News of the World, a newspaper/tabloid owned by Rupert Murdock, one of the wealthiest men in the world, closed Sunday, July 10,2011 after 168 years in business. The paper is facing allegations of hacking into a mobile phone account. British residents in the Tampa Bay area are sad to see the closure but have grown accustomed to getting news from internet sources like the Examiner.
A Local newspaper/tabloid, The St Petersburg Times , is also involved in many lawsuits which threaten its survival. Jim Longstreth, a local resident has actively organized protest against the newspaper while Jefff Greene, a former candidate for the United States Senate (D) filed a multi million dollar libel lawsuit against the same newspaper.
According to the Brechner Center for Freedom of Information at the University of Florida, another 10 Million Dollar libel case filed by Dr, Harold Kennedy is headed to the Second District Court of Appeals against the St Petersburg Times.
If the top selling English Language newpaper in the world can close, will the St Petersburg Times be far behind? Time will tell.
