Proposal for Dissertation

Dissertation Proposal

Investigation:

For the Independent study, my main focus will be to investigate ethics within journalism. I will focus on the key aspects that have been projected within the media, focusing on The Leveson Enquiry into Media Ethics, and consider how this has changed the media sector going forward from this.

Rationale:

My main reasoning for investigating this is to assess the current state of media and ethics within the industry, and also to delve into the fundamental practises that took place in the full Leveson Enquiry, considering the approaches, and the media as a sector, commenting on itself. Key questions I will consider are:

• How has the industry changed its common day practises towards ethics throughout the years
• Do the media as a sector continually practise ‘unethical’ procedures
• Was the Enquiry into media ethics, a technicality, a smokescreen to satisfy the public and politicians
• How does politics play a role within the media, are the media constrained/required to process particulars
• Have occurrences like this have happened in the past, if so, why has it not been in the public domain until now – is this political correctness forcing the issue, or a series of condemned media practises that have collated to require an investigation
• How has the media commented on itself
• Will/has anything change from the investigation, or is this a historical debacle that will satisfy this generations critics, and will continue be practised in future times

Sources so far:

Heinz Duthel, 2011. Rupert Murdoch: The Politico Media Complex Mogul. Edition. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.

House of Commons, 2010-2012. Home affairs committee: Effectiveness of the committee 2010-2012. First report of session

House of Commons, Home affairs Committee: Private investigators, Forth report of session 2012-2013

House of Commons, Culture Media and Sport Committee, News International and phone hacking. Eleventh report of session; Volume one.

Malcolm Dean, 2011. Democracy under attack: How the media distort policy and politics. Edition. Policy Press.

The Guardian. 2012. Leveson Inquiry. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/leveson-inquiry. [Accessed 14 October 12].

The House of Lords, Select committee on Communications: 3^rd report of session 2010-2012; The Future of Investigative Journalism. Report

The Leveson Inquiry. 2012. The Leveson Inquiry. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.levesoninquiry.org.uk/. [Accessed 14 October 2012].

The Telegraph. 2012. Leveson Inquiry recommendations likely to be adopted - Cameron. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/conservative/9592592/Leveson-Inquiry-recommendations-likely-to-be-adopted-Cameron.html. [Accessed 14 October 12].

Areas that need attention:

The key aspect of my investigation needs more clarity and direction, although I have some key concepts and ideas, and have identified some sources. I have a grasp of what areas I would like to investigate and also, how I may link these together, but I need to identify a major source that can thread the argument together.

This will become more apparent as I begin the process of writing the paper, and my main focus may be altered and the argument may take different directions because of this.

Key concepts:

The key aspect of my argument will be aimed at the media commenting on itself, and the practises that have been employed, what this actually means for the media sector. Has anything changed, how does the media portray itself?

A key aspect I have chosen not to cover is Rupert Murdoch as a media personality, and his personal reign in the industry. This is because I feel that the investigation I want to lead is more associated with the sector as a whole, and practises that are employed, rather than one distinctive person or their empire.

I may however, refer to his company, and aspects associated with this to highlight key points, or as examples.

My main arguments will be constructed through analysing the process of the Enquiry through evidence that will suggest that it was/wasn’t motivated through necessity against the process of it being a formality or an appeasing solution to a much wider problem within the industry.  

Hypothesis:

The aim of the paper would be to determine the outcome of achievement the enquiry had within the industry of the media, how this could change future practises if at all, and would the investigation stop occurrences such as these happening in the future. Ultimately, what is held for the future of investigative journalism as a practise? Can the media hold on to its distinctive roots of objective investigators seeking the truth in the public interest?