Not my daughter, you bitch

[akissinacrisis]

For those who do not know (I haven't seen any mention of it in fandom, though I'm sure it's being discussed), the Leveson Inquiry is an inquiry going on right now into the (almost non-existent) press standards in the UK (prompted by the Ruper Murdoch phone-hacking scandal); I'm finding the whole thing fascinating. Something it has produced (apart

Comments

[luna_plath]

I've seen quite a few articles/newscasts about this trial in the US. Go JKR! I've heard that London can be especially difficult when it comes to photographers (or so says Tyra Banks).

[akissinacrisis]

I have heard that the paps in this country are some of the worst in the world! Don't know if that's actually true but I could believe it. They are basically allowed to do whatever they like without consequence (hence the inquiry o' course).

[luna_plath]

We have some real rags in America too. The National Enquirer, for one, although they occasionally have legitimate news (the recent John Edwards scandal was broken by the NE). I have heard of some negative things about certain English papers, like the Daily Mirror, although I'm sure there are credible papers as well.

[akissinacrisis]

Mmm, of course there is a mix of quality and crap. Part of the problem is that Murdoch owns ~37% of all the newspapers in the UK, and that includes both crap and supposed quality, covering a whole bunch of demographics (and that figure doesn't take into account his control of TV, radio and the internet). It's basically a given that he can make or break a celebrity, and more importantly, a politician - it is arguably very difficult to get elected in this country without Murdoch's (right-wing) backing. Bleghhh

[luna_plath]

Wow! What a conflict of interest. We definitely have news networks/publications that are more left wing/rigth wing etc., but I don't know of any politicians who actually own news outlets, or any business people who own that much of a single market (with the exception of oil).

I used to write for a paper, so I find all of this pretty interesting :D

[akissinacrisis]

Yep, a lot of people have been trying to loosen his hold on the media for years, hence why when the phone-hacking story broke he got absolutely jumped on! People were giddy with delight. (But don't worry, he's not a politician! When I said that his backing is important, I meant that in terms of what he prints about politicians.) And yeah, his share of the market here is ridiculous, though he has hefty chunks everywhere else. Fuck I hate him.