Leveson Report calls for media watchdog underpinned by law

[WestVirginiaRebel]

UK Telegraph:

Lord Justice Leveson has condemned decades of "outrageous" behaviour by newspapers as he urged the Government to set up a new media watchdog underpinned by legislation.

Publishing his report into press standards, the Appeal Court judge insisted that enshrining the terms of a new regulator in statute “is not statutory regulation of the press”.

He said legislation was vital to “enshrine a legal duty on the Government to protect the freedom of the press” and to reassure the public that previous transgressions by newspapers would not be repeated.

But the recommendations of his 1,987-page report seem certain to lead to rows within the Coalition, with MPs split over whether any form of statutory involvement in press regulation is acceptable.

David Cameron, who received the report yesterday, will make a formal response to its findings later today.

As well as suggesting how a new regulator would work, the Leveson Report makes a series of recommendations about how politicians and the police should behave in future.

It suggests that members of the Government and Opposition front benchers should publish details on a quarterly basis of all meetings with media proprietors, editors and executives, including “private” meetings at their homes.

A summary of telephone calls, letters, emails and text messages between the parties should also be published.

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Free speech, or regulated speech?

[Valin]

UK Telegraph:

Lord Justice Leveson has condemned decades of "outrageous" behaviour by newspapers as he urged the Government to set up a new media watchdog underpinned by legislation.

 

 

Oh gee what could possibly go wrong with this?

[Casino67]

Our own Hank Johnson wants a Constitutional amendment limiting corporation's free speech. Something must be in the air.

 

Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) says, “corporations control the patterns of thinking” in the United States and that the Bill of Rights to the Constitution should be amended so that the government is given the power to restrict freedom of speech.

“We need a constitutional amendment to allow the legislature to control the so-called free speech rights of corporations,” said Johnson.

http://patdollard.com/2012/11/rep-hank-capsize-johnson-amend-constitution-to-restrict-freedom-of-speech/