DEFIANT

Murdoch Defends News Corp.

Says company handled crisis “extremely well.”

Rupert Murdoch appears unfazed by the phone-hacking scandal in his first public statement. The News Corp. chairman told The Wall Street Journal, which he owns, that the company has handled the crisis “extremely well in every way possible” and that the damage is “nothing that will not be recovered.” Now that the scandal has derailed Murdoch's bid for BSkyB, Murdoch says he is buying back shares and “looking for better places to put our money.” He also called out former prime minister Gordon Brown, saying “He got it entirely wrong” when he claimed the Sunday Times, in addition to News of the World, hacked his phone. Murdoch and his son James are scheduled to appear before Parliament Tuesday.