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ALUMNI NEWS<br />
The book was followed by a second report<br />
designed to inform debate around the Leveson<br />
Inquiry. Entitled Regulating the Press: a<br />
comparative study <strong>of</strong> international press<br />
councils, it was published in April 2012.<br />
– comprehensive statutory requirements for<br />
public service content; incentivised voluntary<br />
ethical standards for the rest <strong>of</strong> the media; and<br />
baseline protections for children. Regulation<br />
should be incentivised as a selling point for<br />
media providers – a way <strong>of</strong> differentiating<br />
their <strong>of</strong>fering in an increasingly competitive,<br />
global market – rather than as a burdensome<br />
constraint shuffled <strong>of</strong>f at the first opportunity’.<br />
‘I interviewed the chairs and ombudsmen <strong>of</strong><br />
a range <strong>of</strong> press and media regulators across<br />
the world. I looked at statutory and voluntary<br />
approaches and found each <strong>of</strong> the countries<br />
grappling with the same pr<strong>of</strong>ound challenges<br />
as we are. For example what is the role and<br />
status <strong>of</strong> new media, and how do you enable<br />
citizens to make informed choices about<br />
converging content across broadcasting, print<br />
and online media platforms?’<br />
Lara combines her interest in the media<br />
with a wider interest in governance and<br />
accountability. She is a non-executive board<br />
member <strong>of</strong> the London Probation Trust and<br />
chairs the governing body at the Children’s<br />
Hospital School at Great Ormond <strong>St</strong>reet and<br />
UCH.<br />
Her Reuters Institute research came to the<br />
attention <strong>of</strong> the Leveson Inquiry which is<br />
how Lara came to be in Court Room 73 at<br />
the Royal Courts <strong>of</strong> Justice on a sunny July<br />
Lara giving evidence at the Leveson Inquiry<br />
afternoon being closely questioned by Robert<br />
Jay QC and Lord Justice Leveson.<br />
‘It was a “Through the Looking Glass”<br />
experience. After watching the hearings so<br />
avidly from home, it was extraordinary to<br />
find myself in the hot seat, following in the<br />
footsteps <strong>of</strong> David Cameron, the Murdochs<br />
and Rebecca Brooks. I was delighted to find<br />
such interest from the Inquiry in my reports<br />
and their recommendations. With a new<br />
Communications Act on the horizon, as well as<br />
the final report <strong>of</strong> the Leveson Inquiry, it’s a<br />
fascinating time to be working in this area’. n<br />
ST CATHERINE’S COLLEGE 2012/39