Rupert Murdoch vows to ‘hit back hard’ at ‘enemies’ who alleged News Corp. piracy

Rupert Murdoch has said on Twitter that he will "hit back hard" at "enemies" over their allegations that one of his companies used hacking and piracy to sabotage rival TV competitors.

Among the claims was one made on the BBC Panorama program that British-based NDS — a News Corp. subsidiary — leaked information which allowed ITV Digital's services to be accessed for free.

And in Australia this week, Murdoch, News Corp.'s chairman, was accused by the Australian Financial Review (AFR) of employing a secretive group made up of former police and intelligence agents to promote piracy against pay TV rivals there. 

GlobalPost reports: News Corp unit promoted piracy against rivals: report

Of the string of claims, Murdoch tweeted:

Seems every competitor and enemy piling on with lies and libels. So bad, easy to hit back hard, which preparing. — Rupert Murdoch(@rupertmurdoch) March 29, 2012

Of the Fairfax press, which publishes the AFR, he tweeted:

Proof you can't trust anything in Australian Fairfax papers, unless you are just another crazy. — Rupert Murdoch(@rupertmurdoch) March 29, 2012

The BBC, meantime, has a long history of ideological clashes with BSkyB, which is 39 percent owned by News Corp, Reuters noted.

Murdoch and his son James Murdoch have both publicly attacked the broadcaster over the years.

News Corp. branded the Panorama investigation a "gross misrepresentation," according to the broadcaster.

Chase Carey, News Corp.'s chief operating officer, issued a statement on Wednesday in which he condemned "the BBC's inaccurate claims."

"The BBC's Panorama program was a gross misrepresentation of NDS's role as a high quality and leading provider of technology and services to the pay-TV industry," his statement said.

"Panorama presented manipulated and mischaracterised emails to produce unfair and baseless accusations. 

Murdoch has also hit out at "enemies" in Australia, where News Corp. is facing a police investigation, and called for "freedom of thought and markets."

He told his 207,894 followers: 

Enemies many different agendas, but worst old toffs and right wingers who still want last century's status quo with their monoplies. — Rupert Murdoch(@rupertmurdoch) March 29, 2012

The Australian communications minister Stephen Conroy has said the AFR allegations that that News Corp. sabotaged competitors at a time when News was moving to take control of the Australian pay TV industry — made after a four-year investigation — should be referred to the Australian Federal Police for investigation.

Murdoch's British operations have recently been embroiled in separate phone hacking and bribery scandals, forcing the closure of his best selling tabloid News of the World.