Tulisa joins campaign for independent press regulator
Singer Tulisa has joined a campaign calling for an independent press regulator, citing the case of the 'Fake Sheikh' Mazher Mahmood.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Singer and former N-Dubz star Tulisa has joined a growing campaign calling for an independent press regulator, citing her own experience with the 'Fake Sheikh' Mazher Mahmood. The campaign, which also includes Caroline Flack's mother Christine and Hillsborough families, is urging the new Prime Minister to bring in a regulator that is not funded or operated by the newspaper industry.
Tulisa was lured into a fictional film audition by undercover reporter Mazher Mahmood in 2013. He claimed she had broken a deal to supply cocaine, leading to police charges that could have resulted in years in jail. The case eventually collapsed after Mahmood was found to have tampered with evidence. Tulisa described the experience as leaving her depressed and suicidal.
The current press regulator, the Independent Press Standards Organisation (Ipso), is funded and operated by the industry itself. Tulisa criticised Ipso for having 'zero fines given since 2014', calling this 'fishy'. She argued that 'power to that extent that goes unchecked never bodes well for the people' and that it is 'unethical' for the press to regulate itself.
However, some former newspaper bosses have pushed back, arguing that 'the words independent and government funded don't really belong together' and that a government-funded regulator would raise questions about its independence. Ipso has said new safeguards and powers have been introduced since it was founded in 2014.
Tulisa and the campaigners insist that a lack of oversight for online platforms should not be used as an excuse to avoid reforming press regulation. Tulisa hopes that widespread reform could prevent others from suffering similar reputational damage and public scrutiny.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | ITV |
|---|---|
| Former newspaper bosses argue that a government-funded regulator would not be truly independent. | |
| Ipso is funded and operated by the newspaper industry and has issued zero fines since its founding in 2014. | |
| Tulisa was lured into a fictional film audition by undercover reporter Mazher Mahmood in 2013, leading to charges that later collapsed after Mahmood tampered with evidence. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The report focuses on Tulisa's personal story and her emotional journey, framing the campaign as a response to press intrusion. It gives significant weight to her criticism of Ipso's lack of fines and the self-regulatory model, while also including a counterpoint from former newspaper bosses who question the independence of a government-funded regulator. The tone is sympathetic to the campaigners but balanced by presenting opposing views.
- “Power to that extent that goes unchecked never bodes well for the people and I just find it unethical that such a huge level of power is currently regulating itself.”
- “I don't believe that having zero fines given since 2014 is right. For me, something smells very fishy.”
- “The words independent and government funded don't really belong together.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.