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Media policies after the election
Barry White
DATELINE: 20/5/10
The emergence of the Con-Dem coalition government from 6 May general election poses some interesting questions as to what their media and related policies would be.One interesting observation concerning the Liberal Democrats was made by David Yelland (editor of the Sun between 19098 and 2003). Writing in The Guardian on 19 April, when coalition thoughts were perhaps just emerging in some peoples' minds (it was after the first 'leaders TV debate) Yelland stated that 'a vote for the LibDems is a vote against the Murdoch and the media elite'. He went on to honestly recall that: 'I remember in my first year asking if we staffed the Liberal Democratic Conference. I was interested because as a student I'd been a founder member of the SDP. I was told we did not. We did not send a single reporter for fear of encouraging them'. In fact they were the invisible party with a print media which is and always has been entirely partisan. What proprietors want is to back the winner and have influence or at least the ear of the prime minister, Yelland explained. So no favours to repay here then!
Moving on from frank confessions, what will the policies look like? Well I'm writing this before the Queen's Speech, but I have read 'The coalition agreement' which was published shortly after the new government took over. In section 10 – Civil Liberties, it makes some interesting and promising proposals – extending the Freedom of Information Act to provide greater transparency, (this could include the Press Complaints Commission, which is currently not covered by the Act) – reviewing the libel laws to protect freedom of speech – safeguards against the misuse of anti-terrorism laws (the use of section 44 against photographers comes to mind) – and the scrapping of the ID card scheme. And we have been told that there will be a compulsory register for parliamentary lobbyists (an apparent victory of the Lib-Dems). Further details about this can be read on the branch web site 'Tories must not backtrack on lobbyists' by Scottish NUJ member David Miller.
But what about the rest? The Tories want to cut down the BBC (so does the BBC Trust, if its policy proposals are anything to go by!). Neither party supports the BBC Trust is seems, so action could be taken here and maybe an attempt to freeze the licence fee. But in their second policy document published on 20 May they pledge to maintain the independence of the BBC. They have also have announced that the BBC licence fee could be used (top sliced) to fund the faster broadband rollout. What about the giant regulator, Ofcom? Writing in the Media Guardian in 17 May, Maggie Brown thought it was unlikely that it would be abolished, although some senior Tories dislike its policy making power and would like to see it cut back. Added to which the new Digital Economy Act gave the regulator the power to introduce so called 'lighter touch' regulation for radio and commercial TV. What about local media? Brown believes that the two parties are potentially at loggerheads over the funding of independently financed local news consortia (IFNC's - Libs in favour – Tories against) and then are no clear indications on top slicing of the BBC licence fee – dropped by Labour late last year.
Finally what about the rules on media ownership? Signs are that regulations limiting the concentration of ownership of local media will be relaxed - they are pretty relaxed already I would have thought – witness the takeover of the Manchester Evening News by Trinity Mirror Group, recently given the green light by the Office of Fair Trading.
So in summary it's mostly all up to grabs, with some significant differences between the partners.
Last modified: Thursday, May 20, 2010
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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
Government Policy
What are Jeremy Hunt's priorities as the new culture secretary?
MPs pass Digital Economy Bill
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