To every action there is an equal and opposite reaction - it seems that Newton's third law is as easily applicable to the media as it is to elementary physics. It is natural that in the aftermath of the News Corp. phone hacking scandal should prompt significant questions about press regulation across the globe. So, the industry is now lying in wait to see exactly what shape these reforms will take.

Even in Australia, Murdoch's birth place, questions have been prompted about the potential for a media review, as Prime Minister Julia Gillard admitted in a speech that recent revelations in Britain have prompted "considerations about the role of the media in our democracy". There have also been calls for reviews of media legislation from the leader of the Australian Greens Party, Bob Brown.

News Ltd., the Australian subsidiary of News Corp., has pre-empted any parliamentary inquiry by announcing an internal investigation into the possibility of similar malpractice. When questioned in an interview with Reuters , CEO and Chairman of News Ltd. John Hartigan claimed to be "Hugely confident that there is no improper or unethical behaviour in our newsrooms."

However, at a time when emphasis on regulation and media standards seems to be of critical importance, the Canadian firm Sun Media seems to be causing controversy by pulling out from the Ontario Press Council www.ontpress.com . The council is a voluntary media adjudication body, unlike the U.K Press Complaints Commission, which was criticised for imposing a "politcally correct mentality" upon all publications. Apparently, the Toronto Sun's decision to publish a picture of Kate Middleton as her dress blew up in a gust of wind did not comply with these standards, so Sun Media decided to leave.

This Canadian case study raises pertinent questions about the challenges that face Lord Justice Leveson, the head of the British Parliamentary Inquiry set up as a response to the phone hacking scandal. A Guardian editorial points out exactly how complicated the mission statement of the Inquiry is and the risk of restricting the ability of newspapers to use investigative reporting tactics in an ethical fashion to uncover real injustices.

However, the example of Sun Media protecting its commercial interests by leaving the Ontario Press Council sends the message that the News of the Word scandal has not killed the public interest in tabloid journalism. In a speech to the Institute of Governement yesterday, British deputy prime minister Nick Clegg drew attention to the need to make a distinction between "vulgar voyeurism" and "public interest", however in doing so regulations must balance the public taste for tabloid scoops while ensuring that working ethics within journalism are maintained to the highest possible standards.

Sources: Reuters , The Guardian (1) (2), CBC News, Editor and Publisher, dmp.cabinetoffice.gov.uk