Rupert Murdoch will shortly face shareholders in the News Corporation annual general meeting that’s taking place in Los Angeles today. It should prove riveting as British lawmaker Tom Watson plans to use the event to reveal new details of what he claims are hidden surveillance practices by company employees.

Murdoch, and his son, James, will both face shareholders for the first time since news of the extent of the phone-hacking scandal broke earlier this year.

Watson, who was granted permission to attend the event, told reporters yesterday that he intends to expose techniques that go “beyond phone hacking” into other technical means.

He also says that:

I want to leave investors in no doubt that News Corporation is not through the worst of this yet, there are more questions for the Murdoch’s to answer.

This could spell further bad news for the already damaged News Corporation brand because the company could very well be opened up to civil lawsuits and other legal action.

The company is also currently preparing to defend class-action lawsuits for damages shareholders absorbed after the company’s shares tumbled after the hacking scandal.

News Corporation officials have declined to comment on Watson’s statements.

Earlier this month, the advisory company, International Shareholder Services, recommended that shareholders vote against the re-election of 13 members of the 15-member board, including Murdoch and sons James and Lachlan.

This probably won’t happen though because Murdoch controls 40 per cent of the voting shares through the family trust. He might instead, want to buy himself a certified rapture card.

[Source: AFP]