Press freedom splits Brits, Americans

JOURNALISM

Press freedom splits Brits, Americans

Published: 14 Dec 2012 at 00.00
Newspaper section: News

Witnessed from across the Atlantic, the UK's heated debate over Justice Brian Leveson's inquiry into the press after a phone-hacking scandal must be startling.

Surely such a venerable democracy would never contemplate using legislation to regulate journalists? The notion is no doubt unthinkable to American citizens, whose freedoms are protected by the Bill of Rights.

Well, Brits are considering ways to regulate the press, and they should. I say this as a singer and songwriter who believes in free speech, because this isn't about censorship. It's about two concepts of freedom that derive from our very different histories.

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djay
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Discussion 2 : 14 Dec 2012 at 15.092
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I'm having a difficult time following the article as the author rambles from one topic to the next. That said, does he really believe the US would have put up with what happened in the UK? Does he really believe social responsibility isn't important in the US? And why does he even bring health care into the article? Does he really believe health care is "free" in the UK?
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ringmaster
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Discussion 1 : 14 Dec 2012 at 12.151
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Not sure why you want to pull Americans into the British phone hacking scandal. It would be illegal (and immoral) in the US for reporters to hack phone records too. Yes, there are limits to our free speech and free press. Reporters know where that line is not to cross. Some of them cross it anyway.
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Press freedom splits Brits, Americans | Bangkok Post: opinion