The press Royal Charter and the concession that never was – Gordon Ramsay

Recent reports in a number of national newspapers that the supporters of the PressBoF Charter have offered a significant concession by removing an industry veto on appointments to the Board of a new self-regulator raise two problems.

A Dacre’s Dozen: 12 fatal flaws in the press barons’ charter – Evan Harris

In an attempt to undermine the Royal Charter on press regulation that has been agreed by all parties in Parliament, Associated Newspapers News International and Telegraph Group have published their own rival charter, the “PressBoF” Royal Charter.

Media Standards Trust: Leveson Coverage Analysis

The Media Standards Trust has published a report ‘Analysis: Press Coverage of Leveson Part 1: The Inquiry’ [pdf], the first comprehensive review of the UK Press’ coverage of the Leveson Inquiry.

1. Over 2,000 articles and over one million words were published on the Inquiry between July 2011 and November 2012 – 73% during the period of oral hearings.

Public distrusts press version of regulation scheme – Brian Cathcart

Almost three times as many people distrust the press regulation scheme put forward by some of the newspapers as trust it, according to a new opinion poll by the YouGov organisation.  In March, a Royal Charter based on Leveson [pdf] was backed by all parties in Parliament and it is due to be approved by the Privy Council in June, but last month a group of news organisations published and have now petitioned the Privy Council [pdf]

Media Reform Coalition: This press barons’ charter is neither independent nor fair

On 25 April 2013 the rulers of Fleet Street  thumbed their nose at four months of negotiations, campaigns and public protests to propose a Royal Charter which suits their aims. This press barons’ charter not only replicates but actually worsens the problems they tried to get away with in February. It allows substantial influence by politicians and serious interference from the press in the appointment and recognition of the new regulator and neuters its powers to handle complaints.

Three corporations clinging to the PCC wreckage – Brian Cathcart

And then there were three. Far from being the work of ‘the newspaper industry’, the latest attempt to prevent effective, independent press regulation on Leveson lines is being led by just three organisations.

Leveson: Press proposes its own “Royal Charter”

A number of newspaper groups have, today, proposed their own “Royal Charter” for the “Independent Self-Regulation of the Press” [pdf] to incorporate a “recognition panel” to determine applications for recognition from Regulators.   The proposal comes from the national newspapers – not including the Guardian or the Independent.

Leveson: an Ethical Charter for the Press: how does it measure up to regulation overseas? – Lara Fielden

What does the draft Royal Charter really mean when it sets out the three core touchstones of press regulation recommended by Lord Justice Leveson – that it is ‘voluntary’, ‘independent’ and ‘self-regulatory’? And how far are these qualities reflected in press regulation overseas?

Leveson’s regulator and the goal of protecting ‘real harm caused to real people’: A likely story? – Paul Wragg

In his report, Lord Justice Leveson expressed concern at the ‘real harm caused to real people’ resulting from the ‘cultural indifference to individual privacy and dignity’ that he observes in problematic press behaviour.  The tragic case of Lucy Meadows is surely the paradigm example of what he had in mind. 

Leveson: Forget How We Got Here? Newspaper Coverage of the Royal Charter Deal – Sally Broughton Micova

When Leveson published his Report at the end of November our research showed that the press presented the story as one mainly about freedom of the press and the struggle by hacking victims for vindication and protection in the future. Slightly less prominent but also present was a narrative of the politico-media complex or ties between big media and politicians. Our latest study of newspaper coverage before and after the Royal Charter agreement for implementing Leveson’s recommendations showed that the struggle of the victims of press wrongdoings has all but disappeared from the story.