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 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.
British author, film-maker, investigative journalist and Executive Director of the Institute for Policy Research and Development (IPRD), an independent think-tank. Submitted academic work to the Inquiry on Islam and Muslims in the British media.
Father of Sam Banks, who died while holidaying in India in 2010. Banks gave evidence to the Inquiry regarding misreporting and unnecessary sensationalising of the death by The Sun. The paper's Managing Editor at the time apologised personally for a fabricated quote he said had been invented by a sub-editor.
Chairman of ITN at the time of the Inquiry and also Chair of the Racecourse Association (RCA) and the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC). In all three of these roles, she was the first woman to fill the post. Told the Inquiry she believed that ethics does and should play a role in broadcast news and the media.
British non-profit organisation providing training to journalists, researchers, producers and students in the practice and methodology of investigative journalism. Asked the Inquiry to advise on ways of helping good journalism, and recommended instituting a public interest defence and not imposing "prior notification" rules.
Founded 1884. Professional association for journalists and is the senior such body in the UK, and the oldest in the world. It was founded as the National Association of Journalists, to promote and advance the common interests of the profession of journalism.
Launched 2009. Registered charity aimed at inspiring and encouraging the personal development of young people through journalism, writing, literacy and improved communication skills. The CJET aims to create better public connection with the media, journalism and current affairs.
Group Managing Editor of the Belfast Telegraph at time of Inquiry and until 2014. Journalist and Media Consultant. Connolly's career has covered many aspects of print and digital news-gathering from reporting to senior management. Gave evidence on the ethical standards of the company. Said that private investigators were not used by the Belfast Telegraph or Community Telegraph though small payments had been made by Sunday Life to a private investigating agency.
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.
Former Daily Mail picture editor, and picture editor of the Daily Mirror at the time of the Inquiry. Down was asked about Mirror Group Newspapers' policies on acquiring pictures and on digital faking of pictures. He told the Inquiry that the MGN picture desk would deal with tens of thousands of pictures a day. Staff or commissioned photographers would be expected to follow MGN codes of conduct, he said, adding that digital faking would not be acceptable but was increasingly hard to detect.
Director-General of the BBC from January 2000 to January 2004, a position from which he resigned following heavy criticism of the BBC's news-reporting process in the Hutton Inquiry (into the circumstances surrounding the death of David Kelly). Credited with introducing 'tabloid' television to British broadcasting and reviving the ratings of TV-am. Held chief executive positions at LWT Group, Pearson Television and Channel 5. Gave evidence to the Inquiry of the ethical procedures in place during his time as Director-General including the use of hired investigators and undercover operators.
Multi-language newspaper based in New York City. The newspaper covers general-interest topics, with a focus on news about China and human-rights issues there. Explicitly opposed to the Communist Party of China. Gave evidence to the Inquiry of attempts by China to prevent circulation and sales of Epoch Times in the UK.
Editor of RebeccaTelevision.com, an investigative website based in Wales, which aimed to combine television programmes with journalism. Approached the Leveson Inquiry because he believed the News of the World reporter Mazher Mahmood had exaggerated the number of prosecutions arising from his exposures in his book Confessions of a Fake Sheikh.
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.
Pressure group established in 2011 by Prof Brian Cathcart and Dr Martin Moore to campaign for a free and accountable press. It seeks to give a voice to the views of victims of press abuses and provided support to many Core Participant Victims at the Inquiry.
Editor of News of the World from 1995 to 2000. Gave evidence that as editor he would constantly check whether a particular story was in the public interest and that the paper was adhering to PCC Code of Conduct principles. Hall told the Inquiry that the paper would not, for example, run stories about minors or report a medical issue without the consent of the subject. There had been no phone hacking during his time as editor, he said. In February 2003, he became Director of Editorial Development at Trinity Mirror, leaving two years later to found PR company PHA Media.
Media and technology reporter at The Guardian. He was asked by the Leveson Inquiry team to provide a short statement on a story headlined "Virgin Atlantic faces claims that dozens of celebrities' flight details were leaked".
Senior Lecturer in Journalism at Sheffield University at time of giving evidence with experience as a staff and freelance journalist working on all types of media ranging from local weekly publications to national newspapers and magazines. Harcup told the Inquiry that he had been conducting research into journalistic ethics over the previous decade and gave evidence on how a "conscience clause" (as proposed by the National Union of Journalists) might work. Harcup's publications at that time included "The Ethical Journalist" (2007) and a research paper, "Journalists and ethics: the quest for a collective voice" (2002).
Two blogs (from Tony Newbery and Andrew Montford respectively) established in 2007. Both are sceptical about global warming and argue that the case for a significant anthropogenic impact on climate has not yet been made. Gave evidence to the Inquiry that media coverage of the issues had been highly politicised.
