Max Mosley

Only the close associates of Max Mosley, a former barrister and president of the Federation Internationale du Sport Automobile (FIA) might have had any kind of inkling as to what makes Mosley`s engine tick.

Many in the media industry have tried, failed and been left frustrated from interviews in an attempt to paint a picture of the type of personality that the wealthy, smart, sharp suited Mosley holds locked away.   

Fast forward to 2011 and Mosley, son of Sir Oswald Mosley, leader of the British Union of Fascists in the 1930`s, who had an admiration for Adolf Hitler has had his world turned upside down as his private life is no longer private. Mosley`s dark secrets have been unveiled but at a cost as Mosley sets out to shackle the British press.

If Mosley is successful when he takes his case to the European Courts of Human Rights in Strasbourg then this could change the way that journalists work forever.

Sparks will certainly fly as the implications for journalists could be chilling with Mosley arguing that `prior notifications’ ought to be given beforehand to warn the people involved so that these stories can be challenged in front of a judge.

Sarah Firth, a reporter from the Nottingham Post, believes in what Mosley is trying to achieve even though it could affect her day to day working life.

“I think it's only fair to offer a right of reply, also for the safety of the story. The subject might turn around and say “Actually, it's not me on that tape" or "Well, I can prove you're wrong" so it is definitely worth it,” she said.

The main concern of the British press is that Mosley could apply the brakes to the overall freedom of the press.

“It could. I think if the Mosley clause does become law it could affect genuine public interest stories. I would argue the Mosley story was not in the public's interest. It would allow time for people to seek injunctions, which would be expensive in court. However, again, it could be argued that if it was genuinely in the public interest the publication would win,” Firth said.

Mosley is keen to test the professional standards that journalists should abide by, with hopes that journalists and editors will think twice about publishing stories that Mosley claimed has `ruined’ his life.

Mosley wants to take away acts of being irresponsible which Sarah Firth has no problem with.  

“As a journalist you should be able to stand up your stories as true. It can only be libellous if it is defamatory, the person can be identified from the story, and it is published. But to be defamatory it has to be untrue. So you should be able to stand up in court and prove it to be true,”  

The case has been ongoing since 28 March 2008, when the News of the World published the headline `FI BOSS HAS SICK NAZI ORGY WITH 5 HOOKERS’. This was assisted by the sub-heading `Son of Hitler loving fascist in sex shame’.

Mosley had a strong case against the claims that `Nazi overtones’ were used, which he strongly denied. Mosley argued the story was a breach of privacy and that the News of the World editor at the time Colin Myler should never have allowed the story to be made public. Mosley was successful in court and received a record payout of £60,000.  

Many sources in the media industry have taken the view of Mosley and believe it will only add to the validity of a journalists work.

Roy Greenslade, Professor of Journalism at City of University, London “The publication of a malicious, scurrilous and sordid piece of tittle-tattle now threatens the practice of serious and sober journalism. Blame the News of the World for the danger we face, not Mosley,”

For nearly three years Mosley`s background has been scrutinised but now it seems Mosley is back in the driving seat as potentially he could be about to rewrite the rulebook for journalists.