Commentators from the right are crying out that 'The role of the free press is to hold the government to account, not the other way around.' I don't think this is the real reason why they don't want a state-regulated press. They are just using this as an excuse. In reality it's just because they don't like state regulation of anything and because they want to protect free speech no matter what the cost. They pretend that the new press regulation deal won't work in practice when actually it probably will and will help to protect ordinary people from the inconsiderate, unfeeling wrong doings of the press. Of course it needs to be a completely independent body, but one would hope such a thing could be created. It will be interesting to see which newspapers sign up to the deal offered to them...Yes it is an optional regulatory system!
Hopefully the new system will continue to allow good investigative journalism but will seek to stop bullying and harassment that goes under the cover of 'free speech'. It does seem though that the way the government carried out the talks in the lead up to the deal, with these much talked about 'late night meetings behind closed doors' was unwise and has understandably led to a negative reaction to much needed reforms.
In conclusion, I think we need more press regulation carried out by a completely independent body, as recommended in the Leveson Report. If this can be achieved, the newspapers should agree to this and people should stop regarding the plan as a waste of time that will lead to over-censorship. Such comments come from melodramatic whingers that need to wake up to what needs to be done.
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