Sound Communications had the recent pleasure of visiting the Playhouse (theatre and community arts centre), in Derry-Londonderry, and I have to say the refurbishment efforts to this fabulous old building have paid off a treat. The place was buzzing with children there for the annual arts summer school, and there was a great ambience.

The Playhouse was set up by arts activist and founder Pauline Ross who works closely with General Manager Niall Mc Caughan. It was great getting to meet the Playhouse team, and no doubt we’ll be hearing plenty more of them next year, for their 20th anniversary, never mind what may be in store there for City of Culture 2013.

Eibhlin Boydell

As scandalous news stories go, you couldn’t get much better than the recent Phone Hacking Scandal by the News of the World, owned by the infamous Murdoch family, and led by now resigned head of News International Rebekah Brooks, and past editor Andy Coulson.

These high profile figures, once much courted by Britain’s political elite, are seeing a castrophic fall from grace, as heads of the newspaper which has been closed down in the past couple of weeks.

The Commons Culture Media & Sport Select Committee summonsed the former three to a televised hearing yesterday at Portcullis House, which proved to be viewing gold. Along with former police chiefs, the Murdochs and Brooks were grilled about their involvement in the scandal, where the voicemails were hacked of victims including the murdered school girl Milly Dowler.

The recent leak of the hacking into Milly Dowler’s voicemail was the point in which news of this scandal exploded. Who knows where this story may end up, but Rupert Murdoch being hit by a custard pie was worth a watch alone.

The press coverage of this will rattle on at the same rate as the MPs’ expenses scandal – we’ve certainly had no shortage of dynamite news coverage lately.

Eibhlin Boydell