The freedom by which the media can investigate, access, and publish information, particularly that which is critical, is one of the best ways to measure the level of democracy in a country. Journalists know best how much freedom the media has, and can compare their
Supreme Court justices and staff were interested in the experience of the UK government and the investigation into media regulation by the senior judge Leveson.Leveson: Context UK licencing ended in 1695 to promote free media. Only general laws e.g. defamation.Accusation of “Power without responsibility” in phone-hacking
In a workshop with the Supreme Court and Attorney General’s Office, FEM explained why press council complaints mechanisms are so important.Good for journalistsProtects good journalists.Judges them on professional mistakes.Reduces risk of slow, expensive court process.Good for mediaImproves public credibility of media.Improves competition between media companies