How should the press be regulated?

The findings of Leveson Inquiry were published today - the inquiry was into the practice of newspapers and whether they had been in breech of certain rules and in some cases certain laws.

The most high profile parts of the inquiry involved the phone hacking of various high profile celebrities such as Hugh Grant and the Royal Family but also the families of murder victims such as Madeline McCann's parents and most shocking the phone of murdered teenager Millie Dowler.

This disgusted the public and raised the profile of the inquiry. It has been a constant feature of the news throughout the length of the 8 month inquiry...

The inquiry has raised many questions that are up for debate...

• How much privacy should celebrities have from the press?
• Are audiences to blame for buying newspapers that print this information?
• Is it in the public interest to pursue stories at any cost, or is there a point at which it is considered harassment? 
• Are the press and the politicians too close?

However the main questions that I think the focus of this forum should be are...

• Should the press be regulated by itself? (as it is now)
• Should the press be regulated independently?
• Should the press be controlled and regulated by the government?
• What should be the sanctions (punishments) for those who break the rules be?

And the question that underlies all of these things...

How important is it that our press has freedom of speech?

It's over to you...