The Leveson Inquiry - Journalist's Kryptonite

After researching the Leveson Inquiry today, I started to think about the impact this will have on my future career.

After the phone hacking scandal, David Cameron insisted on an investigation in to the ethics and practice of the British press. Essentially, News International have given journalists a bad name but I'm guessing a very small minority of journalists would actually engage in such unethical practice.

Should I be worried about political correctness getting in the way of my writing or see this as a chance of clearing our name? No. Politicians and journalists are a melting pot of disaster.



An interesting video to watch is Hugh Grant delivering his speech on the phone hacking scandal during the Inquiry. He described everything wrong with the press to a tee.

The world would be pretty boring without journalism but the nasty pirahnas of the industry need a good hiding. As a journalist, it is very difficult to stay on the fence but in this case, I have to agree with Mr Grant as he makes a very valid point.



Although it is well known journalism is a "struggling" industry, this bad exposure seems to be the shiny glacé cherry on the top. We must win back the public's trust but this could come at a cost.

This was shown on the Leveson Inquiry FAQ on their website: "The Inquiry aims to draw recommendations, if any, for the future, with particular regards to press regulation, governance and other systems of oversight."



Yes. So really, there is a fair chance we will have full blown press regulation in comparison to the good old PCC code.

Personally, I see nothing wrong with how the press is regulated at this moment in time as long as journalists stick to it (which a very small minority don't).

 I don't condone phone hacking and general unethical practice but should genuine and honest journalists really have to be regulated to the point of complete political control?

 I hope the Leveson Inquiry will see offending journalists punished but I do not wish for our writing to be sanitised to the point of lifelessness and pointless journalism.