Larry Flynt: Murdoch Crossed the Line

Larry Flynt may be the king of smut publishing, but don't get him wrong. The man still respects some good, old-fashioned boundaries when it comes to the press. It's this very respect, he contends, that sets him apart from fellow media magnate Rupert Murdoch. In an op-ed piece for the Washington Post, Flynt condemns Murdoch for News Corp's alleged nefarious behavior brought to light in the unfolding News of the World scandal.

"Simply put, he publishes what he wants," Flynt says of Murdoch, "apparently regardless of how he gets information and heedless of the responsibility associated with the power he wields." Flynt continues, sprinkling bits of unabashed self-righteousness as he goes: "No matter how offensive or distasteful some people may find Hustler magazine and my other publications, no one has appeared unwillingly in their pages. I do not create sensationalism at the expense of people living private lives."

Click for the full column or here for Murdoch's apology. (More Rupert Murdoch stories.)