Some journalists took issue with a somewhat unclear suggestion in the full report (pdf) that off-the-record conversations should be “open.” British journalist Neville Thurlbeck tweeted:

Prime Minister David Cameron ordered the judicial probe amid the phone-hacking scandal last year, which ultimately led to the demise of the New of the World, owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, and to the arrests of key figures including New International editors Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson. The pair have both been charged with criminal offenses over alleged illegal payments to public officials, and appeared in court today. Ultimately, Murdoch withdrew a bid to buy the remaining chunk of the BSkyB satellite television business News Corp doesn’t already own.

For 16 months, the inquiry panel interviewed celebrities like actor Hugh Grant, whose own phone was hacked, leading he and others to launch the news media clean-up campaign Hacked Off. It also heard from politicians, journalists, police, and members of the general public to get their views on press regulation.

The scandal drew international condemnation after an investigator from the tabloid News of the World was accused of hacking into the phone messages of a murdered schoolgirl. Messages were allegedly deleted by a reporter after listening to them, to make room for more messages, which misled police and her family into thinking the girl was still alive.

The industry is currently self-regulated, but a body to handle press complaints announced earlier this year that it will close. This followed accusations of ineptitude.

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