Hillsborough disaster apologised for its treatment of the Hillsborough disaster "without reservation" in a full page opinion piece on 7 July 2004, saying it had "committed the most terrible mistake in its history" by publishing it. The apology angered some Liverpudlians further. The "Liverpool Echo" called the apology, "shabby" and "an attempt, once again, to exploit the Hillsborough dead". James Murdoch made a full apology for "The Sun" coverage when he appeared at a hearing of the House of Commons Select Committee dealing with the News International phone hacking scandal in 2012. On 12 September 2012, after the publication of the report
Hillsborough disaster (played by Cliff Parisi) made a reference to the disaster. During the episode car mechanic Minty said: "Five years out of Europe because of Heysel, because they penned you lot in to stop you fighting on the pitch and then what did we end up with? Hillsborough." This prompted 380 complaints and the BBC apologised, saying that the character was simply reminding another character, former football hooligan Jase Dyer, that the actions of hooligans led to the fencing-in of football fans. Ofcom also received 177 complaints. Liverpool goalkeeper Charles Itandje was accused of having shown disrespect towards the Hillsborough victims