NotW Goes to Presses for Last Time

"Thank You & Goodbye," reads the final headline of the News of the World, closing in the wake of a disastrous phone-hacking scandal. For the newspaper's final edition, 5 million copies were printed, twice its usual run, with money from sales slated for charity. "For Rupert Murdoch, it's a bitter blow, closing the newspaper which—when he bought it 42 years ago—laid the foundations of his media empire, and now threatens to do it serious damage," writes BBC media analyst Torin Douglas.

"Phones were hacked, and for that this newspaper is truly sorry," wrote the NotW in a full-page sign-off editorial that tries to encompass the paper's 168 years and 8,674 editions of history. "Yet when this outrage has been atoned, we hope history will eventually judge us on all our years." The paper's editor, Colin Myler, addressed about 200 staffers late last night. "As a final tribute to seven-and-a-half million readers, this is for you—and for the staff, thank you," said Myler, holding up a copy of the final paper. "Now, in the best traditions of Fleet Street, we are going to the pub." (More News of the World stories.)