Regulation

Task: Your views

regulation: a set of rules to control and ‘filter’ the media.

Look at the headlines above.

Many people argue that the press, especially the tabloid press needs stricter regulation. Why? What effect have the headlines have on you?

Possible answers

Invasion of privacy: Tabloid newspapers are often accused of invading people's privacy by publishing stories and photographs that are intrusive and harmful. This can include publishing private information about individuals, such as their personal lives or medical conditions, without their consent.
Inaccurate reporting: Tabloid newspapers are also sometimes accused of publishing inaccurate or misleading stories. This can be particularly damaging when stories are about public figures, as it can damage their reputations and cause them harm.
Sensationalism: Tabloid newspapers often use sensationalist language and imagery to sell papers. Critics argue that this can contribute to a culture of fear and anxiety, particularly around issues such as crime and immigration.
Bias: Tabloid newspapers are often accused of having a political bias, and of using their influence to promote certain political agendas.

In the UK, anybody has the right to set-up and run a newspaper. The press is free to report on anything as long as it is not illegal.

How can audience members express their opinions / set-up their own newspapers? Which recent media phenomenon has allowed them to do this?

Possible answers

Digital convergence has allowed audiences to be more active in their news consumption, as well as this, it has also given them the ability to produce and disseminate news.

Anyone can create a blog on a variety of platforms, such as WordPress and write about any topic they choose. While blogs may not have the same reach as traditional newspapers, they can still be a powerful way for individuals to express their opinions and share their perspectives.
Platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram allow individuals to share their thoughts and ideas with a wider audience.
With the rise of smartphones and other digital technologies, it is now easier than ever for people to capture and share news footage and photos. Citizen journalists can report on events as they happen, and share their footage and photos on social media or other platforms.

What is regulation?

Regulation is the process of control and ‘filtering’ of the media.

Regulators establish specific codes of conduct that media organisations must follow.

Regulation can be proactive, meaning that it is checked and filtered before reaching its audiences (there isn’t much of this in newspaper organisations), or reactive, where audiences can file complaints as a result of journalists breaking specific rules from the code of conduct.

News is regulated by the IPSO: Independant Press Standards Organisation.

The IPSO is an organisation that regulates the conduct of newspapers and magazines in the UK. Newspapers and magazines can voluntarily choose to join IPSO, and once they do, they are required to adhere to its rules and regulations.

IPSO's primary function is to handle complaints from the public about the editorial content of newspapers and magazines. This includes complaints about accuracy, invasion of privacy, harassment, discrimination, and other issues. Anyone can make a complaint to IPSO, and once a complaint has been received, IPSO will investigate it and adjudicate on whether the publication has breached the Editors' Code of Practice.

Task: Regulation online

News online is regulated by the IPSO (although newspaper organisations must voluntarily sign up to this) but only genuine article producers by journalists will be regulated.

User Generated Content and Citizen Journalism is unregulated and must be filtered by people in house.

Everything else is regulated by the ISP (Internet Service Provider) but they can only block sites not individual content.

Many people believe there should be more regulation online.

Think of examples that show whether there should or shouldn’t be regulation online.

Possible answers

Arguments for regulation:

Without regulation, harmful content can be shared online, which can be damaging to vulnerable people, such as children.
With so much information available online, it can be difficult to distinguish between accurate and inaccurate information.
The internet has provided a platform for hate speech and cyberbullying, which can have serious consequences for victims.

Arguments against regulation:

Many people argue that the internet should not be regulated because it is a platform for free speech. Regulating online content could be seen as limiting this freedom.
Some people argue that regulation could lead to censorship, which could limit the diversity of viewpoints and opinions available online.
With so much content being shared online, it can be difficult to enforce regulations effectively.

KEY THEORY - Livingstone and Lunt

Livingstone and Lunt think the needs of a citizen are in conflict with the needs of the consumer, because protection can limit freedom. They noticed that regulating media to protect citizens from harmful content can limit freedom of expression.

Regulation is serving an audience who may be seen as consumers and/or citizens.
Consumers have wants, are individuals, seek private benefits from the media, use the language of choice, and require regulation to protect against detriment.
Citizens have needs, are social, seek public or social benefits from the media, use the language of rights, and require regulation to promote the public interest.
Traditional regulation is put at risk by increased globalisation and technological advancements.

The Daily Mail

Voluntarily signed up to be regulated by the IPSO.
So far, there has been 51 complaints against MailOnline.
The content posted by genuine DM journalists is regulated.
Participatory content (UGC, e.g.BTL comments) is not regulated and therefore producers must filter, edit and remove offensive and inappropriate content.
Given the soft-news focus of the MailOnline and Social media, there is more room for inaccurate and fake news.
Audiences can post anonymously thereby meaning that audiences must be their own ‘gatekeepers’ - this process of self-regulation is often very subjective.

The Guardian

TheGuardian.com is self-regulated, but due to their ABC1 Champagne Socialist audience, it is less likely that offensive or inaccurate material will be posted.
The Guardian abides by the Readers’ Editor - a code of conduct and platform which they must follow and where audiences can make complaints.
https://www.theguardian.com/info/complaints-and-corrections

News of The World - The instigator of the Leveson Inquiry

News of the World was a popular British tabloid newspaper that was published up until 2011. The newspaper was owned by Rupert Murdoch's News International, which is part of the News Corporation media conglomerate.

In 2011, News of the World was embroiled in a major scandal after it was revealed that the newspaper had been involved in phone hacking. It was discovered that News of the World journalists had hacked into the voicemail messages of various individuals, including celebrities, politicians, and most notably,

As a result of the scandal, News International announced that it would close down News of the World. The final issue of the newspaper was published on July 10, 2011, with the headline "Thank You & Goodbye". The closure of the newspaper was seen as a significant moment in the history of British journalism, and it led to increased scrutiny of the practices of the UK press.

The scandal also led to a public inquiry, the Leveson Inquiry, which was set up to investigate the culture, practices and ethics of the UK press. The inquiry ultimately led to a new system of press regulation, with the creation of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) in 2014.

Leveson Inquiry

The Leveson Inquiry in 2011/2012 occured because The News of The World was exposed as having hacked the voicemails of a young murder victim (Milly Dowler) which was viewed as an invasion of privacy.
The inquiry found that journalists had been using this method of investigation for many years, with celebrities and ordinary people.
This ‘hacking scandal’ led to the newspapers closure.
The enquiry also suggested that politicians had developed ‘ too close a relationship with the press in a way that had not been in the public interest’.
The news used to be regulated by the PCC (Press Complaints Commission) but the Leveson Inquiry found this regulatory body to be ineffective as the people who sat on the board were all owners or editor of national newspapers.

Task: The problems with the PCC (Press Complaints Commission)

Have a look at the following sources. What problems with the PCC can you deduce?

Possible answers

Ineffective in holding newspapers accountable for their actions, as it was funded and run by the newspapers themselves.
The PCC did not have the power to impose fines or legal penalties on newspapers or magazines that breached its code of conduct. Instead, it relied on a system of public reprimands and corrections, as well as the threat of adverse publicity, to encourage compliance with its standards.
Majority of the board of directors either worked for or had involvement with the newspaper industry.

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