finally, we understand your concerns over the protection of legitimate journalistic sources. We intend to protect from disclosure all legitimate and lawful journalistic sources in accordance with the law.
If you are unsure of the nature or extent of your responsibilities, or if you are aware of additional personnel to whom this memorandum should be sent, please contact Genie Gavenchak in News Corporation’s Legal Department.
The New York Times
By JEREMY W. PETERS
Employees of The New York Post, Rupert Murdoch’s irreverent and hard-charging city tabloid, were told Friday to keep any documents they may have that pertain to the kind of illegal activity that has led to numerous arrests and a widening investigation at the News Corporation’s British newspapers.
The paper’s editor, Col Allan, told employees in an e-mail late Friday afternoon that the instructions were being made out of an abundance of caution, not because any illegal acts had been uncovered. Lawyers for News Corporation asked that employees be told they should preserve any such documents or files because of the investigations in London, he said.
“As we watched the news in the U.K. over the last few weeks, we knew that as a News Corporation tabloid, we would be looked at more closely. So this is not unexpected,” he wrote. “I am sorry for any inconvenience caused by this directive. However, given what has taken place in London, it is necessary for us to take this step.”
News Corporation officials would not comment on the matter.
Though Mr. Allan and News Corporation lawyers were adamant that the directive did not indicate that anyone at The Post had broken the law, the move shows just how concerned the company is that it could face a wide-ranging investigation in the United States.
The notice appears to be limited to The Post. Journalists at Mr. Murdoch’s other New York-based newspaper, The Wall Street Journal, did not receive similar instructions.
The memo from Col Allan read:
By now, you have received an email from News Corporation’s in-house legal counsel to preserve and maintain documents.
All New York Post employees have been asked to do this in light of what has gone on in London at News of the World, and not because any recipient has done anything improper or unlawful.
As we watched the news in the U.K. over the last few weeks, we knew that as a News Corporation tabloid, we would be looked at more closely. So this is not unexpected.
I want to stress that your full and absolute cooperation is necessary and you are expected to comply with this direction from our legal department. At the same time, please know we understand and take very seriously your concerns over the protection of legitimate journalistic sources. While we have instituted this hold, we do intend to protect from disclosure all legitimate and lawful journalistic sources in accordance with the law.
I am sorry for any inconvenience caused by this directive. However, given what has taken place in London, it is necessary for us to take this step.
Let me say how grateful I am for the hard work and terrific reporting all of you do here each and every day. The New York Post has a proud history. We will also have a proud future.
Thank you for your professionalism and full cooperation in this matter.
The memo from News Corp. Legal read:
Dear New York Post Colleagues,
As you have undoubtedly seen, there have been press accounts of inquiries into whether employees or agents of News Corporation or its subsidiaries have (a) accessed telephone and/or other personal data of third-parties without authorization, and/or (
made unlawful payments to government officials in order to obtain information. As you also know, these stem from the actions at The News of the World in London, as well as unsourced, unsubstantiated reports in one London tabloid.Starting today, all employees must preserve and maintain all documents and information that are related in any way to the above mentioned issues.
Please know we are sending this notice not because any recipient has done anything improper or unlawful. However, given what has taken place in London, we believe that taking this step will help to underscore how seriously we are taking this matter.
Here is what is required of you:
Any documents pertaining to unauthorized retrieval of phone or personal data, to payments for information to government officials, or that is related in any way to these issues, must be retained.
Please note that the term “documents” should be construed in its broadest sense, including but not limited to: written material, graphs, charts, files, e-mail, text messages, instant messages, any content in social media, voicemail, tape recordings, microfiche, video and film, handwritten notes, draft documents, memoranda, calendars, card files, appointment books, and the like whether in hard copy or on computer databases, hard drives, desk tops, laptops, thumb drives, disks, backup tapes, or any other storage medium, and regardless of whether the document is located on a company-issued or personal device. It also includes all copies of the same document.
The term “related in any way” should also be applied broadly. If you have any doubt whether a document should be preserved, you should err on the side of preserving it.
You do not need to collect relevant documents. However, if relevant documents are destroyed or otherwise made unavailable, it may prevent the New York Post from protecting its interests and subject you and individual officers or employees of the New York Post to severe sanctions. Any destruction of such documents or information, inadvertent or otherwise, should be reported to the Legal Department.
In sum, effective immediately, and until further notice, you and your staff must comply with the following directive: do not destroy, discard, alter or change any potentially relevant documents as defined above, even if such documents or materials would otherwise be routinely discarded or destroyed in the ordinary course of your business.
Finally, we understand your concerns over the protection of legitimate journalistic sources. We intend to protect from disclosure all legitimate and lawful journalistic sources in accordance with the law.
If you are unsure of the nature or extent of your responsibilities, or if you are aware of additional personnel to whom this memorandum should be sent, please contact Genie Gavenchak in News Corporation’s Legal Department.
