News International repeats apology

LONDON, Nov. 15 (UPI) -- An attorney for News International Tuesday apologized again at an ethics hearing for phone hacking by reporters at the defunct tabloid News of the World.

Attorney Rhodri Davies appeared before Lord Justice Brian Leveson's inquiry into journalistic ethics and practices to determine whether media self-regulation works, the BBC reported.

"Phone hacking was wrong, it was shameful, it should never have happened," Davies said. The attorney said News International has taken steps to remedy the issue by closing News of the World in July, establishing a management and standards committee with an independent chairman and appointing a new chief executive.

Jonathan Caplan, an attorney for Associated Newspapers, which owns a number of papers, including the Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday and Evening Standard, said it is not aware of any phone hacking or police bribery at its publications.

"We are anxious that the allegations of phone hacking should not be allowed to besmirch the profession as a whole," he said.

Caplain said the Press Complaints Commission and its editors' code of practice have improved journalistic practices over the past two decades but said improvements could be made by using an industry ombudsman.