You are a cabinet minister for the UK Government.

You have been

chosen to be part of a team to draw up legislation to improve the
public’s trust in the British press after a Gallup poll has found
similar problems with UK public trust as the with the Americans.
Choose a personality from the next page and debate with the rest
of the team on an appropriate answer to the problem.

Memo
To: Press Regulation Committee Members
From: The Prime Minister’s Office
Date: 03/01/17
Re: Press Regulation Workgroup

Dear Committee,

As you all know from our previous meetings, the matter of public trust in our press
and issues concerning morals and standards relating to newsgathering are still of the upmost
importance to this government. As such, I would like you to focus your next meeting on
coming up with some answers to how we can improve the situation and the best way to
implement any policy that can achieve our aims.
The main question we should ask ourselves when considering regulation is how do we
ensure that the press is both free and responsible? To answer this we need to consider two
areas; the culture, practices and ethics of the media require examinations and the role that
establishment and powerful media organisations and their motivation needs to be addressed.
We may also ask ourselves if the following is desirable in a democracy:

a) Press censorship and the question of restriction

b) Monopoly rules enforcement to ensure a fairer press.
c) An enforceable code of conduct or set of rules
d) New privacy rules that apply to all citizens and organisations

I look forward to hearing your views during the next meeting and trust that a frank and
useful exchange of opinions can bear fruit this time round.

Warmest regards
The Prime Minister

Connect each of the words on the right with its definition on the left.

1. Newsgathering a. Be productive

2. Come up with b. Objectives

3. Aims c. Reporting current events

4. Look forward to d. Invent or suggest

5. Bear fruit e. Highest level

6. Upmost f. Anticipate hopefully