Did computer hacking destroy ONdigital?

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Part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation empire employed computer hacking to undermine the business of its chief TV rival in Britain, according to evidence due to be broadcast by BBC1's Panorama programme at 20:30 on BBC1 this Monday.

The allegations stem from apparently incriminating emails the programme-makers have obtained, and on-screen descriptions for the first time from two of the people said to be involved, a German hacker and the operator of a pirate website secretly controlled by a Murdoch company.

The witnesses allege a software company NDS, owned by News Corp, cracked the smart card codes of rival company ONdigital. ONdigital, owned by the ITV companies Granada and Carlton, eventually went under amid a welter of counterfeiting by pirates, leaving the immensely lucrative pay-TV field clear for Sky.(The Guardian)

News Corporation certainly benefitted from the demise of ONdigital and does appear to have form in the hacking business.

 

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Just watched Panorama - actually the program seems pretty damned convincing - feel free to watch it on iPlayer and try to explain where it has got it wrong.

A Murdoch controlled company in Israel called NDS which appears to specialise in hacking is alleged to have been behind the whole thing.

I simply can't see how the Tories can allow Murdoch to increase his holding in BSkyB . . . still Cameron will undoubtedly want to mend fences with the Dirty Digger

 

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The "proof" was the presenter taking the fat hacker blokes word as fact and calling anyone at NDS liars.

It may well be true, but the presenter stating it all as fact doesn't make it so. Was very poorly put together.

I have no doubt that this is another case of the BBC's legal department making a dreadful mistake and that they will be hearing from Messers Sue, Grabbit & Runne first thing on Tuesday morning . . . . . or not.


Don't News Corp own 20th Century Fox? I guess that they will have no problem with people pirating The Simpsons, Family Guy, etc., etc., etc.

I think that they also own a music business but that nobody is ever likely to want to pirate their rubbish.

 

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And at this point it becomes obvious that you haven't watched the programme ...

You seem surprised

Lolph NEVER allows evidence to get in the way of his unwavering support of any tax-dodging entrepreneur and Tory backer; look at his refusal to admit that News International were involved in any shady activities and his insistence that Cameron made a shrewd appointment when he accepted Coulson as his Propaganda Supremo.

Lolph already knew the answer within the first minute of the program beginning

I do not believe that NDS were the first to do it, even if they did. ...

Is your "belief" based on anything in particular? Have you conducted many interviews with any of the players as Panorama did? Perhaps NDS has released details of earlier successful hacking attempts have they?

... The encryption was widely and easily crackable with automated tools before then.

Was it . . . really . . . easily?


As I posted last night, I have no doubt that News Corp & NDS will have had their lawyers on the case for a while now and we will soon hear an unequivocal, sincere apology from the BBC

 

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No unequivocal, sincere apology from the BBC yet, quite extraordinary

 

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It seems that the same allegations of encouraging piracy are now being investigated in the Dirty Digger's beloved homeland

 

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Judging by tweets today, it seems that my forecast war between the BBC and the Dirty Digger's lawyers is about to kick off:

Seems every competitor and enemy piling on with lies and libels. So bad, easy to hit back hard, which preparing.

and

Enemies many different agendas, but worst old toffs and right wingers who still want last century's status quo with their monoplies.

Although in view of the Sunday Times sting on Tory party corruption, it may be that the reference to "old toffs and right wingers" is a reference to Tory-boy Dave and his chums


You do have to laugh at Murdoch's tongue-in-cheek reference to monopolies

 

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I knew 2 of them in real life and they used to be into all sorts of stuff before On Digital. ...

So, who did you know then, was it one of the Pauls, one of the Bates, Mark or Jason?

Do you know whether they ever succeeded in hacking and selling Sky smart cards? Just wundrin' . . .

 

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James Murdoch is to step down as chairman of BSkyB. (The Grauniad)

I do hope that Ofcom don't let the Dirty Digger off so easily.