Friday, 27 April 2012

Handy cut-out and keep guide to audiovisual self/co-regulation

So with no internet, we had no porn, right?

SRoC: Slightly Right of Centre: So with no internet, we had no porn, right? "Child content locks are just one tool - of limited use.  They will prevent most incidental or accidental exposure. They will not prevent a half-determined half-digitally-literate child accessing potentially harmful content. They will not stop your children trading porn in the playground, and a Micro-SD card is far easier to hide than a magazine. With this in mind, we must question how far the state expects service providers to go in the name of child protection.  Blocking only has limited use, and to take blocking to the point that it infringes on other important rights and freedoms in the name of child protection - especially when the protection offered is minimal - is disproportionate. Additionally, prohibition will inevitably lead to the resurgence of the playground black marketeer.  Children are enterprising little buggers who will profit from censorship. "
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Thursday, 26 April 2012

Jeremy Hunt visited News Corp in US as Murdochs considered BSkyB bid

Jeremy Hunt visited News Corp in US as Murdochs considered BSkyB bid | Politics | The Guardian: "Jeremy Hunt spent five days in the US, holding meetings with News Corporation when Rupert and James Murdoch were first deciding whether to bid for Sky, official documents reveal. Almost immediately after Hunt's trip, James Murdoch visited David Cameron in London, and privately told him that News Corp had agreed to switch its support to the Tories in the upcoming election. Hunt then became culture secretary in the victorious Tory government." 'via Blog this'

Wednesday, 25 April 2012

Self-Regulation Done Right : CJR

Self-Regulation Done Right : CJR: "Denmark, Finland, and Sweden all have similar press councils, with a few varying details. For instance, Pressens Opinionsnämnd, the Swedish system, has one ombudsman at its head, and it only deals with the print media, while complaints against broadcast TV or radio news go to a separate state-run commission. But the systems function in otherwise similar ways. Any member of the public may submit a complaint, free of charge; administrative fees are paid annually by the member organizations. The news outlets voluntarily submit themselves to the councils’ judgments because it shows their audience that they are responsible, accountable, and fair. “This is like the… what do you call it in America?” asks Kjell Nyhuus, one of PFU’s secretaries. “The fox that watches the henhouse. But it is a very good fox! A very serious fox.”"
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The night I saw Jeremy Hunt hide behind a tree before dinner with James Murdoch

The night I saw Jeremy Hunt hide behind a tree before dinner with James Murdoch – Telegraph Blogs: "The hiding behind a tree should be seen very much in the context of his subsequent handling of the BSkyB bid. That night at UCL Jeremy Hunt wanted to be close to News International, and to have dinner with James Murdoch, but he didn't want to be seen being close to News International. How apt, when one considers what followed."
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How Vince Cable fended off Murdoch camp's overtures

How Vince Cable fended off Murdoch camp's overtures | Media | The Guardian: "James Murdoch told the Leveson inquiry that he sensed Cable was taking other people's advice. He said it was very frustrating that Cable would not sit down and "let us make our case". Michel tried again to set up a meeting with Wilkes in a phone call on 15 November, asking: "When would be good for you?" Wilkes replied drily: "Let us assume it is when a Google of Vince Cable, News International and Sky does not turn anything up. I am sure we are both interested in staying within the proper bounds of conduct.""
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Tuesday, 24 April 2012

Jeremy Hunt: BSkyB scandal

Jeremy Hunt: the 'goody two shoes' caught up in BSkyB scandal | Politics | The Guardian: "culture department's civil service specifically instructed Hunt not to meet James Murdoch on 15 November, as the strong legal advice was that "the current process is treated as a judicial one not a policy one, and any meeting could be referred to and jeopardise the whole process". Yet Frédéric Michel, News Corp's director of public affairs, tells James Murdoch: "You could have a chat with him on his mobile which is completely fine and I will liaise with his team privately." On 24 December, when Hunt took formal ministerial responsibility for the bid, Hunt declared he could not hold a meeting with James Murdoch. Yet Michel spoke to "JH" at 5.25pm and reported to Murdoch: "[He] said he was very happy for me to be the point of contact with him/Adam on behalf of James Murdoch going forward. Very important to avoid giving the anti any opportunity to attack the fairness of the process and fine to liaise at that political level.""
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