Travel companies will no longer have to make the decision about whether to pull their advertising from the News of the World as the Sunday tabloid is to close.
James Murdoch, chairman of parent News International, said this Sunday’s issue will be the last edition of the paper, which has been hit by a phone hacking scandal.
In the latest developments, reports have emerged that relatives of soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan may have also been victims of hacking, as well as relatives of the 7/7 bombing victims, murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler and the parents of murdered Soham schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman.
The News of the World is Britain’s biggest selling newspaper and has been in circulation for 168 years.
No advertisements will run in this weekend’s paper and instead any advertising space will be donated to charities and good causes.
News International has refused to comment on rumours that The Sun could now become a seven-day-a-week operation.
Critics have already voiced their opinions that the closure is purely a publicity stunt and that it will simply re-brand and re-launch under a different name.
The Co-operative Group and Virgin Holidays had already suspended their advertising in the News of the World until the outcome of the investigation was known.
TUI and easyJet had said they were monitoring the situation.
Other major brands, including Boots and O2, had also decided to withdraw their advertising.
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by Bev Fearis
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