Freedom of the Press
 

Do you think that press and media coverage of recent events help or hinder investigations?
The umbrella cover of the 'Public's right to know' is being abused in my opinion.
Some of these hooligans run round like headless chickens in order to get headlines and if the headlines or story lines are not forthcoming they make them up.
It comes across that the media have more resources that the police to call on, would it not be a better idea for the police to be in a position to commandeer those resources for use in the investigation?
I am all in favour of the freedom of the press but to what extent, not sure.

Re: Freedom of the Press
 

I agree with you - they use 'Freedom of Information' as an excuse.

They use the phrase 'right to know' but surely it should be 'need to know'. I agree if there is an abuse of the council resources or if investigations are not being handled correctly then yes, quite probably we have a right to know. But excessive media coverage about something, particularly an ongoing police enquiry, can damage the findings.

It would certainly ensure that there wouldn't be a fair trial at the end of it because you wouldn't get an unbiased view of it - we're going to get to the stage where court cases have to be held in a different country in order to find jurors who haven't already been influenced by reading the paper.

Re: Freedom of the Press
 

The improper behaviour of Newspapers has been going on ,since the onset of the medium.The situation has deterioated because the Editors have lost sole control of what is published.
Newspapers of all ilks are now solely revenue driven.They have to outsell their market rivals,so if the story isn't there create or extrapolate it.In my former occupation I saw many examples from the David Sullivan/Sunday Sport/Bus on the Moon,to the Daily Mirror's British Soldiers abusing Iraquis 'Photo Scoop'.
National Newspapers are the main culprits though perhaps some Provincials are equally guilty.The Newspaper companies have more competion these days;Satellite TV,local radio,free newspapers,Internet,all sharing the same market.
They have lost the moral high ground so they all compete at the same gutter level.