24 January 2012

Leveson Inquiry: Hearings - Day 30


LEVESON INQUIRY:CULTURE, PRACTICE AND ETHICS OF THE PRESS

"I want this inquiry to mean something", not end up as "footnote in some professor of journalism's analysis of 21 century history." LJ Leveson in reply to A Rusbridger's submission to Inquiry.

Lord Justice Leveson
From Guardian:
Here's a quick reminder of the four modules within this first year of the inquiry.
Module 1: The relationship between the press and the public and looks at phone-hacking and other potentially illegal behaviour
Module 2: The relationships between the press and police and the extent to which that has operated in the public interest
Module 3: The relationship between press and politicians
Module 4: Recommendations for a more effective policy and regulation that supports the integrity and freedom of the press while encouraging the highest ethical standards.

Witness list for this week (23rd - 26th January) to be found HERE
Video Recordings of each day's proceedings HERE
Live Feed From Leveson Inquiry Site HERE
BBC Democracy Live Feed HERE 



Misleading headlines?
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Today's links to articles, info and comments relevant to the Leveson Inquiry (frequently updated) :


          Operation Black Vote
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          Tuesday January 24th 2012
          (link to Hearing for day 29 HERE )

          Helen Lewis

          To recap. This is TOO RAUNCHY: This is PUBLIC INTEREST JOURNALISM:
          Today's Witnesses:

          Inayat Bunglawala (Engage)
          Fiona Fox (Science Media Centre)
          Heather Harvey (Eaves Housing for Women)
          Jonathan Heawood (PEN)
          Jacqui Hunt (Equality Now)
          John Kampfner (Index on Censorship)
          Marai Larasi (End Violence Against Women)
          Gary O'Shea (News International)
          Ryan Parry (Trinity Mirror)
          Anna Van Heeswijk (Object)
          Stephen Waring (News International)


          Inayat Bunglawala (Engage)
          Inayat Bunglawala








          T Portilho-Shrimpton
          Inayat Bunglawala , now up, works for Engage, non-profit organisation working in media and politics on behalf of British Muslims
          Headlines seem to be aimed at stirring up resentment towards Muslims - Jay cites various headlines.
          Small sample of what Bunglawala spoke about
          Speaking about the poppy banning headline in Daily Star. he tackled Star and they couldn't find evidence. One small correction was printed. Article in Star HERE.
          Complained about Lord Ahmed being described as 'Muslim Peer' in Telegraph HERE
          Melanie Philipps at Daily Mai described Engage as extremist muslim group funded by the Government. Engage have been seeking redress and correction for this for months.  HERE

          Very little satisfaction from the PCC. Only explanation Bunglawala can think of is that the papers want to wind people up. One front page of the Express now used by BNP to try to generate support.


          Bunglawala pleads for speed in redress - a body should deal with complaints speedily.
          Thinks make up of present PCC is not right - Editors should not be on the Committee. Apologies made by newspapers are tiny - hopes Inquiry will ensure retractions and aplogies are commensurate with harm done. Star keeps repeating same mistakes. Have to ask what value one line apologies are.
          Leveson comments no redress from PCC for misreporting by Desmond's Star or Express. Bunglawala says they are perhaps worst.

          Leveson ends by saying he thinks Mr Bunglawala was very moderate in giving his evidence.


          Peter Howells
          Watch out for extensive coverage of the evidence from this Muslim in tomorrows Star, Sun, Times, Mirror, Express and Mail


          Ross Hawkins
          Mail's lawyer says there is a "resolution in immediate sight" on the Bunglawala / Melanie Phillips complaint


          Fiona Fox (Science Media Centre)
          Fiona Fox





          Witness Statement in Full

          Independent press office for Scientific community. (largely to address debacle of MMR reporting)

          Says the MMR story was a small study over reported throughout media. Left public feeling medical scientists were divided over MMR vaccine when they weren't.


          Gordon Rayner
          Fox: media let the public down over MMR because controversy was stirred up by a single voice, Dr Andrew Wakefield.

          Ross Hawkins
          highlights fact Wakefield had support of peer reviewed journal as a "partial" defence for coverage

          T Portilho-Shrimpton
          Fox: the best ally of science are the science reporters. We have some fantastic science journalists in this country.


          Headlines sometimes downright misleading - has examples - Balanced report written by a science journalist but lurid headline put on it later when edited for print.
          Independent hype Stem cell study HERE

          Lauds the Guardian for having a designated Science Editor. Would see end of over-hyping, terrifying headlines. Swine flu hype - Guardian.

          Swine flu hype

          Ross Hawkins
          struggles to recall Prof Brian Cox's name as he mentions his writing for the Sun, Fox makes point Cox is a rather famous scientist

          From Telegraph Live Blog:
          Scientific studies should not be on the front page when they are at the preliminary stages, Ms Fox has suggested. She suggested extraordinary claims about results of trials and studies should be on page 10 of a newspaper rather than the front with caveats.
          We love science on the front page but I think it would resolve a lot of problems if journalists didn’t overclaim for the studies.
          14.51 Newspapers would benefit from more science specialists, says Ms Fox.
          Mentions Delingpole and his views on Climate Change - entitled to his opinions but even faced with the evidence, Delingpole persists in peddling inaccuracies.


          Gordon Rayner
          Fox: columnists are often 'blatantly inaccurate'. 'We question whether papers can disregard accuracy when it comes to columnists'




          Telegraph Live Blog:
          Scientific studies should not be on the front page when they are at the preliminary stages, Ms Fox has suggested. She suggested extraordinary claims about results of trials and studies should be on page 10 of a newspaper rather than the front with caveats.

          We love science on the front page but I think it would resolve a lot of problems if journalists didn’t overclaim for the studies.

          lisa o'carroll
          tells fox seems problem easily fixable regarding science reporting But issue might be the desire to get a catchy headline




            Jonathan Heawood (PEN)
            Jonathan Heawood










            Witness Statement in Full


            IndexLeveson
            Heawood: right to Article 10 is now one we can actively enjoy through internet

            English PEN
            : We must get the LAW right. we cannot be in a situation where we are "regulating a stable door"

            Hacked off
            Heawood: We are all now potential publishers and have the capacity to become producers of media content.

            Heawood cites the case of Heather Brook (expenses whistleblower, had disc of data). she was hung out to dry through the law.
            Heawood wants more voices to be heard apart from the 'big beasts'. Leveson says it depends, surely, who has the megaphone. Who has the power? Heawood says the press is to some extent failing in its job of speaking truth to power. Telegraph has much deeper pockets and therefore has more power to influence, access to justice.


            IndexLeveson
            Heawood: important to get law right. Individual campaigner needs to be secure they can pursue story

            English PEN
            Discusses the 'power' of the press.Newspapers still may succeed where individual citizens fail, due to former's influence

            Wilkes
            : Parliamentary journalism declined significantly in the mainstream media.

            English PEN
            : better a noisy and under regulated society, than a quiet and over-regulated society.

            Public Interest:
            Heawood thinks it can only be a partial defence - can't have a blanket public exemption - if an article gives public better understanding of society then that would be valid. Good faith of journalist comes into it - some use it as an excuse - journalist's good faith may be faulty. Needs to be a narrow definition - defence against a real tort, real harm.

            Prior notification:

            Hacked off
            Heawood: the cost of defending a libel or an application for injunction is so great that it does have a potentially chilling effect

            English PEN
            asks why damages for privacy 'damage' so much greater than actual personal injury cases where people lose a limb!
            Regulation:

            English PEN
            says Readers Ombudsman innovation at Guardian a good model for resolving complaints...

            Hacked off
            Heawood: every example of co-regulation that I've seen so far seems to be a veiled form of statutory regulation

            IndexLeveson
            Heawood: crucial to get law of the land right and improve access to justice

            English PEN
            Discusses 'chilling effect' of bad laws is that certain subject go unreported. It is a bug, not a feature of law!


            John Kampfner (Index on Censorship)
            John Kampfner







            Alexandra Topping
            Kampfner notes that post riots Cameron sought to "shoot the blackberry messenger" and it was not the medium that was at fault

            IndexLeveson 
            Kampfner: without a vigorously free press, free expression is damaged

            Kampfner refers to his Witness Statement and speaks about 'lazy journalism' - Westminster lobby - a media that was 'extraordinary compliant'.
            When he was a lobby journalist, he saw a culture of spin doctors just 'feeding the beast' (the journalists) - cites an instance when he was being briefed about T Blair's activities on a particular day - he questioned the repetitious items in briefing. was told to 'shut up and get writing'. When a politician was down, journalists were able to give him a good kicking.


            IndexLeveson
            Kampfner: most of the time media beasts weren't feral, were locked up .

            lisa o'carroll
            John kamfpner. Parliamentary coverage dropped 95% gone from 10k words in times and guardian to 500a day.

            Hacked off
            Kampfner: simply ask yourself, did the media find out too much or too little? (on news stories like WMDs and financial crash).

            IndexLeveson
            Kampfner: copious laws need to be better enforced, editorial governance improved

            Ross Hawkins
            Kampfner at : there was a sense of services rendered; most of the time media beasts weren't feral but were "locked up"

            Kampfner speaks about paparazzi and Sienna Miller - Index' contention is that is covered in the existing law and could be dealt with by that.

            Public interest:
            Laws adequate but not enforced. Test in libel has now broad consensus that not fit for purpose. Isn't in many cases a strong enough defence of public interest acknowledged in the courts. Agrees with Heawood.
            In Whitehall is suspicion that many facts are kept secret - cites a case he was involved in. Gvmnt pleaded Official Secrets Act. Was to 'save the bacon' of a cabinet minister. Media are faced with wall of laws to stop them finding information.



            Hacked off
            Kampfner: The current public interest defence, in libel, we have contended from the outset. Reynolds Defence is not strong enough.
            Record of Parliament in working towards greater transparency is poor.

            Privacy:
            Some of main problems arose from the Hanover case where everything is private unless we say otherwise - subsequently, as in cases with footballers, has to be a strong public interest argument. Von Hannover v. Germany (June 2004)

            Prior notification:

            IndexLeveson
            Kampfner: countries that require prior notification are not paragons of free expression (eg Russia, Azerbaijan)

            Lisa Appignanesi
            Prior notification rule would mean UK joins press regimes of Moldova, Azerbaijan and other beacons of freedom
            Regulation:
            Code needs tweaking. No serving editors on panel. Former editors may not be up to mark with new innovation.

            Ross Hawkins
            Kampfner says the "I was in Tuscany" excuse from editors whose journos get it wrong while they're away isn't good enough

            IndexLeveson
            Kampfner: quarterly board meetings of news organisations need agenda item on standards.

            IndexLeveson
            Kampfner stressing improved editorial management & corporate governance

            Gordon Rayner
            Leveson says he is "not sure of evidence base" for Kampfner's assertion that press can be trusted to regulate itself

            Gordon Rayner
            Kampfner exhorts not to do anything that might delay libel law reform, due in Queen's speech in May



            Jacqui Hunt (Equality Now) 
            Jacqui Hunt









            Witness Statement in Full

            Telegraph Live Blog


            Gordon Rayner
            Hunt: freedom of the press is vital but we have to find a way to make sure women aren't objectified

            Naomi Westland
            "Sexist stereotyping in media...normalises sexism in society...and limits women's participation in society"

            Gordon Rayner
            Jacqui Hunt: media concentrates on 'negative stereotypes' of women and 'trivialises' them by focusing on their looks


            Marai Larasi (End Violence Against Women)
            Marai Larasi








            Telegraph Live Blog


            Media creates attitudes - shouldn't inaccurately report to encourage rape - reporting only defence perspective - language can sometimes imply victim encouraged her own rape/violence.

            Facebook Status Murder -  Was portrayed more as a result of grievance against woman changing her status on fb, not as a murder of a woman.

            Rape reporting: - Should focus on plight of young woman rather than 'orgy' language used.


            CathElliott
            Words such as "orgy" "lolita" used in report on rape of 12 year old girls

            Dr Evan Harris
            Judge looked shocked as he read the exhibits from Object and Turn Yr Back on Page 3. Examples of objectification & sexualisation


            Paul Hurst

            Two articles discussing examples in the Daily Mail and


            From Telegraph Live Blog:
            Marai Larasi is now answering questions about the trivialisation of violence against women and children. She touches on coverage of honour-based killings and forced marriages. She says:

            [It's] the frequency with which the focus is on a Muslim father. From our perspective as experts working around violence against women and girls, we know this is not a Muslim issue. The causes are the same, it’s violence against women and girls, it’s patriarchy. We would want people to provide a broad perspective.


            Naomi Mc
            That Telegraph article which blamed women dressing provocatively for being raped, blog here:

            Gordon Rayner
            Larasi suggests complaints system similar to Advertising Standards Authority that can deal wth complaints of sexualisation of women


            ben goldacre
            oh, that hideous, vile Telegraph rape story Larasi just mentioned at : i debagged in 2009


            Anna Van Heeswijk (Object)
            Anna Van Heeswijk










            Telegraph Live Blog

            Increasingly, women objectified - young people sexualised - tabloids. women made into sex-objects - through images - displayed at child's eye-level. Degrading images - proposing simple solution.

            Speaks about the Sun - common theme - page 3 - woman objectified. Sport and Star similar. 'Dear Deirdre' page sexualised women in underwear portrayed as sexual object. Kelly Brook reduced to a pair of breasts 'Mitchell Brothers'.


            CathElliott
            Now discussing a week in the life of 3 tabloids - week from Nov 2011

            Hacked off
            Van Heeswijk: trying to illustrate extent to which women are portrayed as a sum of sexualised body parts within p3 of tab press


            Readily available sexual article/pictures not placed on top shelf, but are easy reach for children. Wouldn't be shown before watershed on TV - from a paper which describes itself as a 'family paper'. Parents, teachers find campaigning against these pictures difficult. Large readership mean when children asked to bring papers in, very often it's the Sun. Teachers often have to confiscate.




            Ross Hawkins
            van Heeswijk at : Sun simultaneously carries adverts for porn and sex industry and offers Lego on front page

            Peter Howells
            Van Heeswijk. Teachers tell us about their difficulties with The Sun. Kids bring them into school. The reading age of them is low.
            Daily Star - Imagery on front pages very relevant - child's eye-level
             

            Gordon Rayner
            Van Heeswijk: Sun eroticises sexual harassment of women & only reports on Pippa Middleton in relation to her bottom

            Meryl O'Rourke
            "Children see in papers men dressed in suits, men dressed in sportswear - women sexualised"
             

            Gordon Rayner
            Van Heeswijk flicks through latest Sunday Sport: women degraded, objectified, portrayed as sex objects on almost every page

            T Portilho-Shrimpton
            Van Heeswijk talking about Charlotte Church's pic when she turned 15 on Daily Star with headline "She's a big girl now"

            suzanne moore

            Whoah Images of women from 'mainstream' papers and mags submitted to Leveson censored All freely available in newsagents

            Dr Evan Harris
            Anna van Heeswijk for Object and TYBOP3 just gave a bravura performance on at about disgraceful Sun, Star, Sport.

            Telegraph Live Blog:
            Lord Justice Leveson intervenes and asks Ms Harvey if there is less interest in reporting marital assaults because of issues of anonymity. She replies:

            I think it's more about the stereotype and perception of what is a real rape.

            Gordon Rayner
            Van H: Material that wd not pass 9pm watershed on TV shd not be allowed in unrestriced newspapers like Sun and Star

            Hacked off
            Van Heeswijk talking about Sun's attack on Clare Short for branding Page 3 porn

            Ross Hawkins
            Anna van Heeswijk : says Sun superimposed Clare Short's head on P3 model after her campaign to ban page 3

            Dr Evan Harris
            The Sun also attacked Harriet Harman & Lynne Featherstone (& also me) though not nearly as bad as Clare was treated



            Heather Harvey (Eaves Housing For Women)
            Heather Harvey







            Witness Statement in Full

            Telegraph Live Blog


            Strongly support freedom of press expression - doesn't always tackle what high ideals of press is about - misrepresent - can shape and reinforce values in society - misleading interpretations often reinforced. Better guidelines needed.


            CathElliott
            Stranger rapes = minority of rapes, and yet reporting of rape focuses on these & on false allegations. Completely distorts reality

            Gordon Rayner
            Harvey: Women get shocking level of sexist abuse on websites when they write online articles on women's rights

            Helen Lewis
            "This is about intimidating women into knowing their place," says Heather Harvey about sexist abuse in comment threads etc

            Gary O'Shea (The Sun)
            Witness Statement in Full



            Ross Hawkins
            Gary O'Shea, Sun reporter now giving evidence about its coverage of Jefferies

            Hacked off
            O'Shea: this pupil was giving his memories of Mr Jefferies, who was his teacher... We quoted him fairly and accurately.

            Gordon Rayner
            O'Shea: we perhaps failed to adhere to our obligations to report on this case in dispassionate and neutral manner

            lisa o'carroll
            asks o shea is aware of contempt of court act. Says, rather robot-like that lawyers at news int better placed to mk judgment calls
            Telegraph Live Blog:
            One of Mr O'Shea's articles, headlined "Obsessed with death", was based on an interview with a former pupil, who recalled being shown a film about the Auschwitz concentration camp. Mr O'Shea says:

            We have accepted that our tone of coverage should have been more neutral and dispassionate. We didn’t adhere perhaps our obligations to report on this case in a dispassionate and neutral manner.



            Hacked off

            O'Shea: we don't often go wrong, when it looks like we're about to go wrong, we usually put it right



            Stephen Waring (Publishing Director News International) 
            Stephen Waring












            Witness Statement in Full


            Ross Hawkins
            Stephen Waring Sun's publishing director now up, was duty editor when Jefferies stories discussed here were published

            Gordon Rayner
            Waring: I wrote the headline 'Obsessed by Death' and want to apologise personally to Chris Jefferies.

            Gordon Rayner
            Waring: the overall impression of our coverage was far too strong and there was a lack of balance.

            Gordon Rayner
            Lord Justice : to my untutored mind this wasn't even close to being on the right side of contempt of court act
            Telegraph Live Blog:
            The Sun discussed whether or not to pursue stories in other newspapers that claimed Mr Jefferies had links to a convicted paedophile, and as a result of the murder investigation, another murder case was to be reopened, the inquiry hears. Mr Waring said he decided against it.

            I perfectly readily accept what we did publish was too strong but I attempted with the lawyer to try and strike a balance between what we could say and what would keep us the right side of the law. We got that wrong and committed contempt of court and libel, for which we have apologised.

            Gordon Rayner
            Waring: Jefferies case was genuine watershed moment for our newspaper. Attorney General took much harder line on contempt of court
            From Telegraph Live Blog:
            Since the case of Mr Jefferies, the Sun has decided against using material that might risk contempt of court, Mr Waring says. He cites the example of the conviction of Levi Bellfield for the murder of Milly Dowler, while another charge was still being deliberated over.


            Ross Hawkins
            Waring at : please don't judge my colleagues by the errors I made in this edition

            Ryan Parry (Trinity Mirror)
            Ryan Parry
             



            Won a number of press awards for scoops. especially his Buckingham Palace undercover work. - 'Footman' Prompts Palace Security Probe - Daily Mail



            Ross Hawkins
            Parry at : very much a security scandal at Buckingham Palace, vetting procedures were shameful, review concluded HMQ was at risk

            Christopher Jefferies involvement - 

            Hacked off
            Parry: my role was to compile a background article on Mr Jefferies, as would be normal practice with any murder investigation
             

            Ross Hawkins
            Parry at - is a tension with contempt of court in doing Jefferies background piece, but aimed to be as balanced as possible

            Peter Howells
            Jay to Ryan Parry (Mirror) : How do you reconcile creating a negative background of Chris Jefferies with contempt of court ?
            Leveson asks if Parry can see how what he wrote could be thought of as libellous. Parry said lots of papers were the same. Leveson says he can understand this but he's concerned with how things like this keep happening.
            Decisions at editorial level are out of his hands. All they can do is learn from this and improve in future.
            Jay picking our derogatory words from Parry's description of Christopher Jefferies. Jay says it gives a negative picture. Parry then quotes all of the positive things he wrote about Jefferies. Jay wonders if this would cancel out all of the negative things he wrote.

            Ross Hawkins
            Jay quotes from piece published after arrest which described Jefferies as "local oddball", "arrogant & rude", "eccentric"

            Ross Hawkins
            Parry points out article also said Jefferies was positive, dedicated, respected, witty, gregarious
            From Telegraph Live Blog:
            Mr Parry says the Mirror apologises to Mr Jefferies for "vilifying" him in such a way. He said this was a "watershed" moment for the media.
            He says: "I am happy with the way I conducted myself on this particular story. The decisions that are made at an editorial level are out of my hands. All we can do is learn from this and hopefully improve for the future."

            Jay says whole story was 'built on flimsy timber'. Many supportive emails from acquaintances etc were largely ignored. Going thro' more examples of language and vocabulary which seems designed to portray C Jefferies in bad light.
            Jay asks, in terms of Parry's own journalism, would Parry like to show examples of articles which show lessons learned. Parry says none come to mind.
            Jay asks if there's pressure to produce faster, more dramatic stories than his competitors'. Parry says no. Doesn't accept that his stories were hyperbolic, sensationalist.




            ian burrell
            Tabloids could have lot worse representative than Ryan Parry. I've met him & on a 'treat people as you find' basis he's a good guy

            Josh Halliday
            RT : Sun has withdrawn appeal against Jefferies contempt ruling. Mirror still appealing.