The Press under pressure

Only recently have I heard the plans to make “a state-backed press regulator” this news rather alarmed me as it should. The reasons for this incessant concern is that bar some wartime exemptions the press has been free of the governmental influence since the 19^th century. Before I go on a stupidly histrionic rant let’s give some background. As previously mentioned the press has largely been free of government regulation since the 19^th century however the increasing public concern leads to the creation of press self-regulation in the form royal commissions and most recently the Press complaints commission (PCC). 

Well, the Leveson inquiry looked at self-regulation, the PCC and the ethics and practices of the press, after the News of the Worlds phone hacking scandal. This inquiry found that largely the there was a general lack of respect for personal privacy and that there was insufficient redress for those who filed complaints, due to this failure to complete its function the inquiry found the PCC to be “unfit for purpose” and a new independent body/organization was recommended. Well if a new body was recommended for regulation why am i worried? Well, this new “regulator” or “watchdog” is a regulator that is state-backed and funded by Max Mosley, a name some may know. Well, this for one goes against the recommendations of the report.

The Leveson inquiry found that the new body should be an auditor of self-regulation, that is completely independent of editors, government, and business, yet backed by legislation. Well the fact it is funded by Max Mosley an ex-FIA president, union movement member (far right fascist group), tory party worker and current labour party supporter does not fit the bill of independent of politics or business. While that is disconcerting plus the rather ambiguous fact this regulator is state-backed could lead to the same the issues that the PCC suffered from. Yet despite these concerns the press is still joining since they have been told that they will have to front court fees if they don’t join up, if that is not blackmailing then I don’t know what is.

I completely agree with the Leveson report in that business, police, and politics should not be involved in the regulation of the press Yes too often journalists have used gross tactics to get a story or have printed hollow stories full of half-truths of pure libel. However, the new regulator should use the deformation act as its weapon not hold legal fees over the head of the press as some kind of financial hostage. If the present laws privacy law and deformation act were tightened use that to reign in journalists and the libel.

As for the hollow stories unfortunately that is the freedom of speech we have no right to control what is printed or written because it isn’t of high quality, for the same reason I am allowed I have the privilege the right to author this blog can a paper author a story about the Brangelina break up or a new hair style, if people want better substance of news then don’t buy the papers with those stories. It is a fundamental element of a free society to have a free press and a freedom of speech.

Some fear that this will make the government less accountable and i fear it might but no more than it already is. In my opinion, a greater issue, as stated in the inquiry, is the proximity of Tory mp’s to the Murdoch media empire and media bias and spin. How much influence on the media exposed to the public that Rupert Murdoch and his empire has by controlling several newspapers and a news channel is immense he/they decides what spin is placed on publicised news, take the 1992, 1997 and 2010 elections and the corresponding Sun headlines for evidence of the influence of a biased or slanted press on public opinion and decisions.

I sincerely hope that the government and the press remember that is the press's job to hold the government to account not the other way around, However, i fear like parliament this core role of their jobs is lost to them.