News Corp chief executive Rupert Murdoch has written a personal apology to be published in British newspapers for the hurt suffered by people targeted by phone hacking at his News of the World tabloid.
The apology will be carried in all national newspapers this weekend under the headline "We are sorry". The text was released by the company's News International UK arm.
"The News of the World was in the business of holding others to account. It failed when it came to itself," Mr Murdoch wrote in an article signed off "Sincerely, Rupert Murdoch".
"We regret not acting faster to sort things out. We are sorry for the serious wrongdoing that occurred. We are deeply sorry for the hurt suffered by the individuals affected," he added.
"In the coming days, as we take further concrete steps to resolve these issues and make amends for the damage they have caused, you will hear more from us."
The public disgust that erupted over reports that the News of the World may have hacked into the voicemails of murder victims and other vulnerable people prompted Murdoch to close the News of the World and pull a £7.8 billion bid to buy the 61 per cent of broadcaster BSkyB he does not own.