Tighter UK Press Regulations: Is It Pay Back Time For Politicians?

For about three years now the press has been accused of engaging in unethical practice, some of which can be considered criminal. It was accused, for example, of hacking into the phone of missing teenager – Milly Dowler – and sending messages through the phone, thereby giving false hopes to the missing girl parents that their daughter was still alive. It has also been revealed that the press hacked into Prince Williams’s phone when the prince was dating Kate Middleton to read the private text messages between the couple. Furthermore, the press has been caught offering bribes to some senior police officers for newsworthy stories.

The reaction of the British government to these allegations was forceful. The government quickly arraigned the executives of the News of the World involved in the whole scandal before a selected members of parliament to answer questions. It also instituted the Leveson inquiry to look into the existing press regulations. This enquiry later found that the current press regulations were not rigorous enough and recommended tighter and robust press controls. Unlike the recommendation of the former government drug adviser, Professor David Nutts, the government accepted this recommendation without any reservations.

Supporters of tighter press regulations consider this government intention to implement the Leveson recommendation a big victory for British people. For them these regulations have been long overdue. They should be implemented in full as soon as possible. I think any person showing jubilation for these proposed regulations is missing the point. The current case of unethical practice by Maria Miller (MP) who was the government adviser on media during the Leveson inquiry shows that there is something more to these regulations than the recent unethical practice.

Prior to the press scandal, the press primarily led by the News of the World was the kingmaker of British politics. Any political leader or party favoured by the News of the World was propelled into power. Those that were not favoured by the media empire struggled to succeed in politics. In fact, it will not be an understatement to say that some politicians appeared to be more accountable to the News of the World than to the British electorates. For these politicians using the proposed legislations to break away from this bondage is necessary.

But at what cost can politicians avenge for ill treatments from the press? I am saying this because only the News of the World so far has been implicated in the press scandal. There are hundreds of different press groups scattered across the United Kingdom providing invaluable news items to readers. Any stricter press controls will affect all of these groups. This will be tantamount to punishing many for the sin of few.

In addition, for many decades, the freedom of the British press has served as the role model for many governments and journalists across the world. Lessening this freedom will inevitably send the wrong message to these observers. The consequences can be very great and far reaching. Other governments can take a new leaf from the British government and impose stricter regulations on their press.