As Module 2 of the Leveson Inquiry closes, attention will shift from the relationship between police and the press, to the module 3 topic: the relationship between politicians and the press. But the core concern, arguably, remains the same: is the relationship too cosy? Do the complex relationships of power and reciprocity between the press and other centres of power lead to corruption – if we define corruption as a replacement of an ethic oriented to the public interest with private, self-serving interests? Continue reading
The International Forum for Responsible Media Blog
Month: April 2012 (Page 5 of 5)
Operation Motorman was the 2003 investigation into the illegal trade in personal information by the British Press. In April 2005, Steve Whittamore and John Boyall and two men who had given them access to the police computer, pleaded guilty to procuring confidential police data to sell to newspapers and were given conditional discharges. The Information Commissioner’s report “What Price Privacy Now?” identified 32 different publications which were using the services of private investigators to obtain private information but no further regulatory or political action resulted. Continue reading
The Court of Appeal today took a bold step forward in advancing court transparency. The decision in R (Guardian News and Media Ltd) v City of Westminster Magistrates Court ([2012] EWCA Civ 420) established in common law for the first time the right of ordinary people and the media to obtain documents that are used in court cases. Continue reading
I’ve been musing since Wednesday about motes and beams. A quick online search confirmed to me that the phrase comes from the King James version of St Matthew’s Gospel (chapter 7, verse 3):
“And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?” Continue reading
English PEN and Index on Censorship, two organisations committed to freedom of expression, embarked on the Alternative Libel Project last April and have spent the last year considering whether defamation claims can be resolved in a better way than by using the current High Court process. The project was funded by the Nuffield Foundation, and Index and PEN have had support and advice throughout from members of an expert advisory committee, chaired by Sir Stephen Sedley. The project’s final report, in which Index and PEN make recommendations for change was launched in the middle of March. Continue reading
The former chairman of the Indian Premier League Lalit Modi has been ordered to pay £90,000 damages in a libel action brought by cricketer Chris Cairns, over tweets published in early 2010. As Gervase de Wilde reported for Inforrm, it has been one of the most high profile libel cases of the past 12 months. In a judgment given on Monday March 26 ([2012] EWHC 756 (QB)), Bean J also granted the additional remedy of an injunction to the Claimant. There is an interesting legal and cricketing commentary on the Defamation Watch blog. Continue reading
Case Law: Tulisa Contostavlos v Michael Mendahun and others, “sex tape” privacy injunction continued
On 19 March 2012, singer and X-factor judge Tulisa Contostavlos obtained an interim injunction to prevent the publication of a “sex tape”. We reported on this application at the time. Original reports suggested that this might be a “false privacy” case but in a You Tube video the singer explained the background and accused her former boyfriend, Justin Edwards (aka MC Ultra) of leaking the tape (see our post of 22 March 2012). A public hearing took place on 26 March 2012 (see our post of 27 March 2012) and the order was continued by Mr Justice Tugendhat. On 29 March 2012 he handed down a judgment explaining his reasons for granting and continuing the order ([2012] EWHC 850 (QB)). Continue reading
The Leveson Inquiry continued the examination of the relationship between the police and the press, with appearances from deputy London mayor Kit Malthouse (pictured), the regional press, a number of chief constables from regional forces and the Independent Police Complaints Commission. Continue reading
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