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Leveson Round Up: Has He Thrown in the Towel?
Damian Tambini 2 06 2012
DATELINE: 4/6/12
Justice Leveson - Will media watchers look back on May 2012 as the month in which Leveson made two fateful moves to narrow the remit of his Inquiry? On one hand, he openly discussed the possibility that Part 2 of his Inquiry will be watered down or abandoned. Part 2 is supposed to delve further into the extent of improper conduct and management failures at News International and possible corruption of the police. Leveson argues that this has been amply covered by police inquiries and more hearings and evidence may not be necessary.
On the other hand, he has radically narrowed his policy remit. The Leveson Inquiry Terms of Reference asked the judge, among other things:"To make recommendations:
a. for a new more effective policy and regulatory regime which supports the integrity and freedom of the press, the plurality of the media, and its independence, including from Government, while encouraging the highest ethical and professional standards;
b. for how future concerns about press behaviour, media policy, regulation and cross-media ownership should be dealt with by all the relevant authorities, including Parliament, Government, the prosecuting authorities and the police" (emphasis added).
There are two reasons that policy relating to media plurality and media ownership was included in the original terms of reference. First, the handling of media ownership issues first by Vince Cable and then by Jeremy Hunt is seen to have been overly politicised and problematic. Hunt's evidence and cross examination this month focused on the extent to which he was captured by Murdoch interests, and raise the question of whether the media mergers and plurality regime should be changed.
But the second reason media ownership has been a concern is more fundamental. If one of the key findings of the Leveson Inquiry is that Murdoch was too powerful, how then might we need to reassess the rules that restrict media power – namely the ownership (media plurality) rules in the Enterprise Act and the Communications Act, and the Communications Act Schedule 14 Broadcasting rules? Among policymakers this has been seen as one of the most fundamental policy issues for the Inquiry.
But the module 4 questions published on the Leveson Inquiry website this month duck the challenge, focusing almost entirely on lawyerly discussions of freedom of expression and the public interest. These behavioural rules are fundamental to the reforms of press regulation that will follow. What is needed is a twin pronged approach that also includes structural changes in the media market.
Parliament and the government could argue that they should decide these issues, and that issues of media ownership will be covered in the long delayed Communications Green/White Paper, originally promised for last December. But civil society groups will ask why the public, open and independent forum provided by the Inquiry should not be the place to start such a debate. If Leveson has revealed widespread evidence of capture of media policy on ownership by powerful media interests, doesn't Leveson's decision to kick this particular ball back to the Government so quickly undermine the whole process?
Clearly, there is a deeper battle underway between Leveson and Parliament. The constitutional territory on which the Leveson Inquiry is situated has been hotly contested this month. Since we commented last month about the peculiar question of Hunt being held to account by the Inquiry rather than Parliament over whether he has breached the ministerial code or acted in a non-quasi judicial way, Parliament has reined in the Inquiry to an extent and the Opposition has withdrawn Parliamentary questions relating to it until evidence has been heard.
Module 3 fireworks around serving politicians have been entertaining, but if any good is to come out of the Inquiry it will be due to genuine and radical policy changes. On the basis of the questions published this month for module 4, and Leveson's blueprint for future regulation, civil society and the public will have to fight hard to get Leveson to focus on them.
Dr Damian Tambini is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Media and Communications, LSE and convenor of the MSc in Communication Regulation and Policy.
This post originally appeared on the LSE Media Policy Project Blog. It is reproduced with permission and thanks.
Last modified: Monday, June 4, 2012
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Previous Leveson Inquiry stories
Standing up for citizens' complaints
Operation Motorman - don't let it get away
Leveson Inquiry: Tories 'did not want to regulate press'
Alastair Campbell at Leveson: great theatre Mr Jay, shame about the questions
Brooks at Leveson: an insight into how the Sun exploited the political endorsement of the Murdoch press
Coulson at Leveson: a former spin doctor's master class in closing down unhelpful questions
It's not just about Murdoch - the whole system needs fixing
New Podcast: post Murdoch where is Leveson Inquiry going?
After Leveson… What future for the media?
NUJ responds to Murdoch's evidence at the Leveson Inquiry
Leveson Inquiry: Rupert Murdoch off the hook over alleged illegal payments to public officials
Leveson Inquiry shock news: Rupert Murdoch says his political influence was just 'a myth'
Now we come to the dark heart of this strange affair
Leveson Inquiry: Rupert Murdoch and son to appear
Money talks: no wonder so many rival journalists were beaten by the Sun's exclusive stories
If the Sun hates attacks on press freedom, how must it despise itself!
Jeremy Hunt calls for regulation of press content free of political interference...but no promise that politicians will refrain from meddling in media ownership
Iraq War: "Implacable support" of Murdoch press a key factor for Blair
Women's groups - Leveson must back ban on sexualized images in media
Ofcom and BSkyB bid: We should have looked at News Corporation's political influence
Leveson Inquiry: PCC chief says appetite for fresh start
Chilling effect on BBC journalism of licence freeze: a warning to Leveson Inquiry
Co-ordinating Committee for Media Reform call for change
BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten rebukes David Cameron
Opinion: "Leveson: reasons to be wary of press promises"
Cameron's links with the Murdoch press: only superficial probing at Leveson
Press Freedom: a democratic rubric
Leveson Inquiry edges closer to Cameron
James Murdoch 'shown damning email'
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Notices
Events & Announcements
World Press Freedom Day
More reporters are currently imprisoned in Turkey than in any other country in the world. Only a matter of weeks ago lawyers failed to persuade a Turkish court to release a 76-year-old journalist from a Turkish internet news station.
World Press Freedom Day on Friday May 3, 2013 is being marked in Britain by a rally to highlight the dangers facing journalists in Turkey and in this podcast, Nicholas Jones speaks to Barry White, Organiser at the Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom, and Sam Bamford, the TUC's policy officer for Eastern Europe and Africa about the importance of a campaign to highlight international press freedom.
The World Press Freedom Day rally is being staged by the National Union of Journalists at the NUJ head office, Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1 on Thursday May 2, 6pm-8pm.
DATELINE: 27/4/13
UK launch of EU media campaign
DATELINE: 13/3/13
The UK launch of a 'European Citizens' Initiative' calling for EU rules against concentration of media power will take place on Thursday March 21 from 11:00am – 12:30pm in Committee Room 4A at the House of Lords, London. Guest speakers will include actor and activist Hugh Grant (pictured), media consultant Claire Enders, Professor Steven Barnett, Barry McCall (President of the NUJ) and Marc Gruber (Director of the European Federation of Journalists).
A European Citizens' Initiative is an official petition, like a Downing Street petition. If it succeeds in gathering a million signatures across the EU, the Commission is obliged to respond.
This petition calls for the EU to act to protect media pluralism and press freedom.
CPBF Annual General Meeting
DATELINE: 1/3/13
Make a note in your diary
Saturday 13 July 2013 from 10.00am
NUJ HQ, 308/312 Gray's Inn Road, London WC1.
Leveson, media ownership, CPBF future work.
DOWNLOAD FREEPRESS NOW
DATELINE: 26/3/10
Download Freepress in PDF, ePub or mobi format. Issue 194 now available.
MEDIA FOR ALL CONFERENCE
DATELINE: 26/3/10
Papers from the Media for All Conference
MEDIA MANIFESTO
DATELINE: 26/3/10
The media’s job is to inform and entertain us but we rely on them too to tell us what our rulers and representatives are up to. In the run-up to the Iraq war the government used spin and disinformation in the media to create panic and mislead people. The truth is coming out now, but we need stronger, more independent media to be able to scrutinise governments and make informed choices.
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Previous stories
Leveson Inquiry
Standing up for citizens' complaints
Operation Motorman - don't let it get away
Leveson Inquiry: Tories 'did not want to regulate press'
Alastair Campbell at Leveson: great theatre Mr Jay, shame about the questions
Brooks at Leveson: an insight into how the Sun exploited the political endorsement of the Murdoch press
Coulson at Leveson: a former spin doctor's master class in closing down unhelpful questions
It's not just about Murdoch - the whole system needs fixing
New Podcast: post Murdoch where is Leveson Inquiry going?
After Leveson… What future for the media?
NUJ responds to Murdoch's evidence at the Leveson Inquiry
Leveson Inquiry: Rupert Murdoch off the hook over alleged illegal payments to public officials
Leveson Inquiry shock news: Rupert Murdoch says his political influence was just 'a myth'
Now we come to the dark heart of this strange affair
Leveson Inquiry: Rupert Murdoch and son to appear
Money talks: no wonder so many rival journalists were beaten by the Sun's exclusive stories
If the Sun hates attacks on press freedom, how must it despise itself!
Jeremy Hunt calls for regulation of press content free of political interference...but no promise that politicians will refrain from meddling in media ownership
Iraq War: "Implacable support" of Murdoch press a key factor for Blair
Women's groups - Leveson must back ban on sexualized images in media
Ofcom and BSkyB bid: We should have looked at News Corporation's political influence
Leveson Inquiry: PCC chief says appetite for fresh start
Chilling effect on BBC journalism of licence freeze: a warning to Leveson Inquiry
Co-ordinating Committee for Media Reform call for change
BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten rebukes David Cameron
Opinion: "Leveson: reasons to be wary of press promises"
Cameron's links with the Murdoch press: only superficial probing at Leveson
Press Freedom: a democratic rubric
Leveson Inquiry edges closer to Cameron
James Murdoch 'shown damning email'
Rupert Murdoch met David Cameron at Downing Street twice during BSkyB bid
