Does the politicians' pizza party threaten UK press freedom?

Press reaction to the legislation passed on Monday is growing. The deal thrashed out over takeaway pizza in the early hours of Monday at the offices of Ed Millband is coming in for increasing criticism, especially over the threat of exemplary damages for newspapers (even bloggers) who have not signed up for the new press regulation body. It is not yet clear whether this will apply to bloggers. There are suggestions that it won't apply to individual bloggers, especially if they don't make a profit. But what of cooperative blogs or blogs and websites, like Jancis Robinson's site, that employ or use a number of contributors?  

There is always a danger that legislation cobbled together and pushed through parliament will turn out to be bad law with unintended consequences.         

Some recent press comment: 

'Peter Preston: This pizza-box press regulation is a sticky mess
Leveson dreamed of a voluntary regime, not an expedient political compromise imposed at two o'clock in the morning.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2013/mar/23/pizza-box-press-regulation-sticky-mess'

'Press regulation: newspapers bridle at 'historic' deal
Protests from industry as David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband agree to create powerful regulator in late-night talks

A shellshocked newspaper industry was struggling to come to terms with a sudden all-party agreement to create a powerful new press regulator designed to prevent a repeat of the phone-hacking scandal.

The independent regulator will have powers to impose fines and demand prominent corrections, and courts will be allowed to impose exemplary damages on newspapers that fail to join the body.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2013/mar/18/press-regulation-newspapers-furious-deal'

'Thanks to Leveson the job of journalists has become that little bit harder

Foreign experience shows harsher press rules in the UK will play into the hands of the rich and powerful.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/press/thanks-to-leveson-the-job-of-journalists-has-become-that-little-bit-harder-8547103.html'

The position of bloggers – liable or exempt under the new act?

'It’s down to the House of Lords to save the bloggers

Sebastian Payne 22 March 2013 18:24
On Monday, Parliament will decide the future of blogging in this country. As the government’s press regulation proposals stand, blogs big and small would come under the new press regulator. This would make bloggers liable for significant compensation sums (aka exemplary damages), fees for joining the regulator as an ‘associated member’ (newspapers join as full members) as well as for increased legal costs.'

http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2013/03/its-down-to-the-house-of-lords-to-save-the-bloggers/

'We need reform and a free press. This will require both time and opennessGive a new regulation system a year to bed in before we act. A royal charter should seal the deal, not describe it

by Alan Rusbridger

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/mar/24/need-reform-free-press-time-openness'