B.A.Ware

Should newspapers and news media not be allowed to report opinion unless it states its opinion and not fact? Along the same lines should they not be able to report on people that are accused of crimes until they have been found guilty of them.

Anthony Butcher

I touched on the issue of defendant anonymity before being found guilty here:
http://www.ukipforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=22

B.A.Ware

I agree with your posting except I believe it should be for any crime. If I got accused of stealing a tin of beans and it was in the local press people would think "no smoke without fire" regardless of whether I was innocent or not. It should not be down to the media to accuse people without evidence.

Paul Birch

I sympathise with Anthony's post - and yours - but I don't think prior restraint is the way to go. In any society, if justice is to be maintained, justice must not only be done but be seen to be done. Trials should always be open to the public, and all testimony be given by named and identifiable individuals. The press should be free to report indictments and trial proceedings without prejudice. Indeed, I would like to see all hearings televised on cable unedited with fixed cameras.

It is arbitrary and unjust to give anonymity to one group - witnesses or alleged victims, for example - without giving it to everyone. Furthermore, false and malicious accusations by plaintiffs (and witnesses) should be punished as severely as the offences themselves.

The other side of this is that the press should be severely punished for prejudicing a trial (the penalty for the offence should be transferred from the defendant onto the prejudicers). They should be punished for publishing prejudicial opinion while a case is sub judice, but also for publishing opinion as fact at any time. If they imply that a person is guilty of some illegal or disreputable behaviour, but cannot prove it beyond reasonable doubt, they should be held guilty of libel and have to make full reparations for the harm done to the persons libelled.

B.A.Ware

Paul I agree with you but the media must not be allowed to publish without declaring whether it is fact or opinion.

Percy the Poodle

I always assumed that everything the media says is opinion

B.A.Ware

One should never assume. Where did the saying come from it must be true I read it in the ****** newspaper.

Percy the Poodle

i was just being an (young) old cynic

B.A.Ware

Percy while your here did you watch the programme on homeless people in Tiverton the other night, Talk about bad press. I thought it was a lovely sleepy tourist village. And all they kept showing was this idiot going around threatening everybody.

Percy the Poodle

I did not see the program but i know there are major crime/poverty problems in Tiverton. Nothing to do with the run down in British Agriculture/Industry? The tourists all go to the seaside in sunny East Devon (well wealthy ones who are getting on a bit)
We need rural redevelopment not our council taxes siphoned of to supplement urban shortfalls :x
This is why we need a full manifesto on all issues - related to the EU where possible, but not focussing only on the areas it effects - lots of young people get bored if so much as mention those two letters.