Ian Hislop takes on Leveson, the Daily Mail and press freedom

[@azzyclark3860]

"You Don't Ban It, You Don't Buy It!" a great line that rings so true

[@millwallholdings]

fuck the bald midget twat I dont like him why not ban him its a shit programme now anyway , they are now 2 old leftie cunts who are boring

[@MissStephy100]

Harrison Clark exactly. I hate the gossip magazines because they’re full of shit, I don’t read them

[@hem2821]

I come back to this every now and again. The "You Don't Ban It, You Don't Buy It!" line is so important. Freedom of speech and the consequences it entails.

[@davefoster3918]

One of the few people on TV I would trust

[@Nounismisation]

Yeah, had my barrister brother look it up and Ian's not lying. Most important though is that bit at the end, "No! You DON'T ban it, You don't BAN it, you don't BUY IT"

[@criticsatlarge0073]

I don’t. He made Boris famous. Ian Hislop should pay for that

[@blue24563]

@@criticsatlarge0073 lol. We are all paying for it, Hislop included.

[@tjfSIM]

I think Ian is spot on here. This is our problem as consumers, we object to things, but we carry on funding them. I would like nothing more than for the Daily Fail to disappear but it won't, because sadly people keep reading it. Why?

[@ssh1487]

tjf4375 there are a lot of people there who aren't intelligent enough to know how shit the Daily Fail is

[@jalanhart]

tjf4375 because people are naturally attracted to drama, from "(insert celebrity here) has a SHOCKING SECRET AFFAIR" to David Cameron's Pig-gate thing.

[@sasukesarutobi3862]

One of the reasons: circulation figures and other forms of "social proof". It has enough clout that it can keep going through the sheer momentum of how many people read it because "other people read it". It's influential because people are influenced by it. But here's a secret: the circulation figures include all those copies they give away for free at airports and cafés. What do you think the figures would look like if they didn't include those copies?

[@carpy1970]

Because it tells a certain group of people exactly what they want to hear, as it matches with their pre-conceptions, i.e. that everything is the fault of immigrants, muslims and gays.

[@MrVoola]

Also big advertisers keep it going, more circulation, big ad campaigns for huge companies / perfume and the like help it. But i think the points about "well other people read it" pretty much sums up its popularity, it's become almost a badge of honour for "what it means to be English."

[@countycricklewood]

On the money again Mr Hislop! Must have a free an independent press. Just don't buy Murdoch toilet paper rags.

[@mosspally6995]

That's insane. Why on earth upon winning a case should a publication have to pay all the costs??

[@richshaugh]

It's a way of controlling the press

[@jbons4693]

Mick E To financially break all independent privately owned media groups and silence them for good when they don't whistle the same song as the government.

[@grahamhaspassedaway4580]

Our Democracy needs the Hislops of this world to be free to publish. Unfortunately, the price of that is that we have to let the Daily Mails of this world to be free to publish too.

[@samhoward3138]

The problem is people buy the mail to keep it in business. In an ideal world we wouldn't want government intervention, we'd have a smarter electorate.

[@samhoward3138]

The problem is people buy the mail to keep it in business. In an ideal world we wouldn't want government intervention, we'd have a smarter electorate.

[@TimesFM4532]

The issue being the mail is breaking the law

[@GiratinaofFury]

Sadly, a lot of media outlets assume a free press means a press free of a moral code, or free of dignity. You can be a free press and have some standards, like not hacking a dead girl's phone to get a story, or lying through your teeth to sell papers.

[@Yourismouter]

my thoughts exactly!

[@marieadams3720]

He's right, don't ban it, just don't buy it...

[@jonathaneffemey944]

Thanks for posting.

[@tomimpala]

"No, no, no, you don't ban it! You don't ban it! You don't buy it!"

[@AlavariJeevathol]

Reveals a lot about an intellectual and political culture when such things as the definition of free speech have to be spelled out.

[@nicholasdickens2801]

The easiest way to sort press regulation is have very low costs to bring a case, with very large damages awarded. The current situation makes it difficult for even the likes of David Beckham to sue for damages to his reputation, earnings etc. what chance a mere mortal on a pittance like the man accused of murdering Jo Wheates I think.

[@zipz8423]

Double edged sword. That would also scare the press into silence on topics the public really needed to know about.

[@jawadarif5676]

But how many have been charged and gone to prison

[@ed1726]

How can a moderately experienced, moderately intelligent person come up with section 40? It's hard to put it all down to incompetence, it reeks of personal gain.

[@classicartfoundation639]

free speech costs a lot

[@TheMikeyReilly]

+MrHappyBollox Mug.

[@tylerdurden786]

Well said. But it doesn't mean that its not worthwhile. Would you agree?

[@classicartfoundation639]

***** totally

[@privatecaboose250]

Free speech is free, I am using it right now and cost me NOTHING I can go outside and use Free Speech and no cost at all

[@thesmithersy]

"You Don't Ban It, You Don't Buy It." A message that all those who support cancel culture should heed.

[@afgor1088]

but that's what cancel culture is... choosing not to buy something

[@thesmithersy]

@@afgor1088 Not quite, cancel culture is more actively going out to try and stop something rather than just passively not engaging with it.

[@afgor1088]

@@thesmithersy no it's not. You've created an imaginary problem on your head Goodbye

[@thesmithersy]

@@afgor1088 It is. Bye.

[@lycian123]

Simple: no paper should be allowed on the shelves if owned by a non UK taxpayer. Tabloids disappear overnight and there is a hole in the broadsheet market. Also I'm uncomfortable over Hislop's relationship with the Daily Mail. In 2016 and 2017 the Daily Mail was nominated for the Private Eye Paul Foot award. Foot must have been turning in his grave.

[@afgor1088]

lot of self serving BS. you don't have to allow propaganda and billionaire ownership to have a free press

[@erictk869]

Very disingenuous really Ian.