MEDIA POLICY PLANNER - Your Resource for Engagement

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The Leveson Inquiry

The revelation of phone hacking at the News of the World, targeting members of the royal family, celebrities, politicians and victims of violent crime, has had an enormous impact on the UK media landscape, resulting in not only the closure of the 168 year-old newspaper but also the beginning of several investigations, including a wide-ranging inquiry into media ethics in the UK.

This dossier will be a source of information on the developments in the phone hacking case relating to media policy.

1. Institutions in Question

News International

News International is the UK newspaper publishing subsidiary of News Corporation that owned the now-defunct News of the World.  When the scandal erupted in July, the Department of Culture, Media and Sport was in the process of deciding whether News Corporation’s bid to purchase the remaining shares of UK broadcaster BSkyB that it did not already own would be allowed to proceed.  The bid was later withdrawn as a result of the scandal.  Further information is available on the Media Policy Project’s dossier on Media Plurality and News Corporation’s BSkyB bid.

In early July, it was discovered that murder victim Milly Dowler’s voicemail had been hacked by News of the World investigators.  The announcement of the tabloid’s closure followed shortly after.

Several former and current employees of the tabloid and its parent company were arrested during the ensuing investigations.  Most notably those included Stuart Kuttner and Neil Wallis, former editors of News of the World, Rebekah Brooks, former editor of News of the World and chief executive of News International, and former editor of News of the World and former spokesperson for the Prime Minister Andy Coulson.

On July 14, 2011, Rupert Murdoch, chief executive of News Corporation, his son James Murdoch, chief executive […]

By |October 28th, 2011|0 Comments|
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Digital Inclusion

Following the Expert Meeting on the subject of Digital Inclusion and ICT policies, Ellen Helsper and Dorota Kaczuba compiled this dossier to bring together key documents for anyone interested in the present and future of digital inclusion of UK information and communication policies and its international background. The dossier organizes links to these resources as follows:

Key UK policy documents
European policy context
Definitions of digital inclusion
Key Academic publications
Policy questions?

1. Key UK policy documents

1.1. Delivery model for a Superfast Broadband Future – Report published May 2011

The most comprehensive document published so far by the Government on the subject of the broadband delivery policy. Supplement to the policy paper ‘Britain’s Superfast Broadband Future’ (see 1.3), addressing the ways in which the Government plans to arrive at its goals.

The definition of key performance indicators remains at a non-quantifiable level.

1.2 ICT strategy 2011 (Cabinet Office) – Report published March 2011

This document sets the plans of the current government to develop IT-based communication services with the citizenry in an attempt to catch up with the possibilities offered by modern technology and e-government trends.

The most direct reference to a strategy related to digital inclusion can be found on pages 18-19 (point 45), although this is still not linked to concrete, quantifiable actions or deadlines:

“Therefore, the Government will work to make citizen-focused transactional services ‘digital by default’ where appropriate using Directgov as the single domain for citizens to access public services and government information. For those for whom digital channels are less accessible (for example, some older or disadvantaged people) the Government will enable a network of ‘assisted digital’ service providers, such as Post Offices, UK online centres and other local service providers.”

1.3 Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) – Report published December 2010

After the coalition government took office, ICT policies were reshaped into a ‘broadband delivery‘ […]

By |July 21st, 2011|0 Comments|
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NewsCorp’s Bid for BSkyB

With the help of Diana Osipova, Davide Morisi brings together key documents, information and news sources on News Corporation’s bid for BSkyB and the media plurality debate in the UK.  These documents and sources were last updated on July 18th, 2011. The materials are organized as follows:

Brief summary of the case
Key documents
Phone hacking scandal and withdrawal of the bid
The deal that was almost made
The role of Government
EU Commission and the Office of Fair Trading
The Debate: highlighting key plurality arguments

1. Brief summary of and key questions regarding the case

1.1. When it all began:
Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation sought to take full control of satellite broadcaster BSkyB, by acquiring the 60.9% of the shares it does not already own.
BBC News – Memo for Vincent Cable – June 2010
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10316087

1.2. When it all ended:
Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation announced on 13 July 2011 that it is dropping its planned bid to take full ownership of satellite broadcaster BSkyB. “It has become clear that it is too difficult to progress in this climate,” said News Corp deputy chairman and president Chase Carey.

BBC – 13 July 2011 – http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14142307

1.2. Why did the sale matter so much?
News Corporation is the UK’s largest newspaper publisher, printing more than one in three copies sold. Sky is the largest broadcaster, with turnover of £5.9bn against the BBC’s £4.8bn. The Murdoch family say a merger makes good financial sense, but critics say it would create a media group of unprecedented power, in which newspapers could be bundled with a Sky subscription, or Sky sports content could be shown exclusively on Times and Sun websites.

1.3. Doesn’t Murdoch already control Sky?
No, he owns 40% of the voting shares in News Corp. It in turn owns 39.1% of BSkyB, with others holding the […]

By |July 10th, 2011|0 Comments|
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Media Literacy & the UK’s Communications Act

By Sonia Livingstone, Yinhan Wang and Chang Li

Following our Expert Meeting on the subject of Media Literacy, we have compiled this informative dossier to bring together helpful key documents for anyone interested in the present and future of media literacy in the UK. The dossier organizes links to these resources as follows:

1. Key documents
2. Definitions of media literacy
3. The role of government
4. European developments
5. International perspectives
6. Academic research and key questions
7. Pressing policy questions

1. Key documents

1.1. For the first time in UK law, section 11 of the Communication Act 2003 gave the Office of Communications (Ofcom) the duty to promote media literacy.

1.2. Ofcom’s approach to media literacy

1.3. Ofcom’s Media Literacy Audits for children and adults (2010)

1.4. For more in depth analysis from Ofcom, see these recent reports also:

Online trust and privacy: People’s attitudes and behaviour (December 2010)
How people assess online content and services (November 2009)

2. Definitions of media literacy

Definitions of media literacy remain contested, with different dimensions emphasised or marginalised. Of most concern is the tendency in some policy statements to downplay the importance of critical or creative/communicative dimensions.

2.1 What is media literacy?

‘The ability to access, analyse, evaluate and communicate messages in a variety of forms.’ (US National Leadership Conference on Media Literacy, Pat Aufderheide, 1993)
‘The ability to use, understand and create media and communications.’ (Ofcom, also see here for more information on Ofcom’s media literacy activities)
‘Media literacy relates to the ability to access the media, to understand and critically evaluate different aspects of the media and media content and to create communications in a variety of contexts.’ (EC)

2.2. A short discussion of the nature of media literacy, ‘What is Media Literacy?’

2.3. A classic view from the BFI, ‘Making Movies Matter‘

2.4. Despite decades of arguments over definitions, the multiplicity of literacies remains contested and […]

By |July 10th, 2011|0 Comments|
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The UK Digital Economy Act

Dorota Kaczuba, Ben Murray, Liam O’Neill, Nate Vaagen compiled this informative dossier on file-sharing and the Digital Economy Act (2010).  This dossier provides links to important key documents that will be helpful for anyone interested in analyzing or making sense of current issues concerning file-sharing, copyright and the DEA.  The dossier gather resources along the following themes:

1. Key Documents
2. Press Overviews of DEA
3. Judicial Review
4. Hargreaves Report
5. European Perspectives
6. U.S. Perspectives
7. File-sharing Research and Analysis
8. Independent research/analysis
9. Media response/analysis
10. Background/historical response to copying technology
11. Scholarly Articles

1. Key Documents
●    Digital Economy Act 2010
●    Digital Britain report 2009 – Policy document outlining justifications for DEA (pp16-17 and pp105-113) (pdf)
●    Ofcom Consultation Document (closed for comments 30 July 2010) – Ofcom’s Online Infringement of Copyright and the Digital Economy Act 2010: Draft Initial Obligations Code and responses
●    Intellectual Property Office “Independent Review of IP and Growth” consultation (closed for comments on 4 March 2011) – Call for evidence in review of intellectual property policy headed by Ian Hargreaves.
●    Culture, Media and Sport Committee request for evidence (closes for comments on 23 March 2011) – Call for evidence into the protection of intellectual property rights online

2. Press Overviews of DEA
●    Digital Economy Act: summary of main provisions – Practical Law Company – 8 April 2010 (link)
●    A Q&A on the DEA with the BBC – BBC – 9 April 2010 (link)

3. Judicial Review
In November 2010, the High Court of Justice granted a judicial review of the DEA after two of the largest UK Internet service providers, BT and Talk Talk, challenged the Act’s legality.
●    Broadband providers contest Digital Economy Act – Financial Times – 8 July 2010
●    Future of Digital Economy Act ‘in limbo’ until next year, say lawyers – Guardian – 11 November 2010
●    Digital Economy Act […]

By |July 10th, 2011|0 Comments|
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