Press freedom fears

Paul Nuttall, UKIP’s Deputy Leader

A report attacking press freedom, which has just been passed by the European Parliament, has been slammed by local MEP Paul Nuttall.

"This is a full-frontal attack on press freedom. It tries to dictate who can own the media and what items should be put on it," said Mr Nuttall, UKIP Deputy Leader.

"What ever happened to a free press in a liberal democracy? If this report is made law, press freedom will become a thing of the past. British consumers of the media should be appalled that every UK political party voted for this report except UKIP.

"This is Leveson to the power of ten and should not be allowed to become law," said Mr Nuttall, who is a member of the EU Culture Committee.

The Borys Report on Implementation of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive was passed overwhelmingly in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, with 593 for, 69 against with 14 abstentions.

The reports main points are the EU deciding what we should be put on our TVs and radio; calling for a continued broad interpretation of the term ‘events which are regarded as being of major importance for society’, including sporting and entertainment events that are of general interest; and encouraging the Member States to draw up lists of such events.

EU telling news agencies how and what to present - it calls on the Commission to include in its next report an assessment, by looking more particularly at how they ensure that events of high interest to the public, which are transmitted on an exclusive basis by a broadcaster under their jurisdiction, are used for the purposes of short news reports in general news programmes.

Mr Nuttall pointed out: "This report clearly shows the mind of the European Parliament which is in line with that of the European Commission. A similar report will surely and shortly come done the pipes from the European Commission."