British journalism magazine the Press Gazette publishes article based on my blog post re: Magazine publisher’s claim the Daily Telegraph falsely reported about his criminal past in order to undermine state-approved press regulator
The Press Gazette’s January 27, 2016 article (source)
Earlier this week, I blogged about Steve McNought, co-director of Bristol-based magazine publisher Arkbound, who suggested he was taking legal action against the Daily Telegraph for allegedly falsely reporting about his criminal past.
Yesterday, long-running London-based journalism/media trade magazine the Press Gazette published an article based on my blog post.
Via “Magazine publisher with criminal past says Telegraph used him to ‘attack’ Impress” by Freddy Mayhew, the Press Gazette, January 27, 2017:
The co-director of a Bristol-based magazine publisher has accused the Daily Telegraph of exploiting his criminal past to “attack” and “undermine” press regulator Impress.
[Steve McNought], co-director of Arkbound, has said he is considering legal action after a story headlined: “Armed robber turned publisher wins approval from state-approved Press regulator funded by Max Mosley”, was published on the paper’s website earlier this week.
The story details how McNought, formerly known as Stephen Jackley, was sentenced to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to 18 offences, including armed robbery and possession of a firearm, carried out in 2007/8 and that his publishing firm is signed up to Impress.
McNought, who was 23 when charged, told Press Gazette the article was “an attack on Impress”, adding: “The Telegraph had a political bone to pick with Impress, and I was an easy target.”
Impress became the first Royal Charter-backed press regulator in Britain last year after its application was approved by the Press Recognition Panel, which was set up following recommendations made in the Leveson report.
The Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), which regulates the majority of UK news media publishers, has so far refused to apply for recognition under the Charter.
McNought, whose firm publishes Boundless magazine, told the Shooting The Messenger blog: “The Telegraph’s coverage is a clear attempt to undermine Impress, using me as a tool to do so, in the most nasty and underhand way.”
He also claimed there were a number of factual inaccuracies in the story, but would not go into detail about what these were.
McNought was quoted in the Telegraph story, written by chief reporter Robert Mendick, as claiming the piece had infringed his privacy.
Read the full article by clicking here.
See also: “Crime and Regulation,” my January 24, 2017 item re: McNought’s response to the Telegraph’s article about his criminal past.
Shooting the Messenger 