On Saturday, July 23rd, 2011 at 09:59:30h +0000, J G Miller wrote:

I would suggest that the more likely scenario is that reporters
were under orders to get stories but were to keep quiet how they
were getting their stories.

However ...

http://www.bbc.co.UK/news/uk-11183038

September 3rd, 2010

Former reporter on the News of the World, Sean Hoare, who
was dismissed for drink and drug abuse, claimed in an interview
on the PM program of BBC Radio 4 UK that he was instructed
by editor Andy Coulson to tap into telephones.


Sean Hoare conveniently died on July 17th, 2011 so that he
could not be called to testify before the Westminster House
of Common Committe on Culture, Media, and Sports.

From

http://www.dailymail.co.UK/news/article-2016132/Sean-Hoare-dead-No-involved-phone-hacking-whistleblowers-death.html

QUOTE

[Sean Hoare] said that when editor of the paper, Mr Coulson actively
encouraged his staff to intercept the calls of celebrities.

...

‘He would talk about someone from the Government coming to get him,'
[his neighbor] said.

UNQUOTE