January 13, 2012

Regional editors to give evidence at Leveson Inquiry

Private Eye editor Ian Hislop will join a series of national and regional newspaper editors giving evidence to the Leveson Inquiry next week.

The press standards inquiry will hear from Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger, Times editor James Harding and Daily Mirror editor Richard Wallace.

Tom Mockridge, who took over as chief executive of News International from Rebekah Brooks last July, and Sly Bailey, chief executive of Trinity Mirror, will also appear.

On Monday the inquiry will receive evidence from executives at Trinity Mirror, which publishes five national newspapers, including two Scottish titles, and more than 160 regional papers.

The company’s witnesses will include Wallace, Sunday Mirror editor Tina Weaver and People editor Lloyd Embley.

Hislop, who is a panellist on the BBC panel show Have I Got News For You, will give his testimony on Tuesday.

He is likely to be asked about how Private Eye, which celebrated its 50th anniversary last year, deals with complaints given that it does not sign up to industry regulator the Press Complaints Commission.

The fortnightly satirical magazine has taken a keen interest in the Leveson Inquiry and how it has been reported in national newspapers.

Other evidence on Tuesday will come from Harding, Mockridge, Sunday Times editor John Witherow, Rusbridger and the Guardian’s readers’ editor Chris Elliott.

On Wednesday the inquiry will hear from three editors of celebrity magazines: Hello!’s Rosie Nixon, OK!’s Lisa Byrne and Heat’s Lucie Cave.

Further testimony will be provided by regional newspaper editors Peter Charlton of the Yorkshire Post, Noel Doran of the Irish News, Spencer Feeney of the South Wales Evening Post, Mike Gilson of the Belfast Telegraph, Maria McGeoghan of the Manchester Evening News, John McLellan of the Scotsman and Nigel Pickover of the Ipswich Evening Star.