1. Leveson Report
By Matthew Rogero

2. What it is about?
• The Leveson Inquiry is an on-going public inquiry into the culture, practices and ethics of the British
press following the News International phone hacking scandal. On 6 July 2011, Prime Minister
David Cameron announced to Parliament that an inquiry would be established under the Inquiries
Act 2005 to further investigate the affair. On 13 July, Cameron appointed Lord Justice Leveson as
Chairman of the inquiry, with a remit to look into the specific claims about phone hacking at the
News of the World, the initial police inquiry and allegations of illicit payments to police by the
press, and a second inquiry to review the general culture and ethics of the British media.
• Leveson appointed a panel of six assessors to work alongside him on the Inquiry and six barristers
to be Counsel to Inquiry. The Inquiry is funded through two Government departments: the
Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Home Office.
• Core participants were designated by Leveson as being: News International, the Metropolitan
Police, victims, Northern and Shell Network Ltd, Guardian News and Media Ltd, Associated
Newspapers Ltd, Trinity Mirror, Telegraph Media Group, and the National Union of Journalists. 51
victims were named by the Inquiry as of November 2011, comprising members of the public,
politicians, sportsmen, other public figures, who may have been victims of media intrusion and
have been granted "core participant" status in the inquiry.
• Leveson opened the hearings on Monday 14 November 2011, saying, "The press provides an
essential check on all aspects of public life. That is why any failure within the media affects all of us.
At the heart of this Inquiry, therefore, may be one simple question: who guards the guardians?“
Hearings into the relations between press and public took place between November 2011 and
February 2012 with testimony from complainants about press intrusion, journalists and media
executives, those with a special interest in press behaviour and freedom, and others. These were
followed in February 2012 by hearings into relationships between the press and police.

3. Conclusion
NEWSPAPERS should be regulated by a new watchdog backed by law, a long-
awaited report into press ethics has concluded. But the publication of Lord
Justice Leveson’s much-discussed report has drawn condemnation from a
leading academic and editors have warned of the potential dangers ahead for
newspapers in an era of increased regulation.
Michael Temple, professor of politics and journalism at Staffordshire
University, said the Leveson inquiry, set up to investigate wrongdoing in the
wake of the News of the World phone hacking scandal, was a ‘waste of
money’ that had produced only a series of ‘vague generalisations’.
Meanwhile Kevin Booth, editor of the Burton Mail, said valued local
newspapers were at risk of being condemned because of the actions of Fleet
Street journalists.
Lord Justice Leveson has recommended a new body to replace the current
Press Complaints Commission which would have the power to force
newspapers into an arbitration process.
He insisted this could not be described as ‘statutory regulation’, although a
new law would be required to give the new watchdog its teeth.

4. What I think
In my opinion phone hacking shouldn’t be aloud. People deserve their privacy
individually. The public would not feel comfortable if someone or something
was hacking their phone. hacking someone’s mobile phone should be illegal
due to the fact that you invade their privacy and you take away the free
speech law. Phone companies should start increasing the security of your
personal data on your phone. Like I said with my opinion, the public deserve
privacy. Newspaper companies should not have the right to invade peoples
privacy.
In conclusion the phone hacking scheme shouldn’t be aloud because it breaks
the freedom rights and the privacy rights as individuals.

5. Sources
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leveson_Inquiry
• http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/News/Leveson-
conclusions-a-danger-to-local-news-
29112012.htm