There are sectors of the British media that take to exposing the alleged sins of the world with unashamed gusto. From parliamentary expenses to Vince Cable’s ministerial gaffe, not to mention the countless invasions into the privacy of other individuals – often in apparent violation of what or may not judged contempt of court.
The media are less comfortable when their own less reputable actions become the focus and target of attention. The Murdoch stable can thus not be best pleased with the growing controversy over the alleged hacking of phones – just one weapon in the armoury that tabloid hacks have used over the years.
Any future public enquiry into the hacking saga may perhaps throw up other uncomfortable insights into dubious journalistic modi operandi such as the close relationship some journalists have with certain police officers or the unspoken slush funds made available to buy stories.
But I doubt though that we shall see an enquiry into the biased way that some newspapers have tended to address matters of religion, not least the affairs of the Catholic Church. We saw a clear example of such bias in the run-up to Pope Benedict’s visit to the UK and in the sometimes distorted coverage of what the Vatican has to say about from anything from condoms to sexual abuse. Perhaps an inquiry is just what’s needed.
