Written evidence from Duncan Anderson

 

The Culture, Media and Sport Committee might like to consider the following suggestion.

 

That ALL press/media outlets MUST publish the Truth, the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth and that to break this standard would be a criminal action.

 

Furthermore, each and every paragraph of a story must be fair and balanced.

 

This wouldn't prevent journalists from adding their own interpretation of the facts/truth, but as this would be added toward the end of the article it would allow the reader to come to their own conclusions before reading somebody else's conclusions.

 

Furthermore, the press/media would know exactly where they stand legally as the law wouldn't be open to re-interpretation by those who can afford the legal fees.

 

The Truth, the Whole Truth and Nothing but the Truth is good enough for the law courts, it should be good enough for the press/media.

 

Finally, an individual's right to privacy is sacrosanct, but "public interest" should out-weigh privacy. So if a footballer was having three-in-a-bed-sex, then, who cares? But if this was paid for by a betting firm then it is a different matter. Parliament should review the definition of "public interest"

yearly.

 

May 2009