January 24, 2012 11.45 am This story is over 146 months old

Hackgate in the spotlight in Lincoln academic’s latest book

Press scandal: Lincoln professor’s book looks at the biggest scandal to rock the mainstream UK press in decades.

Hackgate, the biggest scandal to rock the mainstream UK press in decades, is the subject of the latest book by Professor Richard Keeble from the University of Lincoln’s School of Journalism.

The book, The Phone Hacking Scandal: Journalism on Trial, is jointly edited with John Mair of Coventry University and includes contributions from 31 major commentators.

They include Alan Rusbridger, editor of the Guardian, Brian Cathcart, professor of journalism at Kingston University and founder of the Hacked Off campaign, and Richard Peppiatt, who resigned from the Daily Star over its alleged Islamophobia and who has given dramatic evidence to the Leveson Inquiry.

“The book is intended as a provocative intervention in the current debate over media standards,” Professor Keeble explained.

“It includes the writings of 31 top academic and journalistic commentators and so incorporates a wide range of contrasting perspectives.

“Too often academic books lack immediacy; this ‘hackademic’ text focuses on a major contemporary controversy in ways which both students and the general public should find fascinating.”

Professor John Tulloch, head of the Lincoln School of Journalism (LSJ) and Barry Turner, senior lecturer in law, also contributed with chapters in the book.

Other contributors include Kevin Marsh, former editor of the BBC’s Today programme and Chris Atkins, director of Starsuckers.

Phillip Knightley, an internationally acclaimed investigative reporter, says on the cover: “If you want to know how newspapers really work, you need to read this book.”

The Phone Hacking Scandal: Journalism on Trial, the 21st book Richard Keeble has written and edited, will be launched at a press conference in London on February 7, to be chaired by Steve Hewlett, presenter of the BBC’s The Media Show.