Lord Peter Mandelson, Uk Ambassador
News1 min ago
Should our 'free press' be shackled?
33 Answers
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Or would this be the thin end of the wedge, where we would finish up with a press controlled by politicians?
Or would this be the thin end of the wedge, where we would finish up with a press controlled by politicians?
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The press have brought this on themselves. If they held themselves up to the high standards of their predecessors, we wouldn't even have had a Leveson enquiry.
And what were they doing with their hacking powers? Bringing us stories of who Katie Price is dating, and how much Carole Vorderman spends on knickers.
We are not talking about a load of Woodwards and Bernsteins. This is not great investigative journalism...parts of the British press have descended to the level of Heat magazine.
Right now, this is what the Mail has on it's sidebar:
1. Cate Blanchett at The Hobbit premiere
2. A story about an actress who has a new hairstyle
3. A story about the Duchess of Cambridge's hair being blown by the wind
4. A story about a pregnant pop star/actress lifted from another source.
5. A story about a larger actress losing some weight.
6. A puff piece about I'm A Celebrity.
7. A story about a former Big Brother contestant's weight loss.
8. A story about the 'stars' of TOWIE
And what were they doing with their hacking powers? Bringing us stories of who Katie Price is dating, and how much Carole Vorderman spends on knickers.
We are not talking about a load of Woodwards and Bernsteins. This is not great investigative journalism...parts of the British press have descended to the level of Heat magazine.
Right now, this is what the Mail has on it's sidebar:
1. Cate Blanchett at The Hobbit premiere
2. A story about an actress who has a new hairstyle
3. A story about the Duchess of Cambridge's hair being blown by the wind
4. A story about a pregnant pop star/actress lifted from another source.
5. A story about a larger actress losing some weight.
6. A puff piece about I'm A Celebrity.
7. A story about a former Big Brother contestant's weight loss.
8. A story about the 'stars' of TOWIE
But saying that - there's absolutely no way that the press should be regulated by any political party.
That's simply too dangerous.
Perhaps there's a third way...instead of regulating the press, why not increase the powers of the PCC? Give them the power to fine newspapers when they transgress. That way, the press can continue in their unregulated state, but when they do cross the line, they can be spanked.
And when they print stories which are proved to be false, they should be compelled to print retractions in obvious places...not buried on page 37 next to an advert for bunion cream.
That's simply too dangerous.
Perhaps there's a third way...instead of regulating the press, why not increase the powers of the PCC? Give them the power to fine newspapers when they transgress. That way, the press can continue in their unregulated state, but when they do cross the line, they can be spanked.
And when they print stories which are proved to be false, they should be compelled to print retractions in obvious places...not buried on page 37 next to an advert for bunion cream.
"why not increase the powers of the PCC?"
Because the PCC is owned funded and run by the very people who the complaints are about.
Ofcom regulates standards in public broadcasting. I've not heard anyone complain that it's political or has taken us down the route of political censorship.
It's quite possible to set up a statutory body that is politically independent and is also in turn answerable to the courts and open to judicial review.
Because the PCC is owned funded and run by the very people who the complaints are about.
Ofcom regulates standards in public broadcasting. I've not heard anyone complain that it's political or has taken us down the route of political censorship.
It's quite possible to set up a statutory body that is politically independent and is also in turn answerable to the courts and open to judicial review.
Don't get the objection against legislation, which is how the objection is being framed. Our various judicial and quasi-judicial bodies are usually the result of legislation creating them and setting out their terms of reference but that doesn't make them political or under the control of government. Don't think anyone was seriously suggesting that newspapers could only be printed under government licence, which might be withdrawn if the paper upset the government.
And how does Leveson LJ propose to encourage proprietors to agree to be heard and ruled by this new body like Ofcom? What if they don't want to be?
And how does Leveson LJ propose to encourage proprietors to agree to be heard and ruled by this new body like Ofcom? What if they don't want to be?
rojash
/// It's interesting that the Mail (not exactly renowned for its constructive investigative journalism - but pretty famous for demonising innocent people and filling its web site with telephoto-lens "candid" shots of celebrities in various states of undress) ///
Do you know rojash? although I think that I use the Dail Mail website perhaps more than most other Abers, I have never really noticed those "telephoto-lens "candid" shots of celebrities in various states of undress" of which you mention.
But then perhaps that says more about you, than it does about me?
/// It's interesting that the Mail (not exactly renowned for its constructive investigative journalism - but pretty famous for demonising innocent people and filling its web site with telephoto-lens "candid" shots of celebrities in various states of undress) ///
Do you know rojash? although I think that I use the Dail Mail website perhaps more than most other Abers, I have never really noticed those "telephoto-lens "candid" shots of celebrities in various states of undress" of which you mention.
But then perhaps that says more about you, than it does about me?
sp1814
/// Right now, this is what the Mail has on it's sidebar: ///
1. Cate Blanchett at The Hobbit premiere
2. A story about an actress who has a new hairstyle
3. A story about the Duchess of Cambridge's hair being blown by the wind
4. A story about a pregnant pop star/actress lifted from another source.
5. A story about a larger actress losing some weight.
6. A puff piece about I'm A Celebrity.
7. A story about a former Big Brother contestant's weight loss.
8. A story about the 'stars' of TOWIE
Perhaps that says more about some of today's Women's reading habits than it does of the Daily Mail.
A popular paper has to cater for Females as well as Males, it's called equality, that is why the paper is the second most popular newspaper..
/// Right now, this is what the Mail has on it's sidebar: ///
1. Cate Blanchett at The Hobbit premiere
2. A story about an actress who has a new hairstyle
3. A story about the Duchess of Cambridge's hair being blown by the wind
4. A story about a pregnant pop star/actress lifted from another source.
5. A story about a larger actress losing some weight.
6. A puff piece about I'm A Celebrity.
7. A story about a former Big Brother contestant's weight loss.
8. A story about the 'stars' of TOWIE
Perhaps that says more about some of today's Women's reading habits than it does of the Daily Mail.
A popular paper has to cater for Females as well as Males, it's called equality, that is why the paper is the second most popular newspaper..
The sooner the internet is banned the better.
causes all sorts of trouble between people who would never have even known of each others existence before it was created.
Too much freedom of speech is a bad thing..The days when us plebs were down a mine,in a mill or in the navy conquering the World were so much better.
China will find this out soon..Power to the people?
Nein danke.
causes all sorts of trouble between people who would never have even known of each others existence before it was created.
Too much freedom of speech is a bad thing..The days when us plebs were down a mine,in a mill or in the navy conquering the World were so much better.
China will find this out soon..Power to the people?
Nein danke.
LoftyLottie
Before you go off on one read what I put
/// some of today's Women's reading habits ///
Please notice the word 'SOME'.
And that cannot be argued, or their would would be no call for such magazines as HELLO, and even less for the Daily Mail FEMALE section.
And you are quite correct I did say the Daily Mail publishes the 'FEMALE SECTION' in the interest of equality.
But since you brought it up I think I am wrong, simply because they don't also provide a separate 'MALE SECTION'.
Before you go off on one read what I put
/// some of today's Women's reading habits ///
Please notice the word 'SOME'.
And that cannot be argued, or their would would be no call for such magazines as HELLO, and even less for the Daily Mail FEMALE section.
And you are quite correct I did say the Daily Mail publishes the 'FEMALE SECTION' in the interest of equality.
But since you brought it up I think I am wrong, simply because they don't also provide a separate 'MALE SECTION'.
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