It is a long way from Sun Valley to the Street of Shame. That was the implausible excuse used by Rupert Murdoch when, on Thursday, in an interview at a media conference he was attending in Idaho, he was asked by his own Fox Business cable channel about the burgeoning scandal involving phone tapping and invasion of privacy by the News of the World in London.

“I’m not talking about that issue at all today ... I’m far too removed around here,” he replied. Stuart Varney, the Fox Business anchor, obediently caved in to his boss. “OK, no worries, Mr Chairman, that’s fine with me,” he grovelled.