Following the resignation of News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks, Rupert Murdoch has now issued a formal apology for the behaviour of some his employees.

Under the headline "Power and Responsibility", it says "Rebekah Brooks’s resignation recognises the powerful must be responsible for their actions and those of their organisations."  As well as Murdoch's Sun and Times newspapers, the apology ad was also to appear in the Daily Mail, Daily Telegraph, Financial Times and Independent. Significantly, it was also booked for the Guardian, the newspaper whose reporter Nick Davies broke the story of the scandal in stories running over two-and-a-half years.  The ad takes the form of a letter with 'We are Sorry', in large type at top. The signed letter from Murdoch reads:  The News of the World was in the business of holding others to account. It failed when it came to itself.  We are sorry for the serious wrongdoing that occurred.   We are deeply sorry for the hurt suffered by the individual affected.  We regret not acting faster to sort things out.  I realise that simply apologising is not enough.  Our business was founded on the idea that a free and open press should be a positive force in society. We need to live up to this.  In the coming days, as we take further concrete steps to resolve these issues and make amends for the damage they have caused, you will hear more from us.  Sincerely,  Rupert Murdoch