Hyperbole….it can be defined as The Sun reporting that the “crisis” over Press Regulation as “D Day”. There is something particuarly hilarious about Journalists talking about their favourite subject…themselves.
Hyperbole…yes but also Hypocrisy.
Legislation is about the balance of Rights. And it is all very well that journos getting emotional about Freedom of the Press. If there is any re-calibration of the relationship between Press and Legislation, lets not forget that this was caused by the disgusting behaviour of journalists…and the equally disgusting inability and unwillingness of their fellow journalists to go anything beyond the “rogue reporter” narrative.
It is all very well saying that the Press is the watchdog we need to keep an eye on Government and the Courts and ….the Dowler family. But at the end of the day, Courts tend to be more trustworthy.
These people have no shame. Trevor Kavanagh of the Sun saying that if there was no press freedom scandals like the Hillsborough Cover-up would not be uncovered. The Sun of course was one of the main instruments of that cover-up. And then you have others going on about how some of those supporting the Hacked Off Campaign are multi-millionaires. Yet the British Newspaper Industry is owned by four Billionaires three of whom don’t even live in the Country.
I think the most important thing in the case of press regulation is to ensure that concentration does not build up. So have a free press, but most importantly, to avoid too much influence from one quarter, make sure that no one person or firm owns more than a specified share.