Murdoch to decide The Sun's future following 5 more journalists' arrest over alleged corruption

London, Feb 12 (ANI): Media tycoon Rupert Murdoch will now conduct a crisis meeting over the future of embattled tabloid The Sun in London, following the arrests of the paper's five senior journalists over allegations of inappropriate payments to police.

The five members of Sun staff are thought to be deputy editor of the paper Geoff Webster, chief reporter John Kay, picture editor John Edwards, deputy news editor John Sturgis and chief foreign correspondent Nick Parker.

A serving officer with the Armed forces and his wife, who is a Ministry of Defence official, were also arrested in Wiltshire, The Telegraph reports.

According to a source, Murdoch's decision to travel to the UK was in order to reassure News International staff about the tycoon's support for a newspaper that he is said to cherish above all others in his media empire.

There were speculations that Murdoch may choose to either shut down The Sun, as he did with the sister tabloid News of the World, or else try to sell it.

One Sun insider, however, said that there are very less chances of The Sun being closed.

"I do think it is entirely possible they will close The Sun. It is very clear Rupert Murdoch has turned his back on them. They are being thrown to the lions," the paper quoted the source, as saying.

A News Corp source also said there were no plans to close The Sun, which Murdoch bought in 1969.

"The circumstances now are very different to when he shut down the News of the World in the summer. The level of public outcry over the hacking of Milly Dowler's phone meant continuing with that newspaper was not the right thing to do. Here we are in very different circumstances," the source said.

The arrests come after four current and former Sun executives, all closely associated with Former News International CEO Rebekah Brooks, were arrested two weeks ago. (ANI)