ABSTRACT
In recent years, the media in the UK have been under greater scrutiny than ever before, across all platforms. Journalists have been the subject of protracted criminal investigations and trials. The Leveson Inquiry into the culture, practices and ethics of the press, conducted in public, exposed press malpractice and offered proposals for reform. Yet far from creating a fresh, independent and accountable regulatory system to replace the discredited Press Complaints Commission, the outcome has brought more confusion than clarity, and concern has been raised internationally about threats to press freedom in the UK. Meanwhile, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), the world’s best-known public service broadcaster, has been riven by scandals, has suffered a reduction in its operating capabilities and is under pressure from the government to undergo a major restructuring.
