Adrian Jeakings (pictured) has told Nick Clegg that it is vital that the Government resists any form of political or statutory control of the press in order to safeguard freedom of expression, and calling for a meeting to discuss the industry’s very real concerns.
In his latest letter to the Deputy Prime Minister on 19th October, Mr Jeakings, who is chief executive of regional media company Archant, wrote: “The local press is vehemently opposed to any form of statutory involvement or ‘underpinning’ in the regulation of the press, however arms-length from government it might appear to be. No government could ever guarantee non-interference nor prevent its successors from tightening or extending statutory controls.”
“It is inconceivable,” he wrote, “that any statutory regime could be established to regulate just a small section of the popular national press, imposing special controls and penalties on some publications and not on others. In practice, hundreds of responsible national, regional and local newspapers and magazines would find themselves swept up into a costly and wholly unnecessary system of legal controls and constraints which would have an enormous impact on their freedom to publish in the UK. Similarly, newspaper and magazines websites would be handicapped while our online competitors in the form of other websites, bloggers and social media would remain unfettered.”
The letter was in response to Mr Clegg’s reply to the NS president on 11th October, in which the DPM explained that his remarks about “the press” at the Liberal Democrats party conference were in response to a question about the Leveson Inquiry and were focused on the challenges faced by the national newspaper industry and not on local newspapers. He said it was “clear that people continue to have a huge hunger for local news and commentary – and a great deal of trust in their local newspapers.” His remarks echoed those in an interview given to the Eastern Daily Press.
The Newspaper Society is a member of the Free Speech Network, an alliance of UK, European and overseas newspaper, magazine and online publishers, editors and other groups who have come together to protect freedom of expression against any threats to introduce a statutory backstop to press regulation, undermining the basic principle of a free press and internet which has been in place in the UK for over 300 years.
The FSN is hosting an event in London this Thursday evening, 25th October, to launch Professor Tim Luckhurst’s pamphlet, ‘Responsibility without Power’. This will include a panel discussion hosted by John Humphyrs with panellists including Tim Luckhurst, Mick Hume and John Whittingdale. For more information contact: admin@freespeechnetwork.org.uk
FSN Supporters include:
Advertising Association
Commonwealth Press Union Media Trust
European Magazine Media Association
European Newspaper Publishers Association
European Publishers Council
London Press Club
Newspaper Society – voice of local media
Newspaper Publishers Association
Professional Publishers Association
Professional Publishers Association Scotland
Press Association
Society of Editors
Scottish Newspaper Society
WAN-IFRA (World Association of Newspapers)
World Press Freedom Committee
