Watson played a significant role in the News International phone hacking scandal by helping to bring the series of events at the "News of the World" into the open. As a member of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, he questioned Rupert and James Murdoch, along with former "News of the World" editor Rebekah Brooks, in a Committee session on 19 July 2011. After the subsequent re-questioning of James Murdoch on 10 November 2011, Watson likened him to a mafia boss.