Media Issues

The Leveson Inquiry

The Leveson inquiry was a two-part investigation into the use of phone hacking by the press and the police to gather information. The inquiries namesake was the Chairman of the Inquiry, Lord Justice Leveson. The inquiry itself looked into the culture, ethics and methods of the press and at the relationship between the press and the public, police and politicians. Six independent assessors with expertise in the key issues raised were brought in to form a panel to assist Leveson.

The main issue brought up by the inquiry were the ethics of hacking someone’s phone in order to get information for news agencies and the debate related is whether the press should be under tighter controls to prevent phone hacking in the future.

I believe that journalists have no right to invade people’s privacy. The only information that should be used by journalists should but information gathered legally and ethically. In order to go deeper into a story a journalist should do their own research and find what they need.  Though I don’t agree with the journalists methods the press should not be more regulated. The press are already heavily regulated and are often exposed to too many barriers and even being arrested and deported in the past. To further regulate the press would be to endanger freedom of speech.

Andy Coulson should have been prosecuted and imprisoned as he allowed the phone hacking to take place. As the man in charge he should be punished for telling and permitting his staff to hack phones.