The closure of the News of the World was brought about by the explosion of the phone-hacking scandal when it was revealed that it had hacked the mobile phone of MillyDowler

        All of these revelations, including other controversial issues linked to the tabloid, show the unethical practices done by NOTW journalists who, according to reports, had bribed police for information and had hired private investigators or “private eyes” who were accused of hacking mobile phones of thousands of people of interest. Resorting to such ways of getting information just to publish few more stories is evidence that people working on NOTW didn’t care much about ethics. As a result, the iconic news brand was subjected to heavy scrutiny around the world. This must be the point of these all, that what the NOTW had faced and had received must be a good reminder to all the press across that planet of their ethics.

        In a world where there is now a decline in print and rise of the web, the press is being placed under pressure to struggle for its survival and compete with other available media. But the competition must not be taken as the number of readers and/or listeners. Competition must be taken as how each media practice ethics or high standards in coming up with reports and stories. Gathering information is, indeed, a difficult task, but its difficulty must not be a reason for journalists to resort to illegal and unethical practices. Treated by people as the agents who monitor and report what is truth and what is happening, journalists must be the model of truth themselves. They should not involve themselves to amoral hacks and underground network with corrupt policemen and evil private eyes. Hailed as the watchdogs of a nation, journalists should not only monitor the performance of the government but also monitor their performance in reporting.

        At the end of the day, neither the phone-hacking scandal nor the other controversial issues thrown to the News of the World will count. What will or what must count are the lessons and the reminder that the tabloid has brought about. Every journalist must realize that what the world needs are journalists who have credible voices and who practice their code of ethics in keeping the print media operating. For in the end, it will not be the longevity of survival that will matter. It will be the reputation, ethics and standard practiced within those years of survival.