Media Brief

I'm the BBC's media correspondent and this is my brief selection of what's going on.

The Metropolitan Police have said they may reopen the investigation into claims of phone hacking by the News of the World if they uncover new evidence the BBC reports.

Interviewed by BBC Radio 4's PM programme on Friday, Sean Hoare, a former reporter on the News of the World said he was personally asked by then-editor Andy Coulson to tap into phones. A Downing Street spokeswoman said Andy Coulson totally and utterly denied the allegation. He has said that he "never condoned the use of phone-hacking and nor do I have any recollection of incidences where phone-hacking took place".

Met Assistant Commissioner John Yates told the Today programme that the investigation had sent "an extremely strong message" to those considering hacking into well-known individuals' voicemail messages.

The Guardian says News International and David Cameron's PR chief, Andy Coulson, face the prospect of a fresh parliamentary inquiry into phone-hacking by the News of the World. Labour MPs said they plan to press for the issue to be referred to the standards and privileges committee of the House of Commons.

The Financial Times says [registration required] the political battle lines have hardened in the dispute.

Downing Street's head of communications is safe in his job despite phone hacking claims relating to his tenure as News of the World editor, a senior government source told the BBC on Friday.

The claims that News of the World reporters hacked the phones of public figures continue to be reported widely in Monday's newspapers, as the BBC newspaper review shows.

In other media news, the BBC reports Tony Blair is a guest on the first edition of ITV's new breakfast show, Daybreak, hosted by Adrian Chiles and Christine Bleakley. Prince Charles will be appearing later in the week.

The BBC director-general Mark Thompson tells Saturday's Daily Mirror the BBC's obligation is to the public, not the politicians.

Links in full

• BBC | Met Police to re-examine News of the World hacking case
• BBC | News of the World journalist 'was asked to tap phones'
• BBC | Met defends 'successful' phone hack probe
• Guardian | MPs seek fresh investigation into News of the World phone hacking
• Financial Times | Battle lines harden in phone-tap affair
• BBC | Andy Coulson's job 'safe' despite phone hack claims
• BBC | Newspaper review
• BBC | Prince Charles and Tony Blair to appear on Daybreak
• Mirror | BBC director-general Mark Thompson: 'The British public come first'

• Read my updates on Twitter

• Read my archive of media stories on Delicious

• Read Friday's Media Brief