Historical eventJuly 102011

News International phone hacking scandal

Amid widespread backlash to revelations of phone hacking, the British weekly tabloid newspaper News of the World publishes its final issue and shuts down after nearly 168 years in print.

In context

When
Sunday, July 10 201115 years ago
Category
Historical eventA dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
Era
21st century · 2010s
Recorded from
Wikipedia “On this day” feed

At a glance

Dates: From 2011.

What came beforeAI-assisted

News of the World, founded in 1843, became Britain's best-selling Sunday tabloid by the late 20th century. The paper was known for aggressive investigative journalism and celebrity gossip, operating under News Corp ownership since 1969.

Catalyst / how it startedAI-assisted

In 2011, The Guardian revealed that News of the World journalists had hacked into the voicemails of crime victims, celebrities, and politicians to obtain stories. The scandal intensified when it emerged that reporters had hacked murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler's phone in 2002, giving her parents false hope she was alive.

Who was involvedAI-assisted

News of the World editor Andy Coulson and other senior staff faced allegations of involvement in the hacking. Rupert Murdoch, News Corp chairman, and his son James Murdoch oversaw the company during the scandal's revelation.

TimelineAI-assisted

July 4, 2011: The Guardian published its first major exposé of phone hacking. July 7: Advertisers began withdrawing from the paper. July 10: News Corp announced the closure, and the final issue published that day.

What happened

Amid widespread backlash to revelations of phone hacking, the British weekly tabloid newspaper News of the World publishes its final issue and shuts down after nearly 168 years in print.

July 10 through the years

Other entries on the same calendar day, in order.

  1. 2007Erden Eruç
  2. 2008Ljube Boškoski
  3. 2011Tabloid journalism
  4. 2011Bulgaria (1955 ship)
  5. 2011News International phone hacking scandal
  6. 2012Episcopal Church (United States)
  7. 2016Portugal national football team
  8. 2017War in Iraq (2013–2017)
  9. 2018Tham Luang cave rescue
  10. 2018Association football
  11. 2019Volkswagen Beetle

Also in 2011

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  • May 11Istanbul ConventionThe Istanbul Convention is signed in Istanbul, Turkey.
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  • September 182011 Sikkim earthquakeThe 2011 Sikkim earthquake is felt across northeastern India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and southern Tibet.
  • October 20Libyan civil war (2011)First Libyan Civil War: Muammar Gaddafi, the deposed Libyan leader, was captured by rebel forces during the Battle of Sirte, and was kill…

Everything we record for 2011 →

Sources

Cite this page

“News International phone hacking scandal”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/event/news-international-phone-hacking-scandal-2011-july-10, accessed October 27, 2026.

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Questions about this entry

When did News International phone hacking scandal happen?

July 10 2011 — 15 years ago, on a Sunday.

Where does this text come from?

Wikipedia “On this day” feed. Summaries are short adaptations that link back to the source, not reprints. Panels marked AI-assisted were filled where the sources left a heading empty.

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