Professor of Communications at the University of Westminster at the time of giving evidence and an experienced independent commentator on journalism and media policy issues. He was also at that time acting as specialist adviser to the House of Lords Select Committee on Communications for its inquiry into Investigative Journalism, having also advised the same committee in its inquiry into News and Media Ownership in 2007-08. Gave his views on the Editors' Code of Practice and lessons that could be learned from broadcasting regulation.
Professor and Head of Journalism at City, University of London at time of giving evidence. Prior to this appointment in 2009, Brock had worked at The Times for 28 years. He gave examples of how ethics was taught within the Department of Journalism courses.
London-based journalist, author and media campaigner. Former foreign correspondent with Reuters and Foreign Editor and then Deputy Editor of the Independent on Sunday. Professor of Journalism at Kingston University London at time of giving evidence and specialist adviser to the House of Commons Select Committee on Culture, Media and Sport which produced the report "Press standards, libel and privacy" (2010). Gave evidence to the Leveson Inquiry on teaching journalism ethics and standards. In 2011, co-founded Hacked Off to campaign for a free and accountable press.
Professor of Journalism at City University London at the time of the Inquiry and a media commentator since 1992, mostly for The Guardian. Offered insights into the flaws of the Press Complaints Commission and the need to avoid making the same mistakes. PCC inadequacies were exposed particularly by the Milly Dowler phone hacking, he said. He stressed that he was not attributing blame but that the PCC chairmen and directors could not be other than aware of the vulnerability of the members of the Commission when they were attempting to hold their paymasters to account: the body had the task of regulating the people upon whom it depended for its existence.
London-based lawyer specialising in media law, in particular defamation, privacy and harassment. Joined board of lobby group “Hacked Off” and has represented a substantial number of phone-hacked claimants since 2007. She also gave evidence to the Inquiry as a victim of phone-hacking herself.
Former English police officer and head of London's Metropolitan Police from 2011 to 2017. Hogan-Howe was knighted in the 2013 New Year’s Honours for his services to policing. Gave evidence on the Met’s relationship with the Press. Told the Inquiry of a “clear need to review existing procedures”.
Professor of Philosophy at Birkbeck, University of London at time of Inquiry, with interests in philosophies of the mind, language and feminism. Submitted evidence relating to questions of freedom of expression and the public interest.
Professional investigator and Head of Secretariat at the Association of British Investigators, Imossi told the Inquiry of journalists and others posing as "licensed investigators". He gave details of one who had given false evidence to the Inquiry to that effect.
At the time of the Inquiry, crime reporter and desk editor at The Guardian and Observer. Prior to working with The Guardian, Laville had worked for the Evening Standard and Daily Telegraph, covering major home and foreign news stories. Gave evidence concerning changing relations between Metropolitan Police and the media, from tight controls under Sir Paul Condon to a more informal relationship under Sir John Stevens. However, following the phone-hacking scandal, tensions between the media and the Met had become great, she said. Described practices maintaining contact and the importance of journalism being able to hold police to account.
Award-winning journalist working for the Daily Mirror at the time of the Inquiry. Was asked to give evidence on his coverage of the murder in 2010 of Jo Yeates in Bristol and the arrest and subsequent release without charge of Christopher Jefferies, specifically on the consideration given to issues of public interest.
British former senior police officer. From 2008 to 2009, Assistant Commissioner (Specialist Operations) of London's Metropolitan Police Service at New Scotland Yard, a key national security post with responsibility for counter-terrorism within the UK, protection of the Queen and senior members of the British Royal Family, and protection of the UK Prime Minister and Cabinet Ministers. Quick also oversaw the protection of visiting heads of state to the UK and the diplomatic community in London. Quick told the Inquiry of his belief from 2000 that some tabloid journalists were making corrupt payments to police officers.
Director of Public Prosecutions at the time of giving evidence. He answered questions on DPP investigations into phone hacking which had resulted in the trial and prison sentences of Glenn Mulcaire and Clive Goodman. Starmer told the Inquiry that by 2011, after more press revelations from victims such as Sienna Miller and press stories about phone hacking (including in the New York Times) he knew there had to be a full review of all the material available. Starmer said that he had met with Assistant Commissioner John Yates to tell him that. Starmer became Labour MP for Holborn and St Pancras in 2015 and was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union. He was made Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in 2014 and sworn in as a Privy Councillor on 19 July 2017.
British civil servant and Permanent Secretary of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport at the time of giving evidence. Appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath for public service in the 2013 Birthday Honours, in particular for his service relating to the Olympic Games in London. He was asked at the Inquiry about his Department's handling of the proposed bid by News Corporation for BskyB in 2012, and his own involvement in the appointment of special adviser Adam Smith, who enjoyed a close relationship with News Corporation.
Founded 1979. Campaign group based in London focussed on bringing about a more “diverse democratic and accountable media”. The CPBF followed and reported on the Leveson Inquiry claiming the common goal of reforming the press as a fair and honest information outlet and seeking the opportunity for change.
City University currently has 18,000+ students from more than 160 countries. Five schools located in the City: Cass Business School, School of Arts & Social Sciences, School of Health Sciences, School of Mathematics, Computer Science & Engineering and The City Law School. Dr Chris Greer and Professor Eugene McLaughlin submitted views on “Trial by Media” and on phone-hacking to the Inquiry.
Founded 1991. The Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma is a resource centre and global network of journalists, journalism educators and health professionals dedicated to improving media coverage of trauma, conflict and tragedy. A project of Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in New York City, it recommended to the Inquiry that all journalists should be briefed on the challenges of reporting traumatic events.
Professor of Political Communication at Goldsmiths, University of London. In looking at the practices of journalism in relation to political issues and democratic practices, Davis told the Inquiry that he had conducted research at Westminster, Whitehall, the London Stock Exchange, across business and financial networks, among major political parties and across the trade union movement as part of his research for the Coordinating Committee for Media Reform.
British lawyer and member of Doughty Street Chambers in London, practising criminal law since 1986 and appointed Queen's Counsel in 2010. Writes a blog, Nothing Like the Sun, subtitled "an occasional blog on legal and other matters that interest me", and gave evidence on the ethics of blogging.
Research Professor in Media and Politics at the University of Bedfordshire, Professor of Political Journalism at City, University of London and Emeritus Professor of Broadcast Journalism at Goldsmiths, University of London at time of giving evidence. Sought to address the question of the nature of media influence on public policy in areas such as criminal justice and immigration.
Born 1959. Australian lawyer and, until 2014, Deputy Chair of the Independent Police Complaints Commission. During her time at the IPCC was responsible for many high-profile criminal and misconduct investigations and decisions involving the police. Told the Inquiry of the IPCC’s role in relation to police response to events such as the phone-hacking scandal, the death of Ian Tomlinson during the London G20 protests in 2009, and the decision to launch an independent investigation into the aftermath of the Hillsborough football stadium disaster.