Renowned journalists and media figures have been eager to voice their concerns for the future of journalism and to expound its importance while the police adopt a seemingly more hostile stance towards the media and News Corporation is beset by yet more allegations of wrong doing.

Defendants of investigative journalism have been speaking out, following what many regard as alarming attempts by the Metropolitan Police to invoke the official secrets act against The Guardian. The director General of the BBC Mark Thompson has voiced his concern for the future of the craft of investigative journalism in what he described as a "dangerous period" for the profession.

The cries to protect the freedom of journalists to investigate thoroughly risk being lost amid the overwhelming atmosphere of public reproach and resentment felt toward one particular journalistic organisation: News International.

The repercussions of the News of the World phone-hacking scandal continue to reverberate in the U.K. and Australia this week.

British Prime Minister David Cameron is experiencing renewed political troubles as it was revealed by the BBC's Robert Peston, that Andy Coulson, the PM's former Communications Director, supposedly received payment from News International whilst working for the Conservative Party. What is more, if these allegations are proved to be true, then not only David Cameron himself but his entire party could be facing some tough questions.

Not only does this mean that Mr Cameron may knowingly have employed someone in the pay of Rupert Murdoch, but if these fees are interpreted as donations in kind to the Conservative Party then the part will have broken electoral law, as any donations must be disclosed, as The Guardian outlines.

U.S. media group Tribune Co. has completed a significant restructuring of its managerial staff, media services and publishing facilities. Tribune Co. owns 23 television stations across America, an array of local papers and prints many more, including those published by its subsidiary The Chicago Tribune Media Group.

According both the Tribune Company website and Newsandtech.com, the management restructuring gives Tony Hunter, Publisher and C.E.O of Chicago Tribune Media Group, the additional role of C.E.O of Tribune Publishing, making him responsible for 7 daily papers. Vince Casanova is now Chief Operating Officer of Chicago Tribune Media Group and also assumes a newly created position as President and C.E.O of Chicago Tribune Media. Kathy Thomson remains in control of The L.A. Times, which is also owned by Tribune Co.
Tribune Co.'s modifications to its multimedia and print services are geared towards positioning the company to better compete in both print and digital markets. Notably, when Tribune Media Services was restructured in June, its entertainment holdings were repackaged as a stand-alone business, but the news and features service was combined with Tribune Co.'s other content generating businesses, reflecting the increasingly significant partnership between journalism produced for print and digital content.

To every action there is an equal and opposite reaction - it seems that Newton's third law is as easily applicable to the media as it is to elementary physics. It is natural that in the aftermath of the News Corp. phone hacking scandal should prompt significant questions about press regulation across the globe. So, the industry is now lying in wait to see exactly what shape these reforms will take.

Even in Australia, Murdoch's birth place, questions have been prompted about the potential for a media review, as Prime Minister Julia Gillard admitted in a speech that recent revelations in Britain have prompted "considerations about the role of the media in our democracy". There have also been calls for reviews of media legislation from the leader of the Australian Greens Party, Bob Brown.

News Ltd., the Australian subsidiary of News Corp., has pre-empted any parliamentary inquiry by announcing an internal investigation into the possibility of similar malpractice. When questioned in an interview with Reuters , CEO and Chairman of News Ltd. John Hartigan claimed to be "Hugely confident that there is no improper or unethical behaviour in our newsrooms."