The Leveson Inquiry into press standards, following phone hacking by British tabloids, is dominating British news. On Thursday, January 12, the inquiry called in representatives from Northern and Shell: Richard Desmond and two editors from the “Daily Express” and “Daily Star” tabloids. Earlier, editors of “The Daily Mail,” “The Mail on Sunday” and their publisher, Associated Newspapers, were required to give evidence and explain why they, for example, felt it appropriate to publish pictures of the Duchess of Cambridge pushing a shopping cart around Waitrose supermarket.
The inquiry gives fascinating insights into the mindset of newspaper publishers, the newspaper industry in the 21st century, and into the British Royal Family itself. (Story continues below.)
Some of the details that emerged included:
The Middletons: Paul Silva, picture editor of the “Daily Mail,” said he receives, on average, 300 to 400 pictures of Pippa Middleton a day. He said that anything up to 10 news agencies camp outside her door and snap pictures of Pippa Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge's sister, every time she emerges. The editor also says his paper will not use any pictures of Pippa Middleton unless she shows up at an event to which photographers were invited. A recent example of published paparazzi, on the Duchess' birthday, had an unsmiling Pippa heading to work and not, apparently, organizing her sister's party. But we did learn that she wore pink pants, or leggings because someone, somewhere, wants to read these kinds of details.
Diana, Princess of Wales: The BBC reported that British papers' policy on publishing paparazzi shots has generally been more cautious since the death of Diana, Princess of Wales while running away from photographers. Nobody wants a repeat of the terrible photographs showing her dying or dead body. Even so, papers sometimes cross the line: Before the Royal Wedding, the Press Complaints Commission warned papers not to publish any more pictures of the Middletons going about their daily business.
Changed industry: Peter Wright of the “Mail on Sunday” said that, when he initially started work 32 years ago, industrial reporters were the stars, but that the gossip columnist was also a star. Now, the interest in celebrities is even more intense and there is no doubt that the gossip columnist will ever be anything but a star.
Changed standards: Now, Paul Silva claimed, his paper checks that anyone in the paparazzi shots it does use has not been harrassed. Each photographer who submits images must answer a questionnaire; questions include where the picture was taken (on a driveway is private, on the sidewalk is public), and whether or how the photographer can justify following a person all day, if they did. Papers are also careful with pictures of celebrities' children and comply with requests, via the Press Complaints Commission or agents, to leave people alone. Former “Sun” editor, Kelvin MacKenzie, said that in the early Eighties his paper had no real regard for people's privacy, but that “The Sun” had become more cautious. Even so, his policy back them was “if it sounds true, lob it in.”
Dancing royals and stolen pictures: Royal editor of “The Sun,” Duncan Larcombe, said that if he'd adopted MacKenzie's above-mentioned policy, he would be out of a job. Mr. Larcombe said that he also published less than half the Royal Family paparazzi photographs he received. He said he tried to notify Royals if they had an exclusive, and that his office talked almost daily to Buckingham Palace. For example, he'd been offered pictures of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on vacation in the Caribbean, only to find out they'd been stolen from Pippa Middleton's car. Nor, for reasons of privacy, did he publish a picture of a British royal dancing on a table over the holidays.
Duchess of Cambridge is one of us: On the other hand, Duncan Larcombe said, “The Sun” published a picture of the Duchess of Cambridge pushing a shopping cart around Waitrose because it was an “incredible picture” that showed she was still just “one of us.”
And that's the key: Whilever there is an audience for such stories, as they always have, there will be paparazzi, invasions of privacy, criminal activity, and shopping cart photographs. The desired result of the Leveson Inquiry is to reestablish ethics and lines to not cross, the extent to which papers are already self-policing, and the extent to which they knew phone hacking was in use. Given the sorry state of the industry, the endless clash of readers' desires against subjects' privacy against a backdrop of money, this may actually never happen.
The Leveson Inquiry was set up in July 2011, with Lord Justice Leveson at its helm. On Thursday, representatives from Northern and Shell were interviewed; Richard Desmond and two editors from the “Daily Express” and “Daily Star” tabloids spoke. On Monday, “The Sun” gave evidence, while on Tuesday, “The Financial Times,” “Independent” and “Telegraph” were called in.
Criminals: Police are also performing a criminal investigation into the phone hacking scandal. Once all evidence has been given and any prosecutions are carried, the next stage of the Leveson Inquiry will examine standards and establish a course of action.
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Sources: Chicago Tribune; BBC News [1] [2] [3]
Get British Royal Family news by subscribing to this column or using the RSS feed. Linda Gentile is the British Royal Family Examiner and you can also follow on Twitter and Facebook. And, for yet more British life and culture, check out Linda's British Life column.
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