Question
here
Leveson: Revelation or Revolution
How has The Leveson Inquiry
impacted on regulation, responsibility, and reputation?
Leveson: Implications for
regulating the printed press
In the year 2012, there has been a dramatic unfolding of
events in regards to how the media as a sector has practiced, and in some cases
abused the code of ethics over the last two decades. The repercussions of these
actions have been placed under scrutiny in the public eye, through the
implementation of the Leveson Inquiry into media ethics. As the events of main
discussion draw to a conclusion, the way the media sector carries out its
duties may now always be placed under constant observation and inspection to
ensure that these events are never reproduced. The main focuses of the inquiry
originated from allegations of phone hacking from the tabloid newspaper, The News of The World. The inquiry since
went on to uncover a mass construction of media intertwinement with
politicians, police, and the public, to produce what has been one of the most
investigative inquisitions into the media in recent times. The Leveson Inquiry itself was thus divided
into two parts of an investigation.
Part one would focus on; ‘the culture practices and ethics
of the press, including contacts between the press and politicians, and the
press and police.’ Part two would be focusing on the legal issues; ‘the extent
of unlawful or improper conduct within News International, other media
organisations, or other organisations.’
(Duthel: 2011)
These investigations would produce a series of developments
that would present a new proposed procedure into how the media as a sector
should in the future be handled and regulated. Ethics as a practise is one of
the main focuses of how the media, and in particular, the Printed Press, have
used notions of journalism such as investigative techniques, and disregarded
them to implement actions such as phone hacking and intrusive digging into
peoples possessions. This gave them an advantageous edge when producing and
breaking the stories surrounding some of their stories, but at what consequence
will the sector have to face because of these unethical and unlawful practises?
The media has never been held in such a position where it
can be succumbed to major change in the way it is regulated. There are many that think the time for a
responsible independent organisation has come, and they should be given
responsibility for handling future misconduct within the media. This is the view of Labour politician, Harriet
Harman (2012), who states;
‘I don't think
self-regulation of the media should be given another chance. It's absolutely
clear Leveson has given a great many revelations.’
This view is also
shared by Lawyer David Sherborne (2012) - who represents some of the alleged
victims of media intrusion, as he stated to Lord Leveson;
‘Unless someone takes a grip, a very firm grip, of the
tabloid press, we will be back to the same position as soon as the spotlight is
turned off and the ink is dry on your report.’
This situation poses many important questions regarding the
implications of ethical discrepancy, none more pertinent than being able to
decipher what is investigative, and how do you regulate an integral part of an
occupation which requires actively investigating?
This paper will seek to find and investigate the true links
and identities of how sections of the media and the printed press,
particularly, ones associated with Rupert Murdoch’s empire, have come to be so embodied
in the influence of politics and public relations. The contents will examine
and highlight how The Leveson Inquiry may emphasise, and also affect these
relationships, and what courses of action may impact on these, going forward.
Media on the Media
The media as a whole unit has been under the public
microscope since the revelations of unethical practices were first freed into
the public sphere. They have been heavily reflected upon through a mass media
commentary, of how the media has itself been carrying out its practices in
various organisations. The media has in
effect been reflecting, commentating, and scrutinising itself publicly.
This has only inflicted more damage to the faltering
reputation that the media already holds with public relations.
Even before the Leveson inquiry, and the revelations that
proceeded, the public have held the press with a distanced notion of contempt
and caution.
‘It is well known that journalism has a poor image with the
public. They do not regard it highly.’
(Kieran,
year)
The consecutive announcements of press evasions of societal
and moral behaviour have only served to imprint these concerns to a higher
level, something of which the media as a unit will be urged to redeem. The
Conservative member of the Culture Media and Sport Committee, Conor Burns says
that;
‘We want to restore public confidence in the press, we want
a genuine independence in regulation.’
(Burns, 2012)
The relationship that the press and media as a whole hold
with the public is one that has a tendency to be fickle, but one that the
public engage with to gain their information. They rely on the media to gain knowledge
and an understanding of the wider contextual framework that the world conceals
as part of its concern. ‘The media engage with and affect our beliefs.’ (Matthew Kieran)
The media are thus a public spire to an infrastructure of
social and political awareness.
This being said, in releasing that information, there is an
intertwinement with the strong influential balances that media can assert to
the public, and this can influence ideologies and social practices.
‘The media already have a strong and complex influence upon
how we understand and shape our world.’ (Matthew
Kieran)
Go with reflections now and media comments, engagement with
the public, relation to Leveson, don’t go into regulation yet.
NEXT POINT: So where do we go from here, how has the media
reflected upon commentating on itself. How has the public reacted, have they
always had these views towards the media. The media’s representations of itself
in the past on how they have tried to engage with the public.
MOVING POINT: How has
the media thus changed its views and behaviour towards ethics over the years?
What occurrences have happened in the past, regulations set up? What forced the
Leveson inquiry to be publicly made?
In the intro – what to include
These investigations would produce a:
Generation of unravelling
Ethical procedures
Control over politicians/ vice versa
Figurehead displacement
The mass corruption
The industry will never be the same
End of self-regulation – Harriet Harman
Did it/could it lead to a Revolt against the media
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