The Phone Hacking Scandal: Journalism on Trial- Advise to Murdoch

As mentioned in a previous article, Roy Greenslade, Guardian contributor, is currently publishing extracts from ‘The Phone Hacking Scandal: Journalism on Trial’, written by a number of contributors and edited it by Coventry University’s own John Mair and also, lecturer at the University of Lincoln, Richard Lance Keeble.

Greenslade’s last post on his Guardian blog about the book was an extract from former director general of the Public Relations Consultants Association, Patrick Barrow with some advice to Rupert Murdoch following on from the scandal.

Written by Alex Maidment

The Phone Hacking Scandal: Journalism on Trial- Have a preview through the Guardian….

‘The Phone Hacking Scandal: Journalism on Trial’ is about exactly what is says on the cover. It is a book all about one of the biggest scandals journalism has ever seen. A scandal which has seen people involved imprisoned, a newspaper being shut down and a long inquiry into media ethics by Lord Justice Leveson, which has further led to the closure of the Press Complaints Commission.

It is a scandal which is reshaping print journalism and caused the loss of so much trust from the public. The book gives an insight to the whole hacking ordeal and has information about everything which has gone on so far and is written by numerous industry professionals and Masters students and is edited by John Mair, Coventry University Senior Lecturer in Journalism and Professor Richard Lance Keeble, Professor of Journalism at the University of Lincoln.

Written by Alex Maidment

As Lord Leveson seeks a phone hacking resolution, Kevin Marsh already has the answer

The current discussion of phone hacking takes many forms. Everyone is talking about it but no one is doing anything. With respect to Lord Leveson and his phone hacking inquiry, nobody has (yet) come up with a serious solution. The Hacked Offcampaign have one ready to be put in place.

Kevin Marsh spoke at John Mair’s Coventry Conversation about this and he came out of his corner swinging. The sizeable public outrage at the News of the World has left some paper’s cowering in the shadows, worried for their lives but the former Editor at the BBC College of Journalism turned the spotlights on them.

“You will hear tabloid editors take leave of the world of human decency – as Daily Mail editor Paul Dacre did at the Leveson inquiry – trying to defend what they do. Claiming it’s in the public interest. Asserting their freedom of expression. Standing on their right to expose corruption and hold power to account.”

Marsh describes this act as “hypocrisy of the most sniveling sort”.

Written by Huw Hopkins – MA Journalism Student.

The Prime-Minister’s reliance upon an Ex-Editor – Nick Jones

“The British tabloid newspapers are very addictive.”- Nick Jones

Why is it the most powerful politician in Britain had to rely on an ex-editor? What did Cameron know about the phone hacking scandal being his close relationship to Andy Coulson? Nick Jones, an Author and former BBC Political Correspondent, explained all at a recent Coventry Conversation.

Nick started by talking about one of the biggest powers behind the papers and the media, Rupert Murdoch. He described Murdoch as: “The most promiscuous newspaper proprietor of all.” This referred to the fact that Murdoch has changed his political view numerous times over the past thirty years. Murdoch supported Thatcher and the Conservatives in the eighties and this was shown by his papers backing up all her policies and campaigns. It was his support for Thatcher that led to the expansion of News Corporation as she supported the takeover of the Times in 1981 and also supported the set up of BSkyB who are the richest Television Organisation in Britain. He then in 1997 started supporting Blair, who was Labour and his papers published ‘Vote Labour Today’ with pictures of Blair and Brown as if they would change everything.

Written by Alex Maidment – First Year Student.