The Prime Minister wants to ignore Leveson and leave the media to clean up its own mess. The Murdoch mafia is pulling all the strings it can, but so far they haven’t convinced the Lib Dems. So if MPs hear our voices today as they debate in Parliament, Cameron will have to cut the media down to size, for fear of splitting the coalition. Sign the petition now!
Dear friends across the UK,
In hours the House of Commons could begin to free our country from the Murdoch media mafia. But we need to move fast to stop hacking, bribery and corruption in their tracks.
David Cameron plans to abandon hacking victims and ditch Lord Justice Leveson's plan, leaving the media to clean up its own mess. But Nick Clegg has so far defied the media bullies. So, if we strengthen the resolve of the Lib Dems and some disgruntled Tory MPs, Cameron will know he can get voted down, forcing him to agree to change the law.
If Parliament asserts itself in today's debate, we can get begin to free our politics from the moguls’ grip. Let's call on MPs and the leaders of our three main parties to agree to a law implementing Leveson’s recommendations and imposing a 20% cap on media ownership to cut media empires down to size so that no one owner or editor can grow too powerful.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to fix our media from one that spies on us to one that serves us. The report into the phone hacking scandals, known as the Leveson Report, is stronger than many people expected. In addition to calling for a new regulator backed by law to rein in press misdeeds, the report also emphasizes the critical need for media plurality and an equally tough regime to enforce it.
Cameron and some in his party are opposing strong reforms, claiming that any regulation of the press inhibits free speech. But that’s the beauty of limits on how much of our media any one person or entity can own -- they don’t regulate the content of speech at all; instead, they foster free speech by ensuring there’s always a broad range of voices speaking and no one person can dominate the flow of information. That’s why all sides should be able to endorse it in the cross-party talks that are happening this week.
Sign the petition now and send it to ten friends. Let’s let MPs and the three major party leaders hear us loud and clear: media ownership caps need to be part of any deal!
Avaaz members have stood up for media plurality and reform across the UK, taking tens of thousands of actions online and on the streets. Together, we helped stop the Murdoch takeover of BSkyB -- now let’s turn that single win into a law that will stop him and future media moguls from taking democracy for a ride.
With hope and determination,
Loup Dargent
On behalf of Meredith, Ari, Ian, Ricken, Alex, Laura, Alaphia and the entire Avaaz team
MORE INFORMATION
- The overwhelming case for plurality (The Guardian)
- Leveson inquiry: Your questions answered (Scotsman)
- Leveson: Cameron Faces Catch-22 Decision (Sky News)
- Leveson Inquiry: Cameron and Clegg meet to agree response (BBC)
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