I have started a new thread on this because the other thread is more about the content of what was said rather than looking at how this incident actually came to pass.
I have been thinking about this all day, not least because my 15 years of covering News Corp. (owners of Sky) in a professional capacity have demonstrated that it is one of the most tightly-run ships on the planet.
News Corp. does not give out information or leak information unless it is 100% in its own interests to do so, just look at how they kept a lid on the phone-hacking scandal for so long when others would have been busted years earlier.
None of this Gray/Keys thing seemed to make sense because the chances of a rogue employee leaking the audio seemed so remote, given that the employee would be sacked and maybe even have legal action taken against them within about 10 seconds of being identified.
Furthermore, The Sun are ALL OVER this story today - they have even released more leaked audio of other Gray sexist rants - which is unusual because anything negative concerning Sky is normally given no coverage at all in the paper, for obvious reasons.
It got me thinking that one of the two people involved must have done something to piss off management at News Corp., and that the management had been looking for some payback so I did some light digging and found......
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/press/sky-sports-andy-gray-determined-to-settle-score-documents-show-2178131.html#
It is NEVER a good idea to take on the Dirty Digger, especially when you are in his employment, he would stab his Grandmother through the heart with a rusty steak knife if it was in his interests to do so.
Methinks that Mr. Gray will be getting a little message soon, drop the legal case against News Corp. or things will get very tricky for you at Sky.
Comments
The gloves are off now....
As for Keys, he doesn't take them off, he just shaves.
Tart!
Interesting conspiracy theory.
Is the comma misplaced and Coulson is the more damning story, or is there another one I am not aware of?
bad commamerisation on my part. The Coulson story is more serious and damning IMHO
He sure is.
I think Sky want them out. The leak was internal.
Coulson you mean? Don't make me laugh. Paul Merson already made me laugh a lot more on that one.
Next thing you'll be telling us Sir Alex Ferguson was surprised to find out that Robson, Whiteside and McGrath liked a drink.
I think mronelung may have had his tongue firmly implemented in his cheek ; - )
In which case I freely and humbly apologise
Nail on head IMHO.
The remarks that this duo 'spoutted' were frankly ridiculous, outdatted, and ludicrous, albeit they were were 'private' in that were not intended to be transmitted.
As others have stated, the further 'leak' does seem to show the 'shadow' of News corp.
Interestingly 'digger' is at present trying to discuss his bsky deal with the UK goverment. 'GBP7.8 billion proposed takeover of British Sky Broadcasting Group PLC (BSY.LN) that could prevent the deal being referred to the nation's competition regulator. http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20110125-704251.html
I have never had to work for digger ( thankfully) but I know plenty of people who have, and would not care to do so again!. He is not alone, the majority of media owning folk are not my favourite genre of people from the dealings that I have had in the past.( bbc included, in case you were wondering.)
The world of football and the media seems to be a marriage made in hell, and when sky want's a divorce, the preimership,( clubs and players/agents) would be the looser.
Someone wants rid of Gray.
Murdoch only owns 39% of Sky, enough to give him serious clout, but I doubt that he's that stupid to get Andy Gray sacked because he's sueing NoTW over his phone being tapped.
Murdoch may only own 39% of Sky - although that will change shortly once "Call Me Dave" does the right thing by News Corp. and allows them to swallow up the whole thing - but he runs the show and everyone knows it. Hence James Murdoch being the boss there.
News Corp. has the most pervasive "siege mentality" of any organisation I have ever dealt with, if Andy Gray thought that Murdoch was going to pay him 1 million per year and then allow Gray to sue him for phone-tapping then he obviously has not been thinking straight.
Murdoch might have no choice but to face the music from the non-News Corp. people that are suing him over phone-tapping but he sure as hell is not going to alllow one of his own employees to sue him, no way in the world that is going to happen - hence the conveniently timed leaks.
Most likely an oral or formal written warning though as aliwibble says different companies will have disciplinary codes of varying robustness. I imagine Gray will be adding a claim of unfair or wrongful dismissal to his phone-tapping claim unless Sky have paid him his notice (which is highly doubtful).
I wonder if this all goes to court whether Sky/Murdoch will be employing a leading female QC to defend themselves, or Gray may even find himself making his case in front of a woman Judge?! Interesting how this will all pan out - I would advise Gray to learn Italian & see if Berlusconi has any TV punditry jobs going spare.
here is the keys video http://tinyurl.com/4qcrsxf
One nasty bit that is coming out of this is pictures of keys daughter are being tweeted with "yes I'd smash it".
If it's controversy your after......