The Leveson Report

The 2,000 page document was published in four volumes

Following an array of ethical and legal wrong-doings by the press and more significantly the phone hacking scandal Lord Justice Leveson was appointed to as Chairman of the inquiry to investigate and report on the press and how they are regulated as well as their relationship with the public, police and politicians.

After a 16-month enquiry Lord Justice Leveson published a 2,000 page report in which it contained recommendations of how the press should be regulated. The report suggests that a new self-regulatory body with a new code of conduct should be created and that the government should have no power over what is written. No current serving editor should be allowed on the panel that would chair the independent board. This body will be backed by legislation to ensure that regulating was independent and effective.

Lord Justice Leveson, Chairman of the
inquiry into the practises of the UK press

This new body would be able to impose fines of 1% of the revenue of the newspapers, up to a maximum of £1million, if a newspaper was found be breaking the new codes. Newspapers have the option to join this body but for those that don’t they will be regulated by OFCOM, which is backed by law.

The political opinion in the House of Commons after the report was published varied. Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg stated that changes in the law were necessary.

Labour leader, Ed Milliband called for full implementation of the report and The Guardian supported his views by reporting that he had taken a “principled position”.

The UK press was scrutinised by Lord Justice Leveson

However most newspapers, some switching political alliances on this occasion, in the British press including the Financial Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Independent, The Times, The Daily Express, The Daily Mirror, The Daily Mail and The Sun supported David Cameron’s view that although he welcomed many of Leveson’s conclusions he had “serious concerns and misgivings”.

The Sun reported Leveson’s findings as a “withering report” although it is not surprising considering that News International who own The Sun also owned the now defunct News of the World which were and are the biggest culprits of gaining information from unethical and illegal procedures.



A satirical cartoon of those who may be particularly concerned
about the findings and recommendations within the Leveson report

The Ethical and Legal Codes of Newspapers

The truth and integrity of the British press is questionable
but they have commitment to go to great lengths to get a story

Currently the British newspapers are self-regulatory but should endeavour to follow self-imposed ethical guidelines. There are of course some legal procedures that they must adhere to. In essence the legalities and ethics of newspapers are overseen by ‘codes of conducts’.

The bodies that oversee this are the Press Complaints Commission (PPC) and, although it is more of a watchdog and focuses mainly on TV and radio broadcasting, OFCOM.

The PCC claims on its website (www.ppc.org) to deal with complaints about editorial content of newspapers, magazines and websites. They aim to keep industry standards high by training journalists and editors and to work pro-actively to prevent harassment and media intrusion.  

The PCC also have an Editors Code in which one should maintain highest professional standards. They should set benchmarks for ethical standards protecting the rights of the individual and the publics’ rights to know. They should also protect the publics’ interest.

OFCOM oversee that people should not be unfairly treated in TV and radio and that the public should have a universal postal system in the UK – 6 days per week which is also universally priced. However what OFCOM do not do are resolve issues from consumers and telecoms providers, oversee premium rate phone services, content of TV and radio, complaints about the accuracy of BBC programming, BBC TV license fees, post offices and newspapers and magazines.

Prince Harry 'exposed' on the
front page of The Sun

Despite these ‘ethical codes’ this has still not stopped the press in pursuing unethical procedures to get information for stories such as the recent phone hacking scandal. Another example of unethical procedures was the invasion of privacy towards Prince Harry when the press decided to publish pictures of him naked, which could also be deemed as breaking legal codes.

The laws that should be adhered to by the press include libel, accuracy, privacy, trespass, EU human rights, copyright and contempt of court.



Sheryl Gascoigne with her lawyer outside a
London court after suing the press for libel

The press, although should not be libel towards people, often are due to the huge financial implications on the aggrieved individual. It is believed that it can cost up to £200,000 to sue a newspaper for libel.

For many people this cost to clear their name is an expense that is out of the reach for most. Because of this the press are able, on most but not all occasions, get away with lies. In a case with the former wife of England football legend Paul Gascoigne, Cheryl Gascoigne in the BBC documentary ‘See You in Court’ she was filmed having to put her house up for sale to afford to pay for legal costs. Even though she was successful in clearing her name the costs that she received from the press were significantly lower than the fees to sue the press from libel.


The UK press decided not to publish topless
images of Kate Middleton. But the use of a long
lens to capture he images are some of the
techniques deployed to gain a story

Another law that is flaunted by the press is the human right of privacy. This was evident recently when images of Kate Middleton had been taken of her topless. Although the British press, on this occasion, decided not to print the images, photographers often use lenses from a long distance to capture images is an invasion of privacy which is another law frequently abused by the press.

The Target Audience of Newspapers

Newspapers use various techniques to
appeal to their target audience

Target audiences are made up of consumers that the producers of media aim to sell their product to. Newspapers use various techniques to appeal to its target audience including the content and language of its stories, the political bias and by selling its advertising space to businesses and organisations that may appeal to its readership.

The target audience of a newspaper is made of a number of the following factors; representation, institution, values, audience, language, ideology, narrative and genre. These factors make up an analysing toolkit known as ‘RIVALING’.

Each newspaper will have a ‘lifestyle profile’ to be able to understand and relate to its readership in order to sell its publications to its target audience.

The Sun, a popular tabloid, currently prices its newspaper at 45p which most working class people can afford who buy the paper can afford. The content of The Sun are often stories are bad news and usually about people in conflict. This may be with other people, governments, business and organisations and even the weather. This gives the reader of The Sun, who are belittled and down-trodden, able to relate to the stories the newspaper report.

Page 3 Girls are a regular feature
in The Sun newspaper

The Sun often feature stories about celebrities. This is because we now live in a celebrity culture where people want to be famous for no particular reason. This could imply that the readers of The Sun want to have success without aiming or working towards it. The Sun readership is male orientated and this is evident by the gorgeous women that feature topless on Page 3 on a near day-to-day basis. A large sport section is always in the back of the paper which is dominated by football stories which is the nation’s most popular sport amongst working class men.

The types of business that advertise in The Sun are supermarkets such as Morrisons, Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury’s. These are affordable supermarkets for the working class and they often advertise offers and savings on the readers shopping.


The 'Big Four' supermarkets
often advertise in The Sun

The Times newspaper is referred to as a quality tabloid which covers news, business and lifestyle stories. This will to people who regard themselves as part of the ABC1 social group which is made of individuals working in higher managerial, professional supervisory or administrative jobs. As these careers are higher paying so the expenditures of the readership will be higher.

This is evident with the companies and organisations that advertise within the paper. Rolex, Tiffany & Co. and  Bvlgari, which are companies that sell high-end quality products which have high-end prices.  Although some ‘cheaper’ outlets still advertise in this paper more advertising space has been given to stores such as John Lewis.

High-end goods, such as the Rolex watch, have
high-end prices which suit the readers of The Times 

The Political Alliance of the Newspapers

MPs have not been honest in claiming for the expenses and allowances

In this blog I am going to identify the political alliances of two British newspapers by analysing their terminology and the images they use. I will be looking at online articles of The Sun (www.thesun.co.uk) and
The Independent (www.independent.co.uk) to identify their political alliances. These articles appeared on The Sun website on 13^th November 2012 and on The Independent website on 14^th November 2012.

Both newspapers have written articles regarding the MP expenses scandals however The Sun has clearly decided to heavily criticise Labour MP, Margaret Moran. This is in contrast of The Independent who has identified two MPs, one from Labour and one from the Tories, guilty of irregular claims of their expenses. The Independent also criticise Lib-Dem leader Nick Clegg's of blocking reform that would expel MPs from parliament if found guilty of any wrong-doing.


Labour MP, Margaret Moran was
heavily criticised by The Sun

The Sun has used several terms to in their article to describe Labour MPs so that Labour are portrayed negatively. They describe Margaret Moran who “fiddled her expenses” “forged invoices” and used a “fake bill”. In addition The Sun has pictured Margaret Moran wearing red. This reinforces to the reader that she is a Labour party member. It is this persecution of this Labour MP that makes The Sun have a current political alliance towards the coalition government.

The Independent have do not have a political alliance. This is evident in their report. Firstly, they criticise Tory MP Lord Hanningfield as he “trousered £3,600 in attendance allowances” and how he only served a nine weeks of a nine month sentence.

Lord Hanningfield went to prison for
the irregularities in his expenses

The Independent also criticises former Labour peer, Pola Uddin, but inform their readers that she was never prosecuted. The Independent reports that she was told to “repay £125,349 of dodgy expenses” and “was hoping that she wouldn’t have the gall to show her face again” and say that since June she has claimed £1,800 in attendance allowances.

The end of the article reports that the idea of MPs being expelled from parliament in light of any wrong-doings should have “the power to expel miscreants” was popular amongst MPs across all parties. However Nick Clegg blocked the proposal in fear that small reforms will weaken his desire to abolish the Lords and creating an elected chamber.

The Independent seems to be impartial in view of political parties but seem to have a slight slant against the Liberal Democrats.

Lib-Dem leader Nick Clegg blocked proposals to expel
 MPs from Parliament if found guilty of any wrong-doings

The Newspapers Coverage of Jeremy Forrest

School teacher Jeremy Forrest who eloped to
France with 15-year old Megan Stammers

The Sun and The Independent have written stories about Jeremy Forrest, the school teacher that eloped to France with 15-year old school girl Megan Stammers, and his return to Britain after being arrested  following an European Arrest Warrant. This story appeared in both newspapers on Thursday, 11^th October 2012.

The Sun has a small section consisting of two short paragraphs on the front page next to the headline story of Jimmy Savile. As this too was a follow-on story it was still in the public domain and therefore at the forefront in the minds of the public. The story itself takes up the majority of page 7 and just after the Jimmy Savile story on page 4 and 5. The story has been placed here so the disgust and anger that has been created by the Jimmy Savile scandal can be continued and directed towards Jeremy Forrest.

15-year old school girl, Megan Stammers

The Sun has used several techniques to relate their readers to Forrest. They have done this by mentioning Forrest was “on his budget flight” and also that he “drank Pepsi”. As many of the majority of The Sun readership are working class, their holiday destinations consist of budget holidays, so the budget flight and drinking Pepsi, are what would seem normal. By making their readers relate to Forrest it gives them an interest in the story. The Sun then used negative terminology in attempts to tell their reader how to think towards Forrest. They describe him as a “fugitive” and “the runaway that fled”.

Jeremy Forrest and Megan Stammers are
filmed by CCTV on a ferry

The Independent reports this story on page 21 under their crime section. The article itself is a small piece of written text contained within an image. The Independent has gone with the headline “Runaway teacher charged with child abduction”. Despite their headline they leave their readers to make their own conclusions by writing: “arrested in France on suspicion of abducting.” The Independent have reported the facts and giving information in a clear and concise way as if, for their readers, are no longer interested or have no relation to the story.

They have decided to use wide-shot of Forrest boarding the aircraft. This is so that The Independent can disassociate themselves and their readers from having any emotional involvement in the story. By using this image it gives the readers enough visual information that is backed up with the headline they have used.

The Sun has used close-ups of Forrest at the back of the plane and in one instance in the middle of the image being flanked by two police officers in civilian clothing. This maybe to imply that he is a dangerous person. The Sun has also used an image of Megan Stammers. This is used for the ‘male gaze’ as the readership is predominantly male and would make the reader stop and read the article.




Jeremy Forrest boarding a plane on his way back to Britain



The Newspapers Coverage of Jimmy Savile

Jimmy Savile, who has posthumously been accused of abusing and
raping young girls and women.

The Sun and The Independent both featured stories about Jimmy Savile. This former TV legend of the 1970’s and 80’s, has been exposed as an alleged paedophile. These stories appeared in both newspapers on Thursday 11^th October 2012.

The Sun newspaper used this story on their splash page. This is because it is a follow-on story that has gripped the nation. It also keeps the readership of The Sun involved with the hysteria surrounding the allegations of Sir Jimmy Savile. Because of the story being at the front of the paper and a two page spread inside it is clear that this story is the most important for the publishers of this paper.

This could imply that the readership of The Sun like to keep reading drama that unfolds on a day-to-day basis. In addition, as Jimmy Savile is a celebrity, in which stories about celebrities often feature in The Sun, this appeals to the people that buy the paper on a regular basis.

Jimmy Savile's headstone before it is removed
from his grave at Woodlands Cemetery, Scarborough.

The Independent does not feature the story about Jimmy Savile until page 12 of the paper. This indicates that the story is not of significant importance to their readership because the profile of The Independent reader being of a higher social class does not follow celebrity lifestyle with as much interest. Instead they focus on more important and intellectual issues.

This is evident in they language they use when writing their article. Their writing style uses more inventive terminology. One example of this is in the first paragraph they write: “facilitating Sir Jimmy Savile’s predatory abuse.” By using this language it will suit their readership as they would have had a better education and therefore have a more extensive vocabulary.

Jimmy Savile's headstone taken for disposal

The Sun on the other hand uses a more simplistic use of the English language. They have peppered their articles with phrases that force the reader to think a particular way. In a short paragraph of just 18 words they use no less than three remarks lead their readers train of thought.
The first paragraph of the article, The Sun reported: “The gravestone of pervert Jimmy Savile lies dumped in a skip after being shattered – just like his reputation.”

As the readership of The Sun is predominantly lower class their education would be of a lesser academic achievement. By using images that cover the majority of the pages it half tells the reader the story. The written text used in the story is short and almost gossip-like. The way the story is written and presented in the paper sensationalises and dramatises the event. The Sun is effectively telling the reader how to think.

The Independent on the other hand, has written a factual based article in which it allows their reader to draw their own conclusions.

Reporting the news is business and although it may appear that newspapers have sympathies with the alleged victims of Jimmy Savile they are more interested in making money and the use of the headlines, the images and how they use them, and the style in which the article is written is an attempt to entice their target audience to purchase their paper.

The unmarked grave of Jimmy Savile at
Woodland Cemetery, Scarborough