Murdoch: I used 'wrong' words in secret recording

LONDON (AP) — Rupert Murdoch has expressed regret for questioning the competence of police carrying out an investigation into wrongdoing at his U.K. newspapers, but says the probe has gone on too long.

In a secretly taped recording that emerged earlier this month, the media baron called wrongdoing by his British newspapers "next to nothing," boasted that his lawyers were refusing to actively cooperate with investigators, and spoke dismissively about accusations of bribery leveled against his newspaper empire.

He also described police as "totally incompetent" in the recording, obtained by the ExaroNews journalism website and broadcast on Channel 4 News.

The tape prompted an influential Parliamentary committee to recall Murdoch for questioning about media wrongdoing and lawmaker Keith Vaz to write to Murdoch asking him for an explanation.

In a written response to Vaz made public on Thursday, Murdoch conceded he had used the "wrong adjectives" when voicing his frustration with the investigation.

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/murdoch-i-used-wrong-words-secret-recording