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Social Media Leveson Inquiry Press Regulation

Survey reveals public trust on how press industry is run is at record low

By Angela Haggerty, Reporter

September 11, 2013 | 3 min read

Public confidence in the UK press has halved in the last 30 years, according to recent figures.

Poll: Just 27 per cent or respondents thought the press was well run

The British Social Attitudes survey revealed that 53 per cent of people believed that the press was well run in 1983 but the survey for 2012 returned a vote of just 27 per cent, making it the lowest ever.

The figures came as Prime Minister David Cameron said he was committed to the cross-party Royal Charter on press regulation following the Leveson enquiry, despite strong opposition from the newspaper industry.

The government is set to go head to head with the industry at the Privy Council after an alternative charter proposal was submitted by publishers’ body, Presbof.

Many publishers are advocating the creation of an Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) in opposition to the government’s plans to underpin press regulation in the legislature.

Cameron told the Commons Liaison Committee on Tuesday that he expected the cross-party Royal Charter to be approved by the Privy Council, adding: “Obviously it’s disappointing that the press at the moment are saying they want nothing to do with the cross party charter.

“Actually, when you look at the differences between the press charter and cross-party charter, they are not massive.”

A YouGov poll in July showed the public were backing the cross-party Royal Charter at 50 per cent while just 13 per cent supported the industry’s proposals.

Cameron added: “I hope that everyone will see sense and will find a way of having a charter that is in tune with Leveson and that the press can work with, but we are not there at the moment.”

Despite a number of arrests under Operation Elveden’s investigation into payments made to public officials by the press for stories, 65 per cent of respondents to the BSA survey said they thought police forces were well run, and 63 per cent gave the BBC the thumbs up in 2012.

Social Media Leveson Inquiry Press Regulation

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