Andrew Brown, Secretary of the Church Commissioners, said: "Last year's phone hacking allegations raised some serious concerns amongst the Church's investing bodies about our holding in News Corporation. Our decision to disinvest was not one taken lightly and follows a year of continuous dialogue with the company, during which the EIAG (ethical advisory group) put forward a number of recommendations around how corporate governance structures at News Corporation could be improved. However the EIAG does not feel that the company has brought about sufficient change and we have accepted its advice to disinvest."
more here. I doubt this will extend to advice to clergy to stop buying the Times or the Sun, though that would be thorougly consistent. Drat, I really like the Times' puzzle page.
I did a gig for the Sun recently and have no regrets and no guilt. I did my job of entertaining, they loved it and I was paid well. Funny how a few years ago the church invested in an unethical property deal in New York and lost every penny but that one was kept quiet...! The church needs to admit to its investments that are against the Gospel.
ReplyDeleteNo plans to stop reading The Times any time soon. Best newspaper of the lot and at least I know what side of the spectrum it's coming from.
ReplyDeleteThe Church of England is the one that needs to look at where it is going. It has seriously lost it's way at the moment and is being sidetracked by nif naf and trivia. It needs to stop trying to be trendy and go back to it's Gospel roots. Funnily enough there are many, mainly young, people whom I meet that want this.