London-based journalist, author and media campaigner. Former foreign correspondent with Reuters and Foreign Editor and then Deputy Editor of the Independent on Sunday. Professor of Journalism at Kingston University London at time of giving evidence and specialist adviser to the House of Commons Select Committee on Culture, Media and Sport which produced the report "Press standards, libel and privacy" (2010). Gave evidence to the Leveson Inquiry on teaching journalism ethics and standards. In 2011, co-founded Hacked Off to campaign for a free and accountable press.
Journalist, author and Investigations Executive Editor of The Guardian at the time of the Inquiry. Gave evidence on sources and responsibility to protect them and on the Guardian’s ethical and anti-bribery and corruption policies.
Author and Editor-in-Chief of Hello! magazine, Rosie previously held senior positions at women's magazines including Grazia, Glamour and Red. Gave evidence that Hello! would only employ and retain experienced journalists with good reputations and track records. All their journalists, including freelancers, were aware of the Press Complaints Commission Code, she said. It was not Hello!'s intention to offend or to present anyone in an unflattering light, she said.
Born 1960. British author, journalist and broadcaster. He is the associate editor of The Spectator and former chief political commentator of The Daily Telegraph, from which he resigned in early 2015. He writes a political column for the Daily Mail and Middle East Eye and won the Press Awards Columnist of the Year in 2012 and again in 2016.
British broadcaster, journalist and author. Question master of University Challenge and former presenter of Newsnight. He told the Inquiry that he found it easier not to have politicians as personal friends and described a lunch at which Piers Morgan told him how to hack a voicemail.
Professor of Journalism in the Department of Media and Communications, Goldsmiths, University of London. Formerly a journalist working for national newspapers, magazines, TV and radio and co-author of Changing Journalism (2011). Offered evidence on the teaching of ethical journalism.
Born 1948. British journalist and author. He is currently serving as the British government's Commissioner for Public Appointments, and is the out-going director of the Institute for Government. From 1991 to 2010, Riddell was a political commentator for The Times and has been an Assistant Editor since 1991. Prior to this, he was US Editor and Washington Bureau Chief at The Financial Times between 1989 and 1991.
A Core Participant Victim, the Harry Potter author challenged news publishers over intrusion into her private life on numerous occasions. Gave evidence of snatched photos of her family and her residence.
Chief Operating Officer in Europe of Microsoft search engine Bing at the time of the Inquiry. Gave evidence on the feasibility of pulling down links in cases of invasion of privacy and on protection, licensing and litigation of intellectual property rights. Also answered questions from Lord Leveson on whether systems were able to filter defamatory material.
British author, film-maker, investigative journalist and Executive Director of the Institute for Policy Research and Development (IPRD), an independent think-tank. Submitted academic work to the Inquiry on Islam and Muslims in the British media.
The elected president of the International Federation of Journalists at the time of the Inquiry and also an Executive member of the National Union of Journalists. Gave evidence of a variety of Media Accountability Systems that operated around the world including those underpinned by legislation and those that are entirely voluntary.
Professor of Pharmacology at University College London. Colquhoun was elected to the Royal Society in 1985 and spent most of his career researching pharmacology and the biophysics of single ion channels. His intention in giving evidence was to point to the value of blogging as an antidote to poor science journalism.
Author, newspaper columnist and editor. Jenkins was editor of the Evening Standard from 1976 to 1978 and of The Times from 1990 to 1992. At the time of giving evidence, he was writing columns for both The Guardian and Evening Standard. He lauded the end of sycophancy in today's journalism and said he saw no need for new institutions to regulate the profession. He said that he saw the closing of a paper and imprisoning of journalists a good demonstration of the effectiveness of self-regulation.
Director of Policy and Transition at the Press Complaints Commission at the time of the Inquiry. Gave his view that publication of some pictures of members of the Royal Family had tested the system of press self-regulation and highlighted important issues with regard to press standards. Listed some practices and recent cases which the PCC felt raised cause for concern.
Author and lawyer specialising in public and administrative law. Blom-Cooper supplied detailed written evidence on the three Royal Commissions on the press since the Second World War, including histories of such concerns as "cheque-book journalism" and how to deal with irresponsible and inaccurate journalism. He told the Inquiry he favoured a possible Commission on Media Affairs. Sir Louis had himself been a Press Council chairman in 1988 shortly before it was replaced by the Press Complaints Commission. In 1992 he was appointed by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland as the first Independent Commissioner for the Holding Centres. He was also counsel to the Saville Inquiry acting for the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association.
