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The article discusses the history of investigative journalism and its relation to the law in Great Britain in light of the phone hacking scandal of 2011. Topics include crimes committed by reporters, including bribing criminals and law enforcement officials, planting evidence or corrupting public morals; the types of offences journalists were convicted versus acquitted of and those they got away with; and the stories of many journalists including W. T. Stead, Duncan Webb, and Brendan Foster.

The article looks at the British Broadcasting Corp. (BBC), focusing on its budget and on its relations with the British government and politicians, including a recent dispute between it and British Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne. Topics include the British television license fee which provides revenue to the BBC and criticism of its news coverage throughout its history. The author, a BBC news editor, expresses the view that its coverage is generally balanced.

In this article the author discusses censorship of the press in Great Britain and the United States and states that the governments of both countries manipulates journalism to promote policies and agendas. He critcizes the war in Iraq and the reporting on the government of Venezuela and Hugo Chávez as done by the BBC.

Argues that the BBC should abandon the "Newsnight" style of attack journalism and confine itself to reporting, rather than making the news. Details of a proposal from a committee headed by Lord Burns regarding BBC executives; Skepticism within the BBC over the plan; Concerns of Michael Grade, chairman, about the government's intentions; Reference to an interview with Michael Howard by Jeremy Paxman of "Newsnight"; Criticism of the BBC's confrontational interviews; Suggestion that it is time for the corporation to accept that it can never be truly independent, and that political exposés are best left to those sections of the media not financed by the state.

Comments on the seizure of computers and files of Rackspace, a company that houses and manages web-server computers used by Indymedia, an independent, Internet-based global information service. How the organization was founded in the run-up to the World Trade Organization protests in Seattle in 1999; Question over who seized the servers and removed one million files; Early reports which suggested that the US Federal Bureau of Investigation did it; Denial from the Metropolitan Police; FBI statement that the subpoena was conducted on behalf of a third country which is suspected to be Italy; Call for a full investigation into who took the files without explanation from Aidan White of the International Federal of Journalists.

Argues that, increasingly, British newspapers have decided that there is not a market for information and analysis, so they are offering instant emotional responses instead. Campaign by the "Daily Mail" to persuade the British government to stop deporting failed asylum-seekers to Zimbabwe; How newspapers are moving away from providing information, analysis, argument and disclosure; The transient and irrational nature of emotion; Emotional media coverage of the Live 8 concert in Hyde Park; Issue of making emotional statements; Why the author feels uncomfortable with collective displays of emotion and with the coverage of them; Suggestion that the media should ask challenging questions.

Presents news briefs related to British journalism as of January 27, 2003. Discussion of the fallacy that newspapers form public opinion rather than reflect it, as is evident in British public opinion over an imminent war against Iraq; Operations of the 'Sun' under Rebekah Wade, including her decision whether or not to delete the traditional Page Three feature; Characterization as elitist an article by Michael Gove about a debate over university fees; Others.

Presents an update on several journalism-related issues in Great Britain as of October 2002. Failure of the 'Sunday Telegraph' to prioritize the reporting of the bombing of Bali Island in Indonesia; Criticism on the autobiography of Ulrika Johnson published at the 'Daily Mail'; Decision on the court case between Naomi Campbell and the 'Daily Mirror.'

Offers observations on the coverage of the death of the Queen Mother and victims of Israeli-Arab conflicts in the Middle East by the British press. View that excessive air time was given to the story about the Queen Mother and too little time was given to stories of the young men and women who died in the Middle East.

Criticizes the press and journalism in Great Britain. Comments of journalists about Robin Cook's speech on Europe at a conference; British reporters practice of conveying the same message as their contemporaries in the press; Iron rule of sameness; Narrowness of the news agenda.