Power of the press -

[observer]

Seems the phone hacking allegations in relation to the NoW have opened up a can of worms, and provided an insight into the real nature of power in our society. Aside from the obscene intrusion into the Milly Dowler case, we now have allegations in relation to the surveillance and intimidation of police officers and politicians, and in some cases their symbiotic relationships. Time to clean out the stables?

[Teessidewire]

Seems the phone hacking allegations in relation to the NoW have opened up a can of worms, and provided an insight into the real nature of power in our society. Aside from the obscene intrusion into the Milly Dowler case, we now have allegations in relation to the surveillance and intimidation of police officers and politicians, and in some cases their symbiotic relationships. Time to clean out the stables?

This is currently getting worse by the day. Interesting that Glenn Mulcaire has now issued an apology and said that he was under huge pressure to deliver the goods. The pressure is now on those who run the NOTW. It may well be that this story may come closer to Warrington than most realise.

[harry hayes]

I have posted several times about the abuse of power by the press, and this time they have completely over-stepped the mark

 

However there is a lot of hypocrisy in all this. Sales suggest tht the public love all the weekly tittle tattle often gained by dubious methods inorder to get a scoop. They applaud when, say, a paedophile ring is brought down by methods not open to police if they want it used in evidence.

 

There was little sympathy for John Prescott over his telephone being tapped. It's just in this case they have used illegal methods and have set the bar too high for the public to accept.

 

Happy days

[Lt Kije]

Yes the press have gone to far, and the power balance needs to be re-addressed :!:

[observer]

Ultimately your right Harry, if we didn't have a goulish public with lives so sad, that they wish to be voyers into the private lives of others via the gutter press, their would be no incentive for these KGB style tactics. However, the Murdoch Empire has grown to such an extent, that he is now virtually a King Maker, with politicians sucking up for his favour, and scared stiff should they lose it. So perhaps for starters, that "Empire" needs to be broken up, and a strict policy of respecting privacy imposed, enforced by an independent press regulator.

[Lt Kije]

On Murdock Obs I am with you 100% :!: :!: :!:

[fugtifino]

It may well be that this story may come closer to Warrington than most realise.

 

Ssshhh!

 

We've got enough crap slebs as it is!

[Peter T]

We have a ghoulish public as long as someone feeds them. Any Government should have stopped this frenzied feeding of instant fame, years ago.

My pet hate is that stories like the Tsunami that hit Japan and the problem with the reactors was splashed all over the papers, now never gets a mention even though nothing of greater importance has occurred since.

[observer]

You'll not change the desire on the part of saddos to feed on gossip about someone else's private life, but the problem needs to be dealt with upstream. No individual or group should have a virtual monopoly of the media. The "public interest" needs to be defined in law, as the bedroom antics of celebs can't be held as being divulged "in the public interest". The phone calls of relatives of murder victims or relatives of soldiers killed in Afghanistan can't be contrued as being "in the public interest". Corruption by politicians and others in public office could, but given that these antics by the press have reached a level below the sewer, who are they to call anyone else? We simply can't have a situation where our elected politicians and police live in fear of the press or are in bed with them.

[Lt Kije]

Again Obs I agree with you 100%

[Peter T]

You won't stop it. It has been going on for centuries. But remove the source and it solves the problem, which is the Editors of the papers.

[observer]

It's not so much "Editors", it's about enforcing given standards and competition; something the Gov seems to promote in other things. We need to differentiate between news and gossip.

[Lt Kije]

Agreed Obs and we need to break up media monopolies. :!:

[observer]

So will the Tories scrap the BskyB deal?! :shock:

[fugtifino]

Murdoch may save him the embarrassment and withdraw his bid.

 

Meanwhile, Matthew Norman sums it all up pretty well for me, a good time for all concerned to get out of the Murdoch bed:

 

Now is the moment to stop Murdoch

 

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/matthew-norman/matthew-norman-now-is-the-moment-to-stop-murdoch-2307410.html

[silverlady54]

And so it goes on, now including members of the armed forces and their families. I haven't trusted TV programmes and newspaper reports for many years now, things are never what they seem.

[observer]

What's interesting about this mess, is the holier than thou position being adopted by the Labour opposition - all this corruption was going on ON THEIR WATCH; and Bliar and Co have been sucking up to Murdoch throughout. Parliament have called for a full Judicial Inquiry into the matter, which could take years; the Government are saying that such an Inquiry needs to await the outcome of current Police investigations, which again could take years - so, will the politicians kick this into the long grass?

[Evil Sid]

So that article about the world war 2 bomber found on the moon was made up.

[observer]

Sadly, having listened to the TV interviews/debates on all this, a cynic will conclude that all the indignation has been triggered by cases like Minny Dowler and Service families and may subside with time. The perpetrators (gutter reporters) are totally unrepentant, with one actually arguing that the "search for the truth" even legitimises such tactics as hacking, but the sad reality is that their sole motivation was to make a profit by selling more newspapers to a public with a perverted desire to be titillated by the antics of celebs and to see individuals built up to be brought down. It is that perversion for gossip that will still require sateing, perhaps through the E-media in future. :-(

[Evil Sid]

Perhaps the way round this is to issue every mobile phone user with detailed instructions on how to hack into mobile phones. That way they know all the dirt so putting these "reporters" out of a job.

[fugtifino]

A couple of slebs have gone up in my estimation in all of this. Hugh Grant played a blinder, and here's Steve Coogan on Newsnight:

 

[observer]

Notice this saga has spread to the Top Cop's resignation, and Ginger has been arrested just prior to her appearance before a Commons Select Cttee - seems we're in danger of one Inquiry compromising another, and their quarry escaping justice.

[fugtifino]

Nice to see him squirm though, hope that's not the end of it.

[P J]

Billy Bragg has done his bit

 

[observer]

Bit confused over the latest developments : Senior Cops are resigning cos of their alleged association with Coulson and Ginger (niether of whom has yet been convicted of an offence yet) - yet Cameron has had a "close association" with both these characters, and not a dicky bird about him resigning.