LONDON — Rupert Murdoch has told British lawmakers he's humbled and ashamed but not to blame for the phone hacking and bribery scandal at one of his tabloids.

The 80-year-old media tycoon faced three hours of questioning today, with his son alongside him. James Murdoch helped answer questions when his father appeared confused and flustered.

The elder Murdoch said his mistake was trusting the wrong people and he was "appalled" at the hacking of the phone of a murdered schoolgirl by his News of the World tabloid.

The younger Murdoch apologized for the hacking, saying it did not "live up to the standards our company aspires to."

His father said he lost sight of News of the World because it was such a small part of his company.
 

A protester interrupted the hearing by splattering the senior Murdoch with white foam in a foil pie dish.

Later, former News International official Rebekah Brooks apologized for the scandal involving intercepted telephone messages.

She was the editor of the News of the World during the time that a murdered teenager's phone was hacked in search of material for news stories.

Brooks was arrested Sunday, but freed on bail in connection with the case.