So Times columnist Giles Coren has been abused in public for working for News International, as the phone hacking scandal rumbles on.

"Wow. Abused to my face in the butcher's for working for a (great) paper that is owned by a man who also owns a bad one. Dark days."

While I have a bit of sympathy for a journalist trying to earn a living, I do think there's an ethical question as to how you do so. To say I've never been a fan of Murdoch is something of an understatement: I see his pernicious influence on British - and international - media, politics and society as one of the worst things to have happened to this country in the past 30 or so years, and can't wait till he's finally out of the frame for good. Our supine politicians and regulators are clearly scared of his dominance and power to frame public opinion, which is hugely saddening for democracy.

I'm not going to get into the argument as to whether The Times has been dumbing down in recent years, and whether that's to do with Murdoch's ownership. I rarely read the paper myself, and certainly wouldn't ever buy it (or pay to go beyond the website's paywall). It is, however, a fact that the loss-making Times is bankrolled by profits from News Of The World and The Sun, and News International, the UK company which owns all three newspapers, has on its executive board Rebekah Brooks and James Murdoch.

Journalists have a choice as to whom to work for, particularly those with reputations as prominent as Giles Coren, David Aaranovitch and Caitlin Moran. By choosing to work for The Times or Sunday Times they effectively endorse the actions of their parent company. They are part of the machine, helping to make it a success.

Saying "I work for a great paper owned by a man who also owns a bad one" is a huge cop-out. A Times writer is effectively collaborating with a corporation which is responsible for some of the biggest breaches in journalism ethics (no, that's not an oxymoron) in living memory.

It's wilfully naive to try the "I'm just a jobbing writer" excuse, too. People in the public eye have the ability to take a stand and protest against unacceptable behaviour, and to influence others to follow suit.

I wonder where a Times writer would draw the line with News International. Just what would it take for them to stage a protest and resign their position? We know that Murdoch's primary motivation is money, but it's saddening to imagine that his journalists follow the same principles. If hacking a dead girl's voicemail isn't beyond the pale, what is?

Do they see The Times as somehow exempt from the behaviour of its parent company, and their actions as writers somehow a step apart? This is not so: if you work for a company or newspaper, you are part of the entirety. You may be writing about cars, women's issues, books or whatever, but you're also tacitly endorsing your company's actions.

The former Economist editor and Times contributor Bill Emmott realises this. Talking on last night's Newsnight, he said of Rebekah Brooks (quotes taken from Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger's Twitter feed): "I'm ashamed she's not resigned already... They have laughed at self-regulation." He said he would reconsider his position at the newspaper if some of the more distasteful allegations of phone hacking and cover-up turn out to be true.

The Times remains one of the better UK newspapers in journalistic terms, but my objection boils down to this: readers and contributors alike have a responsibility to ask whether they endorse or approve of the actions of its parent company, News International; whether the alleged phone hacking, bribery of police officers or misleading of parliament is acceptable behaviour.

If not, the solution seems clear:

• Cancel your Sky subscription. (Yes! It may mean going without some television. It's really not that hard, honest.)
• Stop buying Murdoch newspapers.
• Don't belong to any subsidiary organisations such as the Sunday Times Wine Club.
• Fight the BSkyB takeover.
• Don't put up any longer with this nasty man and his vile influence on our way of life. Stand up to the bullies.