The Bow Group were delighted to welcome back Secretary of State for Culture Media & Sport Jeremy Hunt, to deliver the keynote speech at our annual summer terrace reception at the House of Commons. The event could not have occured at a more febrile time of Parliamentary intrigue, on what was to be the final day of the term. Following the day’s committee hearings the timing of Jeremy Hunt’s appearance was welcomed by members keen to ask questions of their own on the topic of telephone hacking, media plurality, BBC funding and the Olympics. The Bow Group’s Political Officer Ben Harris-Quinney commented that “Jeremy Hunt is most welcome back at the Bow Group, particularly if his timing is always as good as today. I think many of our members are both concerned and fascinated by the nature of events that have sent shock waves through the nations media and government. Jeremy has acted as always with the utmost composure and professionalism, and I can think of no one better to give the Bow Group fair and frank opinion on unfolding events.” In his keynote speech the Secretary of State noted the significance of the period in the history of the British media and that he had been surprised, on the day that Rupert and James Murdoch both appeared before select committee, at the lack of knowledge of the practice of media groups by their own executives, and the violent actions of one member of the audience.                                                                         The debate in full flowThe protests of citizens present at the enquiry are indeed indicative of the unique ability of the British media to create an inflamed atmosphere of anger throughout the nation, often to be directed at certain individuals. The issue at hand is of course rather more complex and of greater breadth than the News of the World scandal, and asks considerable questions of the structure of the media as a whole, our police force, and of our government. Our members were particularly keen, in the debate that followed the keynote speech, to question media regulation, the structure and funding of the BBC, and other media groups that are yet to fall under the same level of scrutiny.A lively debate among members continued in the spectuaclar terrace setting, and drinks & canapes were served as the sun began to set over a remarkable parlimentary term..                              Political Officer Ben Harris-Quinney, Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP, Chairman Brian Cattell & Secretary Alan Young