It didn't take long for the News of the World staff to get the gist of Rebekah Brooks' address to staff on Thursday afternoon. Flanked by two security guards, she marched briskly into editor Colin Myler's office, and told them: “What I'm about to tell you is the most devastating news, it is going to affect each and every one of you.” She wasn't wrong. When the news of the paper's closure came, there was a collective gasp and shouts of “no” before relative silence descended and Ms Brooks continued. “The Guardian newspaper were out to get us, and they got us,” she said in what was, in the context of what observers described as a somewhat halting and stumbling speech, a rare oratorical flourish.
The News International chief executive was clearly affected by the emotion of the occasion — but there were no tears spotted by those staff members who talked to MediaGuardian. Ms Brooks then left quickly when Mr. Myler rebuffed her offer to answer questions. “No Rebekah, I think it's best if you leave the floor,” Mr. Myler is understood to have said. “An entire newspaper has been sacrificed to save one person.” One eyewitness said: “Colin was shaking. He was shocked, he was in bits but he said he needed to find out what was going on as he'd only been told 20 minutes before.” Mr. Myler told staff that he would do everything to secure the most generous leaving terms possible, once he found out what was going to happen. “He said he didn't know anything at all about a seven-day Sun, but as many of us as possible would be found new jobs within the company,” said one staff member.
People who were not in the office raced in. Hardened veteran journalists were seen in tears. Staff were forced to wait a further two hours before filing up to a boardroom on the 12th floor of the building at around 6.45pm, for a Q&A with Mr. Myler — who blamed the closure on the “suits” in New York who were worried about News Corp's tumbling share price. “People kept on asking him ‘why do you think Rebekah is still in her job, why are they still keeping this woman on? Why hadn't she fought for us?',” said one source.
At the pub on Thursday night, the shock was written on the faces of virtually all those who had gathered, including reporters from the Daily Mail and the Daily Mirror who had come to commiserate with friends and colleagues. Some journalists expressed their deep anger at the “injustice of it all” but others shared rueful jokes as they considered their futures, and the praise they had been receiving from Ms Brooks, Mr. Myler and even fellow journalists. “It was ironic, as for most of the week all we have heard is how terrible we are … ” said one.
Come Friday, the atmosphere in the newsroom was said to be surprisingly bright — with staff relieved of the pressure to generate exclusives for what promised to be a souvenir issue of the paper. That mood soured, however, when the newsroom's internet access was shut down in an apparent attempt to control a further announcement from Ms Brooks that afternoon.
When Ms Brooks addressed staff at 4 pm on Friday in the paper's offices, the atmosphere was markedly different from Thursday's speech. Numbers had swelled to around 150 or so — including one reporter who was recording the meeting, and posted a snippet online soon afterwards.
Ms Brooks, dressed in a smart black business outfit, seemed calmer, according to one staff member. She said every effort would be made to find them employment. Managing editor Richard Caseby lurked at the back. Staff expressed concern that they would be tainted by the NoW brand, and Ms Brooks said that it was made clear in the company's statement that the current staff were innocent of any wrongdoing.
“Despite this the atmosphere was calmer than the day before,” said one source. “People had got over the shock and they were told there would be more money for the payoffs.” According to one eyewitness, Ms Brooks said while she was the subject of staff anger she was herself angry at the “people who had caused this.”
“I was surprised at the lack of anger among staff,” said one person at the meeting.” In some ways it was quite a technical meeting where people were working out likely payoffs. That surprised me.” After that, there seemed only one place for many people to go. The pub. The owners of The Cape on Thomas More Square had a very busy two days. — © Guardian Newspapers Limited, 2011
