Leveson Questions – Lord Moritz and Lady Izzy

Questions:

 

1. Seminar debates have suggested that commercial pressures are not new, are not unique to press and do not impact adversely on the standards of journalism or ethical behaviour. Furthermore the National Council for the training of journalists does not teach ethics. Do the journalists have ethical responsibility? The inquiry would be interested in submissions on this, with examples where possible.
2. How far do you think politicians feel inhibited from acting in the public interest to ensure that the media’s conduct, practices and ethics themselves in the public interest? Why may that be? What would make a difference?
3. The inquiry recognises that many children of celebrities as well as child stars become addicted to drugs. Should there be more protection for both the children of celebrities as well as child stars ensured by law? Would this help to make sure that these children can live a halfway normal childhood without paparazzi everywhere? What should be done?
4. The inquiry would like to hear views on the specific benefits and risks to the public interest arising from relationships between politicians and the media. What does the public expect to gain from this relationship? What does it expect to lose? What kind of state secrets could be considered not to be of public interest? Are there any? Should the people not have the right to know the truth in order for them to form a full image of the world they live in?
5. The inquiry needs to understand completely the relationship between the police and the media and their interaction, and would be interested in details of interaction as well as any experience by journalists of pressure not to publish a story. What pressures drive public interest and why?
6. The inquiry has strong arguments for the importance of a free press in a democratic society. Can the government’s intentions to limit the operations of the media be justified? If yes, how? To what extent are politicians acting in public interest, and does this make it right for them to act in a way, which would otherwise be ethically or legally questionable?
7. The idea that the general law should be the only constraint to the press was proposed. The inquiry would welcome whether, and if so why, the press should be subject to any additional constraints in relation to standards, for example in relation to behaviour to accuracy, treatment of vulnerable individuals, financial reporting or reporting on crime.
8. The inquiry would welcome opinions on how the police and the media working together is and can be of benefit or detriment  to the public, with examples where possible. Can the relationship between the press and the police adversely affect the solution of crime?
9. Is there evidence of media influence on public and political appointments (and terminations)? The inquiry is interested in evidence including cases where the public interest was and was not well served by the influences at hand.
10. Arnold Schwarzenegger became a governor of California. The Inquiry would like to hear opinions whether Celebrities get political power through media attention or not?  Can celebrities influence the public opinion and in this way have an influence on the national and international politics of a country? Does this power give them the responsibility to act as role models?