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| Lost for Words Member Since: 18 Jun 2015 Location: Warminster, Wiltshire Posts: 200  |
As some of you may be aware, the government is currently consulting on the implementation of the Leveson Inquiry and section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act 2013.
Said section 40 is a draconian piece of law that, if commenced, would see newspapers who will not sign up to a government approved regulator forced to pay the costs of any libel cases brought against them regardless of whether they are found guilty or not. Such court cases have the potential to bankrupt publications, leaving the door wide open for the press to be bullied into submission by those with the money to bring such a case. Frankly, it is ludicrous that this is even being consulted on, and it would mark the end of our centuries-old tradition of the free press that we are lucky enough to take for granted. It is among the most important pillars of a free, liberal democracy, and it matters to all alike, no matter what your political orientation and views. I urge anyone who believes in the free press to submit a response to the consulation. The consultation is open until the 10th January - all you need to do is call on the government to repeal section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act 2013 and you reponse must be logged. https://www.gov.uk/government/consultation...ementation
Consultations get bombarded by special interest groups so every voice counts.  Visiting from DISCO3.CO.UK
Discovery 3 TDV6 Auto HSE Zambezi Silver  |
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29th Dec 2016 12:47pm |
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| davew Member Since: 02 Jan 2012 Location: North Yorkshire Posts: 888  
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Free Press ??? Are you SURE we have one ? If we do it's certainly not very evident as most of our "free press" are too obsessed with regurgitating press releases verbatim and publishing gossip.
I can see the reasoning behind the proposal and it's probably the least onerous of all the options available. Essentially either the press agree to having a regulator or they leave themselves open to expensive libel cases. The alternative was to have an enforced regulator. The press have, for a very long time, had their own "code of conduct" but given that there is nobody actually enforcing or even policing the code of conduct the enquiry came to the conclusion that it wasn't worth the paper it isn't written down on. Remember that the enquiry was triggered by our "free press" illegally invading the privacy of private individuals, not just those in the public arena either. The "free press" was determined to have deliberately broken the law and, in part, this was done because the "free press" felt they were above the law and not accountable to anyone. The reality is that protection from the costs of libel doesn't impede a truly "free press" because real news (as opposed to glorified gossip columns posing as news) has no real risk of libel action against the medium or the reporter. The irony is that the very thing that undermines our "free press" (self serving pressure groups) is the same thing that is calling to "defend" that skewed relationship. Why would a pressure group be concerned about a regulator looking at the way news is gathered and reported I wonder ? http://www.yorkshireoffroadclub.net/ |
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29th Dec 2016 1:15pm |
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| Lost for Words Member Since: 18 Jun 2015 Location: Warminster, Wiltshire Posts: 200 |
The alternative, is to have no regulator, as it should be. Freedom of the press is there for a very good reason. Never give power to anyone that you would not give to your enemies.
Illegally being the operative word. We have libel laws and that's fine - censorship we do not need, because nobody is in a position to determine all truth from falsehood.
It is the inverse which is the big issue - papers found innocent of libel would still have to pay the costs. In my book, that's absolutely perverse. Visiting from DISCO3.CO.UK Discovery 3 TDV6 Auto HSE Zambezi Silver |
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29th Dec 2016 2:42pm |
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| mk1collector Member Since: 17 Sep 2009 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 6769 
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Surely all the press has to do is report the truth and they'll be fine? That sounds ok to me and would make a nice change. Ray
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29th Dec 2016 7:18pm |
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| Lost for Words Member Since: 18 Jun 2015 Location: Warminster, Wiltshire Posts: 200 |
Who decides what is the truth? Nobody can accurately determine that. Think of all the disagreements you've ever had and then imagine if those people were regulating the press... Regulation opens up a system of technocracy and if they don't sign up, then no, the truth doesn't guarentee anything, and worse, the truth can be suppressed by anyone with the money for a court case, even if unjustified. Visiting from DISCO3.CO.UK Discovery 3 TDV6 Auto HSE Zambezi Silver |
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29th Dec 2016 7:44pm |
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| shaggydog Member Since: 12 Aug 2012 Location: Kent Posts: 3346  
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I think critical thinking should be taught every year of school. It is so difficult to find "Facts" these days.
Any form of press censorship is always going to be contentious but that said there are always going to be stories which are best kept quiet. What does bother me is when people like Rupert Murdoch can own huge amounts of the press and then use it for his influence and agenda. That is wrong and not independent. Running Restoration Thread http://www.defender2.net/forum/post323197.html#323197 Self confessed mileage hunter  |
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29th Dec 2016 7:59pm |
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| JustFX Member Since: 10 Nov 2016 Location: Mendip Hills Posts: 190 
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The fear I have is not on mainstream media...they can't report news even if it hits them in the face. But the new bloggers and website owners that state stuff as fact with very little proof to back it up. Photographing and posting that someone needs to be harassed as he did something etc.
Free Press...sorry but they dug that hole themselves. But then again those with money and or in a high position are media smart (well they get there using that skill set) which meant the media had to look for alternative sources for into. |
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29th Dec 2016 9:03pm |
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