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.

Television journalist and Political Editor of Sky News at the time of the Inquiry. Boulton gave evidence of his experience of the interaction of politicians and the media. He suggested that healthy relations between political journalists and politicians broke down during Tony Blair’s years in office and spoke of his concern at attempts by politicians to manipulate news agendas.

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.

Lawyer specialising in defamation and privacy law, who represented a large number of victims of intercepted voicemails. Gave details to the Inquiry of the unravelling of information about extensive phone-hacking of celebrities and others known to the police. Represented the Dowler family in their financial claim and undertook the first hacking claims against both the News of the World and Mirror Group.

British journalist, novelist and human-rights activist. Former chair of the Writers in Prison committee in the English section of International PEN and former Executive Director of Hacked Off. A Core Participant Victim, Smith gave evidence to the Inquiry of being told by her MP partner Denis MacShane that their phones had been hacked. The police confirmed that details of their conversations and meetings had been acquired by Glenn Mulcaire on behalf of the News of the World. She described the hacking as a sickening invasion of her privacy.

Journalist, columnist and editor and, at the time of the Inquiry, editor-in-chief of The Guardian, a position he held from 1995 to 2015. His evidence to the Inquiry covered questions of press ethics and the relationship of editors and journalists to their owners and to politicians. Rusbridger stood down as editor-in-chief of the Guardian in May 2015 to take up the role of Chair of the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism.

Managing Editor of The Sun at the time of the Inquiry, gave a number of witness statements to the Inquiry on subjects ranging from an alleged prank to mark Charlotte Church's 16th birthday to the paper's coverage of the war in Afghanistan. In 2014, he left News International after 24 years to take up an appointment as Director of Communications for the Department of Work and Pensions.

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."

Research Professor in Media and Politics at the University of Bedfordshire, Professor of Political Journalism at City, University of London and Emeritus Professor of Broadcast Journalism at Goldsmiths, University of London at time of giving evidence. Sought to address the question of the nature of media influence on public policy in areas such as criminal justice and immigration.