Do you believe Murdoch and the rest of the gutter press will sign up to the new?

I doubt they will

But

This should of been done a long time ago and they only have themselves to blame.

They'll have to, or it will give the government an excuse (particularly Labour and Lib Dems) to introduce harsher terms. Right now, the press has no choice.

BUT, who's to say once the storm passes all will return to what it was? The public's attention span is that of a three years-old, some flashy new event comes up and they all clamour to jump on the bandwagon. A few week passes and nobody will give a damn any more, and move on to newer, shinier stuff.

Forcing them to sign isn't the problem, ensuring history won't repeat itself is humanity's greatest challenge, and one we have never been able to solve.

Do you put money in Murdoch's pocket by buying his papers or subscribing to Sky? I don't.

If you do, you are supporting him and the 'gutter press'.

I hope that they all follow the example of The Spectator and Private Eye, and say no to state control.

Mobile 'phone hacking is already covered by Law, libel is already covered by Law - sorting out the Libel Law mess was stopped by 'Hacked Off' by hijacking the new Law, which would have made Libel simpler, clearer and cheaper, in order to get state regulation of the Press.

As for the 'rights of the people abused by the Press', you don't mean Hugh Grant who is upset because his rendezvous with a prostitute in his car and subsequent conviction were reported by the 'gutter press', or the MPs who fiddled expenses and were revealed by the 'gutter press', or the incompetent Met Police who failed in the Stephen Lawrence case and were exposed by the 'gutter press', or the Hillsborough Police cover up that was exposed by the 'gutter press', or the crooked Met Police commander exposed by the 'gutter press'.

You can't possibly mean the Dowlers, can you? The Guardian ran the story that Millie's 'phone was hacked, Leveson said it wasn't, the mobile company said it was automatic deletion to make space, and the Guardian published a retraction and apology.

The McCanns? Who the Portuguese Police still think should be charged with at least child endangerment and at most still have questions to answer on the disappearance and possible murder of their child.

This is nothing to do with looking after the rights of the people 'abused' by the unfair press. This is all to do with censoring the press, allowing stories of wrong doing, immorality, hypocrisy, lying and cheating to be hidden from the plebs.

There are enough Laws about hacking, libel, robbery, misconduct in Public Office to keep the Press honest, all you have to do is make the Police, Politicians, CPS and Courts enforce them.

The day celebs and politicians get control of the Press, as in this dogs dinner of a 'Royal Charter', you don't deserve freedom or democracy.

I hope that they all say No, and that they all go to court, if necessary, to protect a free press, warts and all.

@asker:

If you don't want opinions or views or facts that maybe contrary to your view of the world, then don't ask the question.

Hillsborough was a Police cover up, the Sun - for all its faults - reported what the Police said, shoot the messenger do we?

McCanns - McCains are oven chips - were official suspects, as reported by the Portuguese Police and Govt, they have refused to be questioned in Portugal, there are gaps in their testimony, as recorded and voiced by the original Investigating Officer in Portugal in newsprint, in court and in his book. Shoot the messenger again?

The Police were quite happy to take the money from the press, but the only one convicted and imprisoned never took any money, and raised a Public Interest matter!

The politicians will now decide what is in 'your interest', and I bet you a £ to a pinch of the proverbial it won't include drunken brawling in one of the 30 alcohol selling places in Westminster, 3pts passed to their wives, expenses fiddles, 2nd homes, cheating on wives and husbands, Porno films on Sky, 6 iPads a year, interns on zero wages or any other crooked or nefarious activity they get up to.

The new Libel Law would have made access to 'reprisal' easier, but 'Hacked Off ' didn't want that, they wanted Press censorship. So, they hijacked the Law, they hijacked Labour and LebDims and now you will only know what they want you to know.

Now, you can really say that you know what the people in North Korea go through and why they support the Party.

In answering, I did not expect Best Answer, I did expect a lot of thumbs down, but I thought the questioner would like an free and honest answer and not to be the subject to a 'Royal Charter' style of dismissal and sanction.

@asker 2:

Ah well, none so blind as those who will not see.

My fear is that someone like you may well be in charge of the new 'Royal Charter' body.