Book Review: Mick Hume, There Is No Such Thing as a Free Press…and We Need One More Than Ever

Abstract

Book Review: Mick Hume, There Is No Such Thing as a Free Press...and We Need One More Than Ever. Societas Imprint Academic, 2012. ISBN: 978-1845403508 (Paperback). 187 Pages. £8.95/$17.90.[Article copies available for a fee from The Transformative Studies Institute. E-mail address: journal@transformativestudies.org Website: http://www. transformativestudies, ors. O2014 by The Transformative Studies Institute. All rights reserved.]In our Internet age, we can sometimes make the mistake of thinking that journalism has become opened up to a plethora of opinions and free expression. This viewpoint is especially tempting in the United States due to digital advancement, the diversity of population, and, crucially, the protection of free speech enshrined in the First Amendment of the US Constitution. The First Amendment states, Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, (p. 71) reminds Mick Hume in his book There 's No Such Thing as a Free Press. Although this book argues that the First Amendment is still vital for free speech in America, Hume identifies some vital trends that are currently placing considerable limits on journalists' freedom.Hume is particularly well placed to identify these trends. He was formerly the editor of Living Marxism magazine, which was re-launched as LM magazine in the 1990s and forced to close in 2000 after being sued under British libel laws. He then became the editor of the online magazine Spiked, before writing as a columnist at The Times of London, while continuing as Editor-at-large for Spiked. The writing and publication of this book were partially prompted by the closure of the popular British newspaper The News of the World following a phone hacking scandal, which led to a British Parliamentary Inquiry overseen by Lord Justice Leveson. This Inquiry questioned the former owners of The News of the World, including Rupert Murdoch, who is Executive Chairman of News Corp and therefore was also an owner of The Times of London. Yet it is important to note that Hume defends free speech in general and not Murdoch or News Corp in particular. Indeed, his robust defence of free speech is principled and revealing.Hume starts the book by identifying in the Preface fundamental principles that are now at stake as the role of the media and politics have changed. He points out that he has often criticised the popular, or tabloid, press and endorsed the traditional left view that the press is only truly free for those who own it (p. vi). Now, in a climate when the tabloid newspapers and their readers are consistently maligned by cultural elites and face new restrictions, it has become important to defend freedom for even the least sophisticated publications including the commercial and popular press. This trend has become clearest in the UK with the closure of The News of the World newspaper and the subsequent Leveson Inquiry. Since this Inquiry, UK government ministers and anti-press freedom lobbyists have been drawing up a Royal Charter to regulate UK newspapers. Many UK editors, newspaper owners and others have opposed this Charter. While amendments are being debated at the time of writing, relatively few voices are questioning Leveson's attack on freedom or his recommendation of regulation. Therefore, a body is likely to be established that will regulate media organisations which affiliate to it. Those media organisations which do not affiliate would risk punitive damages, which could threaten investigative journalism.Yet these media restrictions are not isolated to the UK. As Hume explains, the Finkelstein Report into the future of the press in Australia proposed a state watchdog of the press and even in the USA the mood has been turning against unbridled freedom of expression in governments and on college campuses. Hume outlines how the media enjoys freedom providing it does not abuse freedom by saying the wrong thing. He offers, ...the media is 'free' to remain on-message and to be monitored (p. …