Category: Media Ethics
- Details
- Details
British media proprietors and regulators seem confident they have made sure that the UK’s development of online television will remain out of reach of interference by the European Union.
Internet services which are considered to be "television-like" could face control under the terms of the European audio-visual directive which takes effect as from January 2009. But the British newspaper owners – backed by the Press Complaints Commission and Ofcom – believe that the rapidly expanding audio-visual output of their websites will escape European control.
- Details
Nicholas Jones explained in a speech to the Hansard Society (27.11.2008) why the growing migration to the web will change the British political landscape come the next general election.
When I was invited a couple of months ago to give my thoughts on the “Changing Political Landscape” who would have thought that I would be talking to you in a week when the Westminster waters parted and we saw opening up the clearest political dividing lines for a decade or more between Labour and the Conservatives. “Let battle commence” seemed to be the cry of both Alistair Darling and George Osborne. We are firmly on the countdown to a general election which will eventually offer a clear choice between spending our way out of the recession with higher public debt or by curbing state expenditure in order to limit the size of that looming tax bombshell.
- Details
Those who argue for an unregulated free-for-all on the internet are in danger of becoming the cheer leaders for Rupert Murdoch, the Conservative Party and host of other multi-national businesses whose sole interest is to exploit the commercial potential of the web.
Newspaper websites are now moving big time into internet television and the ability of media proprietors to buy up exclusive audio-visual material is already enticing viewers away from mainstream broadcasters and undermining their viability.
- Details
While the warnings about the demise of viable journalism could hardly have been any clearer, when the vote was taken it was overwhelmingly in support of the freedom and opportunities offered by the internet. Unesco’s annual World Press Freedom Day debate (2.5.2008) produced a spirited exchange of views but ended with a 43-13 vote to reject a motion that “new media is killing journalism.”