For Distribution to CPs
PRESS COMPLAINTS COMMISSION
From the Chairman
Donald Trelford Esq The Independent Independent House 191 Marsh W all London E l4 9RS 12* September 2007
CHAIRMAN Sir Christopher Meyer MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION I think the lay members of the PCC, who include, of course, myself, would be Matti Alderson Roger Alton . stuimed to learn that we are bullied by editors. If there is any caucus at Commission Paul Dacre Spencer Feeney meetings, it tends to be formed by groups o f lay members, not by editors, who have Colleen Harris MVO. FRSA greater difficulty agreeing among themselves than outsiders assume. Vivien Hepworth Peter Hill Simon Irwin Ian Nichol You w ill have noticed, o f course, that one of our Commissioners, Peter H ill of the Esther Roberton Eve Salomon Daily Express-took a double hit recently Ifom the Commission: firstly, when he was Dianne Thompson CBE required to publish an apology; secondly, when he was censured for not publishing it Derek Tucker The Right Rev. w ith sufficient prominence. John V^aine KCVO Rear Admiral Nick Wilkinson CB Finally, you touch on media convergence. It’s a pity you had not read my speech last DIRECTOR Tim Toulmin Friday at the Scottish Society of Editors on regulation in the digital age. It deals precisely with your point. I enclose a copy.
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Sir Christopher Meyer
Halton House, 20123 Holborn, London EC1N 2JD T: 020 7831 0022 F; 020 7831 0025 E: [email protected] Textphone for deaf or hard of hearing: 020 7831 0123 www.pcc.org.uk
MODI 00039537 For Distribution to CPs
Source: The Independent (Media Weekly) Edition: ^ - Country UK Date: Monday 10, September 2007 Page: 7 >durrants Co
W hen editors w ield such power, can the PCC be truly im partial? '^1 T r y /:
i ■»^j lH* p p i i a i n I These are all praiseworthy de I broadcasting and written., kings and queens, rather than W hen Sir Chris velopments, and the PCC’s an media no longer makes sensei lypicalnew^aperreadersilean topher Meyer, nual review makes impressive to many people at a time of closJ understandvdiyactualworking formerly our reading Yet, Tony Blair’s lament er media convergence; the facw I editors were appointed to the man in Wash about the “feral beasts” of the that the Advertising Standards P(X),becau^theyhadto demon ington, be press, for all its sententiousness, Authority now covers both strate their commitment to the came chairman of the Press struck a chord with many peo (broadcast advertising isreg- new system in the so-called “last Complaints C/Ommission in2003. ple, including some journalists. ulated under contract from chance saloon”. But the presence he coined the phrase “perma One senses that it would only Ofcom) makes the distinction ofnational newspaper editors- nent evolution” as his working take another major scandal, like harder to defend. Roger Alton oiTheObservervaid policy. He hasbeen true to his the News of the World’s phone So Sir Christopher’s “perma- Peter Hill of The Daily Express, word in several respects. The tapping or the BBC’s phone-in nentevolution”needstolasep up and espeeiaUJf a giant like Paul number of lay member.? on the deceptions, to bring back calls the pace. Here are a few sug Dacre, editor-in-chief of Associ PCC has been rased to 10,a clear for tougher regulati on. gestions. One is to make more ated Newspapers - can be in majority over seven journalists. With all due respect to Les use of retired senior journalists timidating. These are people, There is an annual audit of the Hinton, the public may find it and media academies as a con t sed to getting their own way editors' Code of Practice, with a hard to understand why the ex sultation court (this is not a job nd alay member would need to committee considering amend ecutive chairman of Murdoch’s application). I beFieve that the e very brave t o take them on. 1 ments, some from outside the News International, the man P(5c should also activefy^ engage If the commission upholds a profession: the Samaritans, for who effectively controls T h e S u n in promoting press freedom,as complaint against a national example, succeeded in amend and theiVeios o ft M Wonfe4^ould did the old Press Council. It paper, it is by definition a g ^ s t ing the code on copycat suicides. be chairman of the Code Com should consider commissioning one ofthe working editors’ rivals The PCC is much more pro-ac mittee, apparently acting as an annual audit of press perfor (otherwise they would have to tive, operating a 24-hour service poacher and gamekeeper at once. mance, as Sir Louis Blom-Coop- excuse themselves). If it fails to for complaints and an effective One senses also that code er, a former FTess Council chair uphold such a conmlaint, it can conciliati on procedure. It has changes are rubber-stamped man, has proposed. look lilse Fleet Street solidarity. achieved greater prominence by the lay members ofthe Com Although the lay jobs on the After 12 years, the PCX) should for its adjudications and has now mission without much, if any, commission are nowwidely ad have enough confidence in itself taken over the regulation of on debate. The figure of Ofcom vertised, the people appointed to move on to the next stage line journalism. looms. Separate regulation of do seem to be regular quango
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