"Just lost my job on the News of the World. Absolutely devastated that a talented group of people are suffering right now," tweeted Tina Campanella, a news reporter at the paper, roughly half an hour after it emerged this afternoon that this Sunday's edition of her paper would be the last.
Tom Latchem, the TV editor summed it up thus: "Thanks for all your kind words all – we will all survive, nobody died. Viva NOTW!!" Another senior staff member, Rachel Richardson, editor of the Fabulous magazine supplement, wrote: "Feeling pretty numb right now but wanted to say long live @Fabulousmag. The best mag team in Fleet Street. Fact."
Others rounded on the Twitter hordes rejoicing at the paper's demise. Ian Hyland, a columnist, entered into a somewhat bruising tweet exchange with the comedian Rufus Hound. It ended with Hyland labelling his opponent a "right tit".
Outsiders piled in to make similar points, one freelance journalist noting: "My mate with 4 kids, not a hacker, honest journo, now lost his job, shame on the bosses at #NOTW." He added, in a sentiment not publicly expressed by the paper's staff but surely shared by many: "But at least Rebekah Brooks has still got her job, Jesus!!!!"
Before James Murdoch's shock announcement the tone was very different. Hyland tweeted to insist his paper was now a different beast : "I joined at the end of the old regime. the difference now is immeasurable. people can believe that or not."
It was a sentiment echoed around the same time by the political editor, David Wooding: "Horrified by what happened. Ashamed of those who did it. But proud of my own record – and those who work for NotW now."
The showbusiness editor, Dan Wootton, went further, posting a longer personal statement for Twitter followers: "What I have to stress to you is this: I do NOT work for the newspaper you are reading about. The vast majority of my colleagues, including journalists and management, were not working on this newspaper during those years. There is a new regime in place here."
Following news of the closure there was understandable sympathy at fellow News International publications. "Now I am crying. sobbing. OMG. I cannot believe what I have just read in my inbox. oh it is so sad", was the Twitter response of the Times's much-followed religion correspondent, Ruth Gledhill.
"Heartfelt condolences to anyone at #notw who's just become unemployed. Very very sad," wrote India Knight, a Sunday Times columnist, adding: "As for 'victory for people power' – yeah, well done on making hundreds of people lose their jobs. *MASSIVE EYEROLL*"
As the news sunk in, the first glimpses of grim humour emerged. Hyland tweeted a friend: "I've put a call in at the Guardian already. fingers crossed eh?"
Meanwhile, a press pack and TV crews have gathered outside the gates of News International in Wapping but there were few comings and goings by just after 6pm.
Took the phrase "It wasn't me!" to a whole new plateau.
