Rupert Murdoch said yesterday that he cannot be held responsible for the scandal at the News of the World, saying he was let down by "people I trusted".
The News Corp boss said he was not aware of the extent of phone hacking there and had "clearly" been misled by some of his staff.
His son, James, apologised to victims, saying hacking was "inexcusable".
Two hours into the hearing, a man tried to throw a foam pie at Rupert Murdoch and proceedings were briefly suspended.
The protester appeared to lunge towards the News Corp chairman and chief executive but was fought off by a group of people, including Mr Murdoch's wife, Wendi.
A man has reportedly been detained by police.
Rupert Murdoch's appearance before the Commons media committee is the first time he has faced direct scrutiny by MPs during his 40-year UK media career.
He said he was "humbled" to have to explain his firm's conduct to MPs.
Faced with a series of questions from Labour MP Tom Watson, Murdoch paused extensively and his son James made several attempts to intervene.
However, Watson made clear that he wanted to hear answers from the father and not the son.
Rupert Murdoch said his questioning by MPs - who are investigating alleged criminal behaviour at the News of the World and the extent of what senior executives knew - was the "most humble day of my life".
The News Corp boss said he was not aware of the extent of phone hacking at the company until earlier this year when it handed over new information to the police - triggering a new inquiry.
"I was absolutely shocked, appalled and ashamed when I heard about the Milly Dowler case two weeks ago," he told MPs.
Arguing that he ran a global business of 53,000 people and the paper was "just 1%" of this, he said he was not ultimately responsible for what went on at the News of the World.
Asked who was responsible, he said: "The people I trusted to run it and maybe the people they trusted".
Murdoch said he was focused on his US newspaper interests and that he had "perhaps lost sight" of what was going on at the paper, saying he spoke to the editor "very seldom".
Asked by MPs about the closure of the News of the World, he said this was necessary since it had "lost the trust" of the people after recent allegations and was not done for commercial reasons.
On his relationships with senior British politicians, he said he had been asked to No 10 "for a cup of tea" by David Cameron shortly after he entered Downing Street as a recognition of his support for the Conservatives before the election.
He said he had been asked to enter Downing Street by the back door - both by Cameron and former prime minister Gordon Brown - because it would attract less attention.
Tory MP Louise Mensch asked whether - as "captain of the ship" - Rupert Murdoch would resign.
"No, because I feel that the people I trusted, I don't know at what level, let me down and I think they behaved disgracefully, betrayed the company and me and it's for them to pay," he replied.
"I think that frankly I'm the best person to clear this up."
Source : The Daily Star
