It may just be coincidence that this week’s charging of former News International executives Andy Coulson and Rebekah Brooks for alleged phone-hacking offences came just days after Rupert Murdoch announced he was giving up his directorships of the UK newspaper company.

Conservative powerbroker Nick Minchin has berated the head of Channel Seven Adelaide for publicly backing a candidate contesting the Liberal Party senate seat vacated by Mary Jo Fisher.

As the Leveson inquiry comes to a close the biggest question remains unanswered: who was behind the massive cover-up that took place at News International? Was it the Murdochs, as many suspect, or was it designed to ensure they never discovered what had gone on, as Rupert and James maintain?

Where is Rupert Murdoch when you need him? His favourite editor and surrogate daughter, Rebekah Brooks, has been charged with three counts of phone hacking at the News of the World and we don’t get a peep out of him.

At 8pm tonight, Australian time, 11 former News of the World journalists, including the paper’s ex-editors, Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson, are set to find out whether or not they will face criminal charges for phone hacking. It's possible there won't be any, but we think that's unlikely.

Some have criticised Julia Gillard’s latest foray into online chat as trite — but others see it as a valuable communications medium for both politicians and the public.

Fairfax chairman Roger Corbett is clearly stretching the bounds of credibility a bit with his explanation of the appointment of Hungry Jack’s owner and Gina Rinehart ally Jack Cowin to the Fairfax board -- but’s he’s actually made a very smart move.

Billionaire mining heiress Gina Rinehart has scored a coup in her slow-burn bid for control of Fairfax, after her closest adviser and confidante accepted an invitation to join the ailing media giant’s board.

It's a question tormenting men's magazine editors around the world: how do you get noticed, and make a buck, in an era when the smutty content you specialise in is only a mouse-click away?

Harold Mitchell takes pride in dispensing with the niceties. When The Power Index visited his South Melbourne private office before Christmas, fresh remains were scattered all over the boardroom table.