News International and its "Compensation Scheme"
Maybe “scheme” rings better in the English ear but it sounds a bit “off” (read: scamish) to my American one.
Anyhoo, via the New York Times:
News International announced Friday that it had set up what it called a “speedy, cost-effective alternative to litigation” that would allow phone hacking victims to apply for swift out-of-court settlements through a company Web site. The purpose of the program, called the Voicemail Interception Compensation Scheme, is to “process good claims quickly to an award of compensation, not to get bogged down in complex legal arguments and speculative requests for disclosure of documents,” the company says on the site.
People claiming to be victims and wanting compensation are asked to fill out and submit electronic forms detailing their claims.
News International has already set aside more than $30 million to pay phone hacking victims; this move is intended to contain its legal costs as it deals with an increasing number of claims.
The above is buried near the end of an article published Friday about the arrest of a journalist at the Murdoch-owned Sun for making illegal payments to police officers.
The journalist, Jamie Pyatt, won the 2006 Scoop of the Year prize at the British Press Awards for his reporting on Prince Harry dressing as a Nazi at a costume party.
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