Legal Based Analysis of The Leveson Inquiry Essay

Legal Based Analysis of The Leveson Inquiry - Essay Example By extension, this inquiry serves as the starting point within which a framework for regulating the media can be based and then modalities developed to handle any malpractices within the press. Although the inquiry started with a narrow area of scope, it soon snowballed into an enigma revolving around media ethics or its absence within journalism. Journalism and press are synonymous with each given their close association. It follows then that when either of them is brought into disrepute, then automatically the other one is also adversely affected. In the case of Lord Justice Leveson inquiry, a lot of dirt was dug out with regards to the rot within the British press. This rot was evidently brought by tabloid journalist s hungry for recognition at the expense of high ethical standards that have existed within British Press. On the sides, the police and the politicians turned a deaf ear to the declining ethical standards all the while assuming casual demeanour. A close scrutiny of Lor d Leveson’s inquiry1 reveals a tinge of mediocre and serious issues that affect the society at large. In large parts of the report, the matters being focussed are less serious like tabloid journalism. However, this does not in any way let the mainstream press of the hook since the rulings and recommendations will affect all forms of press across the board. One of the concerns about the report is that, it tries to compare and handle journalism like other professions like medicine or engineering. This is partly because every profession has got different ethical standards to observe and these standards are not directly transferable to other professions. To say the least, there is very little articulation about the new technologies of communication which is very similar to journalism. Take for instance someone who is blogging or posting information on the internet is more or less a reporter. There appears to be thin line between mainstream journalism and tabloids which is the foc al point of the report. First off, the mess and decline of the ethical standards within the British Press have been largely caused by tabloids and exacerbated by both politicians and police. The latter two have failed to act swift and nip the problem at the bud which has led to them being caught up and entangled within this elaborate web of decay. As a way of affirming the guilty of the tabloids and their insensibility to the reality of the matter, both the politicians and police have been apt in siding and backing up the findings of the report. However, their swift move does not exonerate them from their shortcomings and failure which they have propagated within the past couple of years. It would seem seldom sensible to act fast to mop up the rot since much of the ethical practices carried by the parties adversely mentioned in the inquiry are outlawed within the law. Some of these unlawful undertakings include; phone tapping, harassment among other equally heinous acts within the p ublic domain. Of interest in all these subtle crimes within the press and reporting sphere is the fact that despite the existence of legislations outlawing such activities, they happen unabated by the law. One of the most astounding recommendations of by the report is to replace the