Editor of the Mail on Sunday at the time of the Inquiry. Wright joined the Daily Mail in 1979, working on various desks before becoming Deputy Editor and then Editor of the Mail on Sunday in 1995. He told the Inquiry that there was strict demarcation between the editorial and commercial functions of the Mail on Sunday and that he felt no commercial pressure. He also said that he would ask a reporter for the source of any story likely to be contentious and that he learnt during the Operation Motorman inquiry that MoS staff were using "inquiry agents", a practice that was subsequently banned.
Director of Full Fact, an independent fact-checking organisation campaigning against inaccuracy in the media, at the time of giving evidence. Moy told the Inquiry that the phone-hacking scandal had undoubtedly harmed public trust in the press and that we all needed to ask why journalists were the people least trusted to "tell the truth". Full Fact is a registered charity.
Abell was deputy director of the Press Complaints Commission at the time of giving evidence, having previously acted as one of two assistant directors at the Commission. Abell provided extensive information on the background of the PCC, its guidelines regarding conduct, and desirable ways of balancing the interests of editors and the public. He also argued in favour of pre-publication consultation. If a person knew something was to be written about them, the PCC could represent the person to the paper "and give advice to the editor, while letting the editor retain the decision about publication. But the effect is very often that stories are either not published, or that the inaccurate and untruthful parts of stories are not published." Now a radio presenter and editor of the Times Literary Supplement, Abell was also Managing Editor of The Sun from 2013 to 2016.
Academic expert in media and communications regulation, submitted evidence to the Inquiry on journalism and self-regulation. Has provided formal and informal policy advice and been frequently called to give evidence to parliamentary committees.
Director of the Centre for the Study of Media, Communication and Power, and a Senior Research Fellow in the Policy Institute at King's College London. Founding director of the Media Standards Trust (2006-2015). Submitted academic studies to the Inquiry on the growing threats to press standards and the failures of self-regulation.
At time of the Inquiry, Lord Black (Guy Black) was Chairman of Press Standards Board of Finance Limited and Director of the Press Complaints Commission (PCC). He had been responsible for tightening the PCC's Code of Practice in the wake of the death in 1997 of Princess Diana. The Lord Black proposals frequently referred to throughout the Inquiry were his proposals for a new system of independent press self-regulation and were put forward on behalf of the newspaper industry.
Professor of Communications at the University of Westminster at the time of giving evidence and an experienced independent commentator on journalism and media policy issues. He was also at that time acting as specialist adviser to the House of Lords Select Committee on Communications for its inquiry into Investigative Journalism, having also advised the same committee in its inquiry into News and Media Ownership in 2007-08. Gave his views on the Editors' Code of Practice and lessons that could be learned from broadcasting regulation.
Journalist and former Political Editor of the Mirror Group and Readers’ Editor of the Daily Mirror. At the time of giving evidence was a trustee of Headliners, an organisation which helps disadvantaged young people through journalism. Seymour had also worked at the Daily Mail. He told the Inquiry that the newsroom culture had changed since he started out in journalism in 1964.
Designated a Core Participant at the Inquiry, Rowland was a claimant in the litigation against News International regarding phone hacking. He told the Inquiry he had been shown evidence that someone had attempted to hack his voicemails 100 times in 2005, when he had been working for the Mail on Sunday and the Times. At the time of the Inquiry, he had been a journalist or freelance writer for 30 years, having written for the Daily Telegraph, Evening Standard and The Times. Had also worked as a TV presenter and author.
Professor and Head of Journalism at City, University of London at time of giving evidence. Prior to this appointment in 2009, Brock had worked at The Times for 28 years. He gave examples of how ethics was taught within the Department of Journalism courses.
Author, journalist, broadcaster. Gave evidence as Chief Executive of Index on Censorship at the time of the Inquiry. Freedom of expression was as important as press freedom, he said. "Reporting is no longer the exclusive reserve of the mainstream but also of independent bloggers and whistleblowing sites."
Information Commissioner of the United Kingdom from 2002 to 2009. Gave evidence on the responsibilities and workings of the Office of Information Commission with particular reference to privacy. During his time in office, he had raised concerns over the increased use of closed-circuit television (CCTV) and the introduction of ID Cards in the UK.
Editor of the Mail on Sunday at the time of the Inquiry. Wright joined the Daily Mail in 1979, working on various desks before becoming Deputy Editor and then Editor of the Mail on Sunday in 1995. He told the Inquiry that there was strict demarcation between the editorial and commercial functions of the Mail on Sunday and that he felt no commercial pressure. He also said that he would ask a reporter for the source of any story likely to be contentious and that he learnt during the Operation Motorman inquiry that MoS staff were using "inquiry agents", a practice that was subsequently banned.
