Rupert Murdoch secret tape shows support for journalists in phone hacking scandal

News Corp chief Rupert Murdoch is being safeguarded by the agency after a secret recording was released of him criticizing the police inquiry into alleged phone hacking.

BBC reports that Murdoch has also been extending full support to the journalists under investigation.

According to the report, Murdoch was recorded complaining about 'totally incompetent' police officers in March, which was obtained by the Exaro website and broadcast on Channel 4 News on Wednesday.

A separate Scotland Yard investigation is also looking into claims of inappropriate payments made to police.

Murdoch reportedly said that the police are arresting even those who never even took the bribe.

Allegations of phone hacking at the now-defunct, News of the World, thrust the newspaper's owners, News Corp, and its journalists directly into the spotlight.

A spokesman for News Corp said no other company has done as much to identify what went wrong, compensate the victims and ensure the same mistakes do not happen again.