The purpose of this research is to examine the effect of a unique experiment by the Rugby Football League, to apply the American professional team sports model to its game, making it the first British sport ever to attempt this. It investigates the economic, financial and social changes, which have occurred within the sport of rugby league, since the introduction of the 'Super League'. The adoption of the American professional team sports model is based on increasing the uncertainty of outcome of games in order to ensure profit maximisation of the clubs. This has raised a number of issues, pertaining to both the game of rugby league itself, the difference between American and British sport, and the ever increasing effect of television revenues and mass media on sport. The adaptation of the model by rugby league officials has resulted in decisive changes to the way the game is played and how the Rugby Football League is run. A change to three divisions from two, the introduction of a 'Super League' copying football's Premiership and a switch from the traditional winter game to a summer season has taken place. Also critical has been the move from terrestrial to satellite television and the effect of this move on network externalities that could influence the long-term future of the game. The £87million financial investment from Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation provided the catalyst for change, in exchange for the five-year exclusive broadcasting rights to the game. The American model was utilised in order to try and financially stabilise the league through the process of profit maximisation. The need for equilibrium within the league also led to the utilisation of various restrictive controls, all of which are common-place in the United States. After critically evaluating the relevant literature, attention is turned to testing the effect of the experiment of applying the American model to British Rugby League. A five-strand approach has been adopted using data both pre and post, the introduction of Super League, utilising nine, case study-clubs throughout the study. Firstly, any change in uncertainty of outcome was examined using the standard deviation of Win/Loss percentage adapted from the approach by Noll (1988) and Scully (1989). Demand for the live matches through attendance figures and broadcasting demand, using audience viewing data were examined. The third strand examines whether the predicted outcome of the American model, and increases in revenue and profit, have been achieved. Finally, two social surveys were carried out on three major stakeholder groups, club officials, players and supporters. The results indicate that the application of the American Professional Team Sports model to rugby league did not achieve the predicted outcome of increased uncertainty, attendance and ultimately, revenue. The reasons for this can be explained by the partial implementations of the model and non-market factors, which appear to be much more significant within British Rugby League than in American sports. The over-riding results suggest that regardless of structural or organisational changes, rugby league is destined to remain a northern minority sport.

This thesis deals with the use of dishonest manners of obtaining information, particularly in connection with the tabloid media. The aim is to evaluate the practices of the tabloid media in gathering information and contribute to the discussion about their ethical borders. It also analyzes investigation of Leveson Inquiry, which was established in 2011 by the British government in response to the phone-hacking scandal connected with tabloid newspaper News of the World. The judicial commission leded by Brian Leveson was tasked to examine the ethical aspects of media and to find out if the system of media self-regulation is still effective. The thesis also includes an analysis of the tabloid environment in the Czech republic. It is based on interviews with representatives of major tabloids in this country.

The thesis called Phone hacking scandal of News of the World journal and its display in the Czech news agency deals with foreign coverage of the Czech news agency concernig the News of the World phone-hacking scandal.The thesis mainly focuses on the second half of 2011, especially on June, when the scandal broke out. Firstly the thesis deals with history and present of British press, then with Rupert Murdoch's (the last owner of the journal and media mogul) operation in media, with formation, development and extincion of the News of the World journal. It also informs about the phone-hacking scandal's profile and about the news service of the Czech news agency - foreign coverage, reporting formats and so on. It focuses on changes of the amount of news during time, on used formats of coverage, on priorities, services, cathegories and also on sources which the agency used during preparing the news mainly in June 2011. Numbers of news are organized to tables which illustrate the development of amounts of the news published in relation to the scandal. Then the thesis more briefly focuses on remaining months of the second half of 2011 and on previous and subsequent periods. This thesis also finds out how the phone-hacking scandal influenced media regulation of Great Britain.

This diploma thesis deals with the British Sunday tabloid paper News of the World. By using the method of historical analysis it covers all its history from its foundation to its closure. The aim of this thesis is to put the newspaper's beginning, growth and end into the context of its era. The first chapters describe the rise of periodical press in Great Britain and in connection with that the social situation and technological progress in print. The chapters also deal with the first stage of development of News of the World, that is, when it was owned by the Carr family. On the grounds of socio-economic and political situation the chapters discover which factors added to the massive growth of circulation and big popularity of this Sunday paper. The second half of this thesis covers the development of the newspaper under the ownership of Rupert Murdoch, starting with the battle over its buy out against Robert Maxwell. The thesis analyses changes Murdoch implemented and brings examples of scandals and controversies this newspaper had throughout all its history.The last chapter addresses the phone-hacking scandal which led to the paper's closure after 168 years and its consequences to Murdoch's media empire News Corporation, as well as to the British newspapers market and its self-regulatory principles.

Title from first page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 94-105).

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