British government calls for tougher penalties for press
By The Associated Press
This article was published February 12, 2012 at 10:00 a.m.
LONDON — The British Cabinet minister responsible for the media said the press must face tougher penalties for breaches of standards in the wake of the tabloid phone-hacking scandal.
Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt told the BBC on Sunday that newspapers must change their system of self-regulation, but insisted the government should not have any role.
He said the written media need a tougher system of industry-led regulation, with the capacity to hand out “credible punishment” for transgressions.
The Press Complaints Commission — the current watchdog — can demand a newspaper to publish an apology, but has no power to issue fines. Broadcasters have a separate regulatory system.
Britain’s media ethics inquiry led by judge Brian Leveson is expected to recommend major changes to press regulation.
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