Some Laws Are Irrefutable

Michael Hedges October 31, 2013 Follow on Twitter

Intertwined like the DNA double helix the Royal Charter for press self-regulation was officially adopted by the Queen as the first criminal trial over phone hacking and other tawdry deeds gets underway in the UK. That some UK newspaper publishers seem not to connect the two is remarkable, something on the order of denying the laws of science. That such a “medieval instrument” as the signature of the monarch was deemed necessary testifies to the political – if not popular – misunderstanding of the flow of information as the digital age enters its maturity.

Members of the Privy Council – politicians all - met Queen Elizabeth late Wednesday afternoon (October 30) for the formality of inscribing the self-regulation scheme approved by the British Parliament and representatives of those aggrieved by the alleged deeds of tabloid newspapers. The mere idea of the government dipping its pen into the fountain of press regulation has unnerved newspaper proprietors far and wide. Broadcast media have always been regulated the world over since their arrival nearly a century ago disrupted the monopoly of the printed media. But newspapers are special, yes?

Elsewhere in London the trial of eight former News Of The World executives, editors and staff members plus the odd husband and a free-lance phone hacker got underway. The alleged crimes extend from the phone hacking of private individuals and certain gratuities paid to a range of persons in authority to the inevitable cover-up of its all, “perverting the course of justice,” it’s called.

Pay no attention to Facebook and Twitter, said Justice John Saunders in opening instructions to the jury:

“I am going to give you some extremely important directions. The defendants are on trial but British justice is also on trial. It is a central principle of our system of trial by jury that you reach your verdicts only on the evidence heard in court. There has been a great deal of publicity about this case, perhaps an unprecedented amount.”

"The internet is generally not controlled and often fuelled by opinion and speculation, a great deal of information is imparted and received by people through Facebook and Twitter. A significant amount of publicity has been inaccurate and misleading... offensive and demeaning to some of the defendants. A lot is ill-informed and most of it is abusive.”

Lead prosecution council Andrew Edis opened by informing the jury that four of the accused had already pled guilty. News Of The World publisher News International, now known as News UK and principally controlled by Rupert Murdoch, maintained through the initial revelations of phone hacking that it was but the work of one “rogue” reporter. “This inquiry has proved conclusively that that is not true,” said Mr. Edis.

“This prosecution is not an attack on the freedom of the press or the process of journalism,” concluded Mr. Edis opening day remarks. “The prosecution accepts that it's important in a free country that there is a free press, but the prosecution says that journalists are no more entitled to break the law than anybody else. The criminal law applies to all of us equally.” The trial is scheduled to run through next March. Of course, convictions can be appealed.

The Royal Charter for self-regulation of the press will not come into effect until after the next general election, still a headache for Prime Minister David Cameron who once employed one of the phone hacking defendants, Andy Coulson, and rode horses in a neighborly way with another, Rebekah Brooks.  Mr. Coulson and Mrs. Brooks have vigorously denied culpability.

See also in ftm Knowledge

Press/Media Freedom - Challenges and Concerns

Press and media freedom worldwide is facing challenges from many corners. As authoritarian leaders impose strict control over traditional and new media with impunity, media watchers have concerns for democracy. This ftm Knowledge file accounts the troubles of this difficult decade. 88 pages. PDF (December 2011)

Order here

UK Newspapers

The newspaper market in the UK is among the worlds most competitive. The publishers are colorful, editors daring, journalists talented and readers discerning. ftm follows the leaders, the readers, the freebies and the tabloids. 83 pages PDF (October 2010)

Order here