IMPRESS Annual Report 2017-18

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Annual Report 2017–18 1

Contents

Welcome to the IMPRESS Annual Report 2017–18. In these pages, you will find information about our activities between 1 April 2017 and 31 March 2018. More information, as well as the Annual Report 2016–17,

is available at impress.press. IMPRESS Annual Report 2017–18

THE VIEW FROM THE CHAIR 2 THE VIEW FROM THE CEO 3 WHO WE ARE 4 WHAT WE’VE DONE THIS YEAR 5 Recognition 5 Public interest 5 Public engagement 6 Media coverage 7 Services for regulated publishers 7 IN FOCUS: THE IMPRESS ARBITRATION SCHEME 8 Arbitration case study 8 IN FOCUS: THE IMPRESS STANDARDS CODE 9 COMPLAINTS CASE STUDIES 10 WHO WE REGULATE (as of 31 August 2018) 12 REGULATORY REPORT 13 Applications to IMPRESS 13 Regulated publishers 13 Compliance process and procedures 14 Referrals to IMPRESS 16 1. Complaints 16 2. Requests for arbitrations 18 3. Advisory notice requests 19 4. IMPRESS-initiated investigations 19 Complaint volumes 20 BOARD 24 CODE COMMITTEE 25 APPOINTMENT PANEL 25 FINANCE & AUDIT COMMITTEE 25 STAFF 26 REGULATED PUBLICATIONS 28

IMPRESS, 16–18 New Bridge Street, London, EC4V 6AG T 020 3325 4288 E [email protected] W impress.press  @impressproject  /impress-press ii IMPRESS Annual Report 2017–18 IMPRESS Annual Report 2017–18 3

The view from the Chair The view from the CEO Walter Merricks CBE Jonathan Heawood

Last year we laid the first and so far only press Code Committee. We also At IMPRESS, we are consultations and roundtables I am looking forward to it foundations for a new regulator to be approved under appointed experienced police excited about the future. on topics such as data very much. The conference the post-Leveson framework investigator and ombudsman protection, media law and will build on the podcast publicly accountable was confirmed, when the services professional Stephen That’s why we like to get the impact of social media and webinar programme we regulator, designed for Divisional Court upheld the Thacker to the role of Service out and about, speaking at on democracy. We also introduced this year as we the digital age. This year Press Recognition Panel’s Complaint Reviewer, with conferences, writing articles, incorporated the new code seek to provide engaging we have begun to build decision to recognise us. We responsibility for independently blogging, tweeting, podcasting into our Regulatory Scheme and relevant training and and talking directly to our on those foundations. have begun to demonstrate investigating complaints about and started to use it as our information for our members our regulatory independence the service standards provided members and the British benchmark for journalistic and the public. We announced our 100th and effectiveness through by IMPRESS. public. We want to understand standards. More than anything this year, I regulated publication as our our first two IMPRESS- how the news business is We look forward to increasing Sadly, press regulation have enjoyed working with the exciting, innovative and diverse initiated investigations and changing, and what audiences the number of publishers continues to be a political outstanding group of people network of independent news the publication of our first expect from today’s journalism we regulate and continuing football, and this year our role who make up the IMPRESS providers continues to grow. ten adjudications, five of – not only in the UK, but to provide publishers and has been widely debated in staff, board and committees, As I write we regulate a total which resulted in front page around the world. That way, we journalists with the support Parliament and the media. and our regulated publishers of 64 publishers and 109 corrections. We also published can make sure that IMPRESS they need to do their Many people have celebrated across the UK. I would like to publications. I would like to the first two arbitrations by meets the needs of the future, job, whilst protecting the IMPRESS’s achievements. thank them all for being part wish a warm welcome to the a UK press regulator, both of not the past. public through a system of Others have taken a more of this exciting journey. 32 new publishers who came which resulted in awards of transparent and accountable In June, I travelled to Norway critical view. We try to follow under our regulatory remit compensation to members regulation. to take part in the Holberg Kipling’s advice, and treat our this year including national of the public. We have now Symposium in honour of the admirers and detractors just publishers such as The Canary, extended our Arbitration We remain strongly committed British philosopher Onora the same. There are certainly niche investigative publishers Scheme to include data to our goal of rebuilding public O’Neill, a world expert on things we can learn from such as Bellingcat, business protection claims and have trust in the news organisations media ethics and regulation. everyone; and we remain publishers such as Iraq made it free to access for both of today and look forward to I was back in Norway in committed to constructive Business News and publishers publishers and members of delivering this in partnership December to debate fake dialogue with all stakeholders. of local news such as The the public so as to encourage with our regulated publishers, news and propaganda with Chichester Post, Lochside Press the speedy and affordable staff, board members, civil John Pilger and Julian Assange As this Annual Report goes and Now Then Manchester. A resolution of disputes. society stakeholders and the (who, ironically, appeared by to press, we are finalising the further 16 publishers applied general public. plans for our inaugural Trust We completed an internal video link from London...). to join us during the past year in Journalism conference, review of our governance and we are in the process of Last year, many experts to be held in London on arrangements and agreed supporting them through our contributed to the consultation 6 November. It will be the a new code of conduct and pre-regulation compliance on the IMPRESS Standards first time that the British extended public register of process. Code. This year, we returned independent media sector Jonathan Heawood board members interests. the favour, taking part in has gathered together, and Chief Executive Officer IMPRESS has firmly We strengthened the media established itself as the industry experience of our regulator of choice for the board by appointing two independent news sector. exceptional journalists: award- Our membership now winning Guardian investigative reaches all parts of the United journalist David Leigh and Kingdom from the north of broadcast producer and Scotland to the south-west of former Independent Editorial England, via Wales, Northern Adviser to the BBC Trust Ireland and almost every Andrea Wills. We appointed English region. external relations consultant Walter Merricks CBE In October, our status as the Jonathan Collett to our Chair IMPRESS Annual Report 2017–18

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Who we are What we’ve done this year

IMPRESS is a press regulator designed to work in the digital age. At a time when quality journalism is under more pressure than ever, we provide publishers and journalists with the protection and the support they need to do their job. Recognition We regulate 100+ digital and print publications across the UK, reaching more than Last year, IMPRESS was the Scheme and rules; to operate activity of a minority of our 8 million monthly readers, with more publishers applying to join us every month. first press regulator to be an effective complaints board. We implemented the recognised as independent handling service and Arbitration recommendations of the IMPRESS Annual Report 2017–18 and effective under the Royal Scheme; and to be open to all review in full by adopting a What we do Charter for Self-Regulation of publishers on a fair and non- new code of conduct, posting the Press. This year, we have discriminatory basis. comprehensive declarations of interest of all board members started to deliver and develop A Judicial Review by the News on our website, amending We work in partnership with the public, publishers and key stakeholders to raise our services to the public in Media Association (NMA) of our Articles of Association the standards of journalism. Our goal is to rebuild public trust in the news  accordance with the standards the PRP’s decision to recognise to provide for the removal set out in the Royal Charter. IMPRESS was comprehensively organisations of today, as a fundamental pillar of democracy. of a board member who is defeated in the Divisional These standards, which are no longer able to act fairly We offer an externally approved scheme of press regulation designed for digital and Court in October 2017. The carefully monitored by the or impartially, implementing print publications. This includes: Court’s decision endorsed the Press Recognition Panel (PRP), a system of regulatory robust and transparent process require us to be properly committees and increasing the • A progressive Standards Code which led to our recognition by funded with no possibility of number of board members the PRP. • A straightforward complaints handling system for the public to seek redress influence or control by the with industry experience of when needed press industry, politicians or any We undertook an internal the press. third party; to own and control review of our governance in • Free arbitration to reduce legal costs our Standards Code, Regulatory response to the social media • Additional protection for publishers through a low-cost insurance scheme Public interest

This year we have Participating in public debates from the OSCE (Organization APPG on the Media. The Chair about the media is one of the for Security and Co-operation of IMPRESS, Walter Merricks, ways that IMPRESS promotes in Europe) who were in London gave an update on our . Expanded our expert staff team. the values of trust and truth to monitor the UK election, regulatory activity and MPs and  in journalism. This year, we and attended a meeting Peers at the event discussed . Welcomed our 100th member publication and increased have participated in a series of the High-Level Group on issues arising from the Data of inquiries and public and Fake News at the European Protection Bill. the number of regulated publishers by 123%*. government initiatives. Commission. Members of the IMPRESS . Improved digital access to our services for the We gave evidence to the We attended a roundtable team have also held meetings

public and our regulated publishers. House of Commons Home hosted by the Shadow Minister with DCMS and ICO officials Affairs Select Committee, the for Digital, Rt Hon Liam to discuss the impact of the Competition and Markets Byrne MP, to discuss the Data new Data Protection Act on . Created new resources and training programmes for our members. Authority and the All-Party Protection Bill; and another journalists and publishers. Parliamentary Group (APPG) roundtable hosted by Baroness We have shared our findings . Liaised with the government, key stakeholders and members of the industry. on British Muslims. (Martha) Lane-Fox to debate with our members at the future of social media regular intervals through our We also engaged with broader regulation. newsletter and email updates. . Announced the very first Trust in Journalism Conference. European debates about the media’s role in relation to In April 2018, IMPRESS was democracy. Our CEO, Jonathan invited to meet MPs and Peers Heawood, met a delegation at an event hosted by the

*As of 31 August 2018. 6 IMPRESS Annual Report 2017–18

Public engagement Media coverage Through a programme of Other public engagement We also participated in a range IMPRESS received extensive also published pieces in regulated publications were events, publications and social of industry events. Our Chief activities included chairing an coverage in the media. Our Press Gazette and the British included in the latest Digital media activity, we engage Executive, Jonathan Heawood, event featuring Lord Robert CEO spoke on the Media Journalism Review and was News Report 2018, presented publishers, journalists and spoke on a panel at a Public Skidelsky at the Charleston Show and PM on BBC Radio 4, interviewed for a report on by the Reuters Institute for the public in our work. We Relations and Communications Festival, and attending a and appeared on the Sunday hyperlocal news by the LSE’s the Study of Journalism, work in partnership with the Association (PRCA) event roundtable hosted by Hacked journalism think tank, Polis. public, publishers and key on the future of the media Off in Parliament, where we Politics on BBC One, to discuss because of their growing stakeholders. landscape. He also attended spoke about the development the state of local journalism We were also pleased to see circulation and brand of IMPRESS. and press regulation. He that a number of IMPRESS recognition. This year, we spoke about the launch of the Digital News press regulation to students at Report, published annually by Other events attended by the universities of East Anglia the Reuters Institute for the IMPRESS staff this year and Hull. In February, Walter Study of Journalism; took part include the Oxford Media Merricks, Chair of IMPRESS, in a discussion on technology Convention, the London Services for regulated publishers gave a landmark speech at City and policing, hosted by Community Media Summit, University on news publishing Cityforum; and spoke about the Centre for Investigative We have kept in regular touch from IMPRESS complaints in the digital age, asking, ‘What fake news and trust at the Journalism Summer with regulated publishers adjudications, strategies for Westminster Media Forum, through our monthly local news in the digital role for regulation?’ Conference, Journalism.co.uk’s IMPRESS promotes the alongside representatives of Newsrewired, the launch newsletter, annual participants’ world, and diversity in news “ We shared best practice in IPSO, King’s College London of a report by the Commission consultation, consultation and newsrooms. values of trust and truth in regulation of the digital and and the Guardian. on Fake News and the over changes to aspects of journalism.” printed press with delegations We also developed a series Teaching of Critical Literacy our Regulatory Scheme, a of policy makers and We also participated in of resources and guidance in Schools in Westminster, member survey and numerous journalists from Uzbekistan, documents for the public and In the coming year, we plan events outside the UK. the GEN Summit in Lisbon, meetings, phone calls and Bosnia and Turkey in our regulated publications. To to expand our services for Jonathan Heawood was in and the public Equality Act emails in order to understand association with the Foreign help prepare publishers for the regulated publishers. In Bergen to take part in the Review Campaign Launch at and engage with our members’ Office and Ethical Journalism implementation of GDPR we November we will host our first Holberg Prize symposium Parliament. needs and concerns. Network (EJN). on communications ethics, met with DCMS and the ICO Trust in Journalism Conference In September we organised an Building on the membership to clarify a number of issues with free tickets available to Other academic events at the invitation of Baroness IMPRESS seminar with Rachel insurance scheme we regulated publishers. Later in attended this year included (Onora) O’Neill, this year’s raised by regulated publishers. Botsman, global thought introduced last year, this year the year, we plan to launch a meeting of the Branded Holberg laureate. In February, leader on trust, who spoke on we launched the IMPRESS We undertook a survey of a legal advice network for Content Research Network at he attended a colloquium trust in the media. We also Webinar Programme and regulated publishers to publishers, in association with the University of Westminster on fake news and online held the IMPRESS Annual the IMPRESS Podcast, to inform our submission to independent law firms, to and a conference hosted by disinformation at the European General Meeting to present our provide training opportunities the Cairncross Review of the meet our members’ need for the Media, Communication Commission in Brussels. And in first Annual Report (2016–17) around regulation and media Sustainability of the Press. We free and discounted access to and Cultural Studies March, he gave a presentation to the board and regulated ethics. We covered the topics also dealt with several requests legal advice and training. Association at Goldsmiths, at a meeting of the Network of publishers. of GDPR compliance for for pre-publication advice from University of London. European Foundations (NEF). news organisations, lessons publishers.

In focus: IMPRESS highlights from JULY 2017: OCTOBER 2017: MARCH 2018: • First IMPRESS arbitration award published High court upheld the status of IMPRESS Experienced police investigator and ombudsman April 2017 to March 2018 • The IMPRESS Standards Code was formally as the first ‘approved’ self-regulatory body services professional Stephen Thacker appointed to incorporated into our Regulatory Scheme for the press in the UK the role of IMPRESS Service Complaint Reviewer

April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017 November 2017 December 2017 January 2018 February 2018 March 2018

JUNE 2017: SEPTEMBER 2017: DECEMBER 2017: FEBRUARY 2018: First IMPRESS complaint • Recommendations implemented from IMPRESS’s Guardian investigative journalist David Leigh and broadcast IMPRESS executive team IMPRESS Annual Report 2017–18 adjudication published internal governance review producer and former Independent Editorial Adviser to the expanded to reflect growth in • “Trust” seminar hosted featuring Rachel Botsman BBC Trust Andrea Wills join the IMPRESS board regulatory workload 7 9

In focus: In focus: The IMPRESS Arbitration Scheme The IMPRESS Standards Code

In July 2017 we published Our second arbitration award Claims covered by the scheme the first award under our was published in July 2018 and Arbitration Scheme, which an arbitrator has recently been Defamation Our Standards Code was developed after consulting with the public and is operated in partnership appointed by CIArb in another stakeholder groups across the UK about the standards they expect from with the Chartered Institute ongoing case. Two requests for Breach of confidence journalists in the 21st century.

of Arbitrators (CIArb). The arbitration were refused having IMPRESS Annual Report 2017–18 scheme provides an affordable been assessed by a Regulatory Misuse of private information and speedy means by which Committee to be outside members of the public can the scope of the Scheme. In Malicious falsehood seek legal redress if they have July 2018, we expanded our It is the first co-created Standards Code for the print and digital press an actionable legal claim Arbitration Scheme to include Harassment  in the UK. It was formally incorporated into the IMPRESS Regulatory against a publisher regulated claims made under the Data Scheme on 24 July 2017. by IMPRESS. Protection Act and amended Data protection* the Scheme rules to provide It also protects publishers from free access to arbitration for being drawn into costly legal *Added to the Arbitration Scheme in publishers as well as members proceedings and limits their July 2018. of the public. We’ve analysed 56 different international standards codes, extracting the exposure to costs. During the common strengths, and adapting them for the specific UK context. course of the year, IMPRESS 56 received a further three requests, one of which was assessed to be suitable for arbitration. Our Code combines traditional core journalistic principles with tools to  face the challenges of the digital news age.

It covers 10 clauses: 10 Attribution Accuracy Children Discrimination Harassment Case study | 120/2018 Jonny Gould and Evolve Media Limited and plagiarism Arbitrator: Ian Ridd The claim: The claimant complained that an article published by Evolve Politics was defamatory Justice Privacy Sources Suicide Transparency of him because it stated that he attended a fundraising dinner held by ‘The Presidents Club’ at which alleged behaviour of at least some of those attending attracted a great deal of adverse publicity and notoriety. In fact, the claimant had not attended the event. Defence: The publisher admitted that it published the article and that in it the claimant was referred to. It admitted further that the claimant had not attended the event. However, the It is a practical working tool that enables journalists, editors and publisher denied that the article was defamatory because it had not been shown that it had publishers to do their jobs; and the public to seek redress when required. caused serious harm to the claimant’s reputation, as required by the Defamation Act 2013.  Determination: The arbitrator determined that serious harm to the reputation of the claimant was caused by the article and that the meaning of the references to the claimant in the article conveyed a serious defamatory imputation. Award: £900 damages and £800 costs awarded to the claimant. The publication was ordered to The Code and guidance on each clause are easily accessible at publish a full apology on its website and a retraction and a full apology on Twitter, in a form to  impress.press/standards be agreed by the parties, or in default of agreement, to be settled by the arbitrator.

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Complaints case studies Case II | 091/2017 Mr Simon Just and Byline

The complaint: A third party complained about the inaccuracy of an article with the headline ‘Operation Conifer: Mike Veale appalled by previous cover-ups over child sexual abuse’, and the subsequent actions taken by Byline to amend the article. The complaint was escalated to IMPRESS after the complainant had first complained to the publisher and was not satisfied with When a complaint is accepted by IMPRESS, the result of the process is a ‘complaint adjudication’ the final decision and action of the publisher. issued by a Regulatory Committee of the IMPRESS board. All decisions are final. Clauses: Accuracy clauses 1.1 and 1.2 of the IMPRESS Standards Code. During this year, IMPRESS handled a variety of complaints regarding different clauses of our Standards Code. We include here three case studies, in which we summarise the decision process Result and award: The complaint was upheld by the Committee who considered the publication and outcome. had breached both clauses. The publisher was directed to publish a short homepage correction with a link to the full adjudication by the Committee. All complaint adjudications are made public on impress.press/regulation Additional comments by the Committee: • An invitation to readers to click through to a better crop of the picture, alongside inaccurate information about the date and location of the picture, without verifying its provenance, and considering the sensitive subject matter of the article, meant the inaccuracy Case I | 087/2017 Mr Jamie Thunder and The Canary was significant. • The click through to a better crop of the picture and the part The complaint: A third party complained about the accuracy of a headline – ‘We need to of the article that referenced it, should have been removed talk about Laura Kuenssberg. She’s listed as a speaker at the Tory Party conference’ – that after it became clear that it bore no direct relevance to the first appeared on The Canary at noon on 27 September 2017. IMPRESS was contacted by an story alongside a additional 51 complainants who raised concerns about the article in question. A complaint was correction escalated to IMPRESS after the complainant had first complained to the publisher and was not published at the satisfied with the final decision and action of the publisher. top of the article Clauses: Accuracy clauses, 1.1, 1.2 and 1.4 of the IMPRESS Standards Code. to explain its removal. Result and award: Complaint upheld by the Committee, who considered the publication had breached all three clauses. The publisher was directed to publish a short homepage correction with a link to the full adjudication by the Committee. Additional comments by the Committee: • The publisher was entitled to comment on Laura Kuenssberg’s impartiality. However the headline of the article, which stated that she was listed as a speaker at the Conservative Party Case study III | 106/2017 Mr Graham Hindson and The SKWAWKBOX conference, was inaccurate because Laura Kuenssberg had only been invited to speak at a fringe event. The complaint: A third party complained about the accuracy of an article with the headline ‘Tory • It was unreasonable to expect the publisher to wait indefinitely for a response from the BBC, #CutsKill 120,000 people’. The complaint was escalated to IMPRESS after the complainant had but they could have attempted to contact the organiser of the event directly or made further first complained to the publisher and was not satisfied with the final decision and action of the attempts to prompt the BBC for a response prior to the publication of the article. publisher. • The update note did not make any reference to the fact that the headline had been updated Clauses: Accuracy clauses 1.1, 1.3 and 1.4 of the IMPRESS Standards Code. and that readers would have to re-read the full article and the note at the end of the article to Result and award: The Committee did not consider the publisher had breached the Code and so fully understand the changes that had been made. dismissed the complaint. No further action was required of the publisher. Additional comments by the Committee: • The Code does not prevent expressions of strong opinion. • The Committee considered it was clear from the context and language used that the Publisher was presenting a partisan view, consistent with its political stance, and this was further signalled by the prominent use of an image. This view was based on the headline finding of a peer-reviewed article published in a recognised online journal, so there was a factual basis for its opinion. • The first sentence of the SKWAWKBOX article used the word ‘links’ which captured the idea that the report did not express direct causation. This one sentence disclaimer neither appeared in the report’s Abstract, nor was it prominently positioned within the report itself. • Readers of the article could easily click on the link provided in the text and access both the BMJ Open Blog and original research study and draw their own conclusions about the full findings.

10 IMPRESS Annual Report 2017–18 Who we regulate (as of 31 August 2018) Regulatory report

IMPRESS is the regulator of choice for the independent news sector in the UK. On 31 August Our regulatory activity between 1 April 2017 and 31 March 2018 has involved IMPRESS processing 2018 we regulated 64 publishers of all shapes and sizes who published a total of 109 titles 48 new publisher applications, undertaking 36 pre-regulation compliance assessments, finalising between them. 32 new regulatory scheme agreements, and handling 107 complaints (of which 56 were multiple complaints), 2 IMPRESS initiated investigations, 2 advisory notice requests and 3 requests for arbitration. Type of publication Applications to IMPRESS 30 Local IMPRESS received 48 new applications for membership during 48 new publisher 30 the year, taking the total number of applications to IMPRESS applications to join Hyperlocal received by 31 March 2018 to 96. IMPRESS 19 International Regulated publishers 9 Niche 6 Regional Of the 48 new applications received, 32 publishers 8 successfully completed pre-regulation compliance 5 National 10 Magazines assessments and began to be regulated by 102% increase in publications IMPRESS. regulated by IMPRESS year On 31 March 2018, 58 publishers (97 publications) on year were regulated by IMPRESS. This represents a 123% increase in publishers and 102% increase in publications regulated by IMPRESS during the year ended 31 March 2018. In this same period, two publishers withdrew from the scheme.

2 13 120

6 90 97 regulated publications “ IMPRESS has firmly (on March 2018) established itself as the 60 regulator of choice 6 for the independent news sector. Our membership 30 5 5 now reaches all parts of the 2 United Kingdom.” 0

24 Jul 2016 Jul 2017 Jan 2017 Oct 2016 Oct 2017 Jan 2018 Apr 2016 Jun 2016 Apr 2018 Jun 2018 Feb 2017 Jun 2017 Apr 2017 Feb 2018 Sep 2016 Mar 2016 Mar 2017 Dec 2016 Dec 2017 Sep 2017 Nov 2016 Nov Mar 2018 Nov 2017 Nov July 2018 Aug 2018 Aug Aug 2016 Aug May 2016 May 2018 May Aug 2017 Aug May 2017 May 18 Sept 2018 20 Total applications submitted to IMPRESS Total regulated publications

Regulated publications since 2016 IMPRESS Annual Report 2017–18 IMPRESS Annual Report 2017–18

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IMPRESS completed 36 that regulated publishers by the publisher in seeking Compliance process and procedures pre-regulation compliance continued to display the to resolve the complaint assessments in the year ended IMPRESS ‘Trust in Journalism’ and were satisfied that the Adequacy and effectiveness of compliance processes and procedures adopted by regulated 31 March 2018. mark and information on publisher had complied publishers how to complain. At the with their own complaints The main challenge faced by Once a publisher applies to join IMPRESS they are required to undergo a pre-regulation compliance end of the financial year we procedures. Each complaint publishers in meeting these assessment to determine whether they meet the internal governance requirements set out in the adjudication published requirements was finding undertook an audit of all IMPRESS Regulatory Scheme. by IMPRESS commented the time to put the various regulated publications to favourably on the publisher’s • We verified the ownership • We ensured that publishers • We verified that publishers governance systems in place. check that information was compliance with its own structures of applicant provided effective had contacted all Most completed the process being displayed in accordance complaints procedures in publishers by reference whistleblowing protection employees and contributors in less than eight weeks. For with the requirements of the respect of the complaint at to Companies House and to their employees and to communicate that some, however, the process IMPRESS Regulatory Scheme. hand. Experian searches. contributors in the event they were now regulated took several months and This resulted in 14 instances by IMPRESS and to for others it is still a work in of non-compliance which Publishers cooperated fully • We undertook assessments that they raised concerns confirm adoption of progress. were subsequently corrected with the 10 complaints we of recent online and printed about press standards. the IMPRESS Standards following correspondence with took forward, the 2 IMPRESS- publications to confirm that IMPRESS provided assistance • We confirmed that systems Code, the publishers’ publishers. These related to initiated investigations we they included news content, by developing a series of were in place to record complaints policy and the failure to clearly display the commenced and the 3 published by multiple template documents that and report complaints whistleblowing rights of IMPRESS ‘Trust in Journalism’ arbitration requests that we authors under a system of were available for publishers and compliance failures to employees and contributors. mark and details of how to received during the year. In all editorial control. to adopt or adapt according IMPRESS. complain to the publisher and cases publishers complied with to their specific circumstances. • We reviewed publisher to IMPRESS. the directions of IMPRESS and • We reviewed the Several publishers who applied complaints policies to any independently appointed compliance arrangements to join IMPRESS during the We developed an online ensure that they adhered arbitrators in publishing for each title to ensure that year were new start-ups compliance system which to the requirements of corrections, apologies and there were clear steps and who could not complete required publishers to confirm the IMPRESS Regulatory paying any legal costs and responsibilities to deal with the process until they had and update their compliance Scheme in respect of damages that were awarded failures of compliance. published their first editions arrangements and to report assessing complaints against them. or finalised their corporate complaints, compliance against the new IMPRESS • We checked that all structures. Small, sole trader failures, circulation and During the year, one publisher Standards Code; having publications displayed publishers had difficulties in turnover data to IMPRESS for gave notice of their intention an effective system for the IMPRESS ‘Trust in implementing systems for the past year. to resign their membership of managing any conflicts of Journalism’ mark in a managing conflicts of interests IMPRESS. We terminated their interest when investigating prominent position, along During the year, publishers where complaints arose from Regulatory Scheme agreement complaints; acknowledging with how to complain to reported to IMPRESS that they the articles or actions of the once they ceased to comply complaints within 7 days the publisher and how to had handled a total of publication’s owner. This with the requirements of and resolving complaints escalate a complaint to 83 complaints between them, was resolved by requiring the Regulatory Scheme and within 21 days. IMPRESS. about 56 separate issues of publishers to openly declare which 55% were upheld. after we were satisfied that any conflicts of interest and there were no outstanding 20% of complaints made to to give complainants the regulatory issues. The other regulated publishers were option to complain directly to publisher who left the Scheme escalated to IMPRESS. In IMPRESS in appropriate cases. did so because they ceased to all cases where a complaint publish. During the year, we undertook was escalated to IMPRESS we periodic spot checks to confirm assessed the process followed IMPRESS Annual Report 2017–18

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107 complaints handled (including multiple complaints) Referrals to IMPRESS Published complaint adjudications (during the year ended 31 March 2018) 8 complaint adjudications IMPRESS offers four main regulatory services (types of published 111/2017 Mr Graham Hindson and The 093/2017 Mr Christopher Grey and The referral) to the public. In the year ended 31 March 2018 SKWAWKBOX SKWAWKBOX IMPRESS received a total of 113 referrals. Publication: The SKWAWKBOX Publication: The SKWAWKBOX Date of complaint: 11 December 2017 Date of complaint: 13 October 2017 1. Complaints Date complaint accepted: 19 January 2018 Date complaint accepted: 6 November 2017 If a member of the public is unable to satisfactorily resolve a complaint directly with a publisher Date of adjudication: 09 March 2018 Date of adjudication: 15 December 2017 then it can be referred to IMPRESS to investigate after 21 days, as long as it engages one or more Relevant clauses: Accuracy 1.2 and 1.3 of the Relevant clauses: Accuracy 1.4 of the IMPRESS clauses of our Standards Code. If accepted, a complaint is investigated and adjudicated upon by IMPRESS Standards Code Standards Code an IMPRESS Regulatory Committee made up of experienced lawyers, journalists and regulatory Outcome: Complaint dismissed. No breach. Outcome: Complaint upheld. Breach of clause 1.4. professionals. If a Code breach is confirmed, Regulatory Committees have powers to direct a Publisher to publish a short homepage correction correction, apology or – in the event of a serious or systemic failure – a fine. with a link to the full adjudication. 117/2018 Mr Graham Hindson and The Canary During the year ended 31 March 2018, IMPRESS handled 107 complaints about 56 different issues: Publication: The Canary Date of complaint: 10 January 2018 087/2017 Mr Jamie Thunder and The Canary Date complaint accepted: 24 January 2018 Publication: The Canary Date of adjudication: 05 March 2018 Date of complaint: 18 October 2017 16% were Relevant clauses: Accuracy 1.2 and 1.4 of the Date complaint accepted: 2 November 2017 outside the scope IMPRESS Standards Code Date of adjudication: 13 December 2017 of the IMPRESS Outcome: Complaint upheld in part. Breach of Relevant clauses: Accuracy 1.1, 1.2 and 1.4 of the related to a were referred to 30% Regulatory Scheme clause 1.4. IMPRESS Standards Code 30% publisher not regulated by publishers to resolve Outcome: Complaint Upheld. Breach of clauses 1.1, IMPRESS 1.2 and 1.4. Publisher to publish a short homepage 106/2017 Mr Graham Hindson and The correction with a link to the full adjudication. 4% were outside SKWAWKBOX allowable time limits Publication: The SKWAWKBOX Date of complaint: 29 November 2017 096/2017 Mr Graham Hindson and The SKWAWKBOX Date complaint accepted: 13 December 2017 Publication: The SKWAWKBOX 2% were Date of adjudication: 01 March 2018 were investigated by IMPRESS withdrawn Date of complaint: 23 October 2017 18% Relevant clauses: Accuracy 1.1, 1.3 and 1.4 of the IMPRESS Standards Code Date complaint accepted: 1 November 2017 Date of adjudication: 1 December 2017 Of the 10 complaint issues investigated by IMPRESS, all concerned complaints of accuracy. Outcome: Complaint dismissed. No breach. Relevant clauses: Accuracy 1.1 and 1.3 of the IMPRESS Standards Code 091/2017 Mr Simon Just and Byline Outcome: Complaint upheld in part. Breach of Publication: Byline clause 1.3. Publisher to publish a short homepage 50% resulted in Date of complaint: 5 October 2017 publication of a front-page clarification with a link to the full adjudication. Date complaint accepted: 7 November 2017 correction Date of adjudication: 23 January 2018 055/2017 Mr Paul Trotman and Caerphilly Media

60% 70% Relevant clauses: Accuracy 1.1 and 1.2 of the Limited were upheld were adjudicated IMPRESS Standards Code within 8 weeks Publication: Caerphilly Observer Outcome: Complaint upheld. Breach of clauses 1.1 Date of complaint: 5 May 2017 50% were adjudicated and 1.2. Publisher to publish a short homepage Date complaint accepted: 31 May 2017 within 6 weeks correction with a link to the full adjudication. Date of adjudication: 11 July 2017 Relevant clauses: Clause 1 Accuracy (i) and (ii) of the Editors’ Code  See complaints case studies on pages 10–11. Outcome: Complaint dismissed. No breach.  See complaint volumes of IMPRESS regulated publishers (per publication) in the year ended 31 March 2018 on pages 20–23. IMPRESS Annual Report 2017–18

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2. Requests for arbitration 3. Advisory notice requests A member of the public who is seeking legal redress and A member of the public who is experiencing unwanted press compensation from a publisher may request arbitration as an intrusion may ask IMPRESS to issue a warning or advice to alternative to going to court. An arbitration request must include regulated publishers, which may be taken into account if a 2 advisory notices a legitimate cause of action against a publisher in one or more 3 requests for subsequent complaint is received. issued about unwanted of the six areas of law covered by the Scheme (see page 8). arbitration received During the year ended 31 March 2018 IMPRESS received two Evidence is presented to an independent arbitrator who press intrusion advisory notice requests. produces an arbitration award which analyses the background to the dispute, applies the law and decides whether compensation • 2 advisory notices were issued and legal costs are to be paid. • 100% of notices were issued within 24 hours During the year ended 31 March 2018 IMPRESS received 3 requests for arbitration:

Advisory notice requests issued (in the year ended 31 March 2018)

2 arbitration awards 107/2017 Request from a victim of crime 115/2018 Request from family of a recently were published* Date of request: 30 November 2017 deceased person Date of notice: 30 November 2017 Date of request: 7 January 2018 Request from a victim of crime to respect their Date of notice: 7 January 2018 awards of 2 privacy and not to exacerbate their trauma through Request from family of an individual who recently compensation were requests for comment. died to respect their privacy and not to exacerbate 10 0% made* of awards were concluded within 3 months* grief of the family by using any images from social media without their consent. 2 requests for arbitration were refused 4. IMPRESS-initiated investigations

*includes 1 request made in the previous year. If IMPRESS becomes aware of a serious or systemic breach of the Standards Code or internal governance requirements, then we have powers to investigate a matter under our own initiative. 2 IMPRESS-initiated investigations concluded During the year ended 31 March 2018, IMPRESS undertook Published arbitration awards (in the year ended 31 March 2018) two preliminary investigations on its own initiative neither of which resulted in there being a case to answer. 120/2018 Jonny Gould and Evolve Media Limited 048/2017 Dennis Rice and Byline Media Holdings Arbitrator: Ian Ridd Limited Date arbitrator appointed: 2 March 2018 Arbitrator: Clive Thorne Date of award: 14 May 2018 Date arbitrator appointed: 3 April 2017 Completed investigations (in the year ended 31 March 2018) Claim: Defamation Date of award: 6 July 2017 Outcome: Claim for defamation upheld Claim: Defamation, malicious falsehood, harassment 140/2018 IMPRESS and a regulated publisher 124/2018 IMPRESS and regulated publisher Award: £900 damages and £800 costs awarded to Outcome: Claim for defamation partially upheld. Publication: Undisclosed (rejected at assessment) Publication: Undisclosed (rejected at assessment) the claimant. Order to publish a full apology on Other claims withdrawn by consent. Date of complaint: 29/03/2018 Date of complaint: 06/02/2018 its website and a retraction and a full apology on Award: £2,500 damages awarded to the claimant. Date of assessment: 06/04/2018 Date of assessment: 14/03/2018 Twitter, in a form to be agreed by the parties, or in Order not to republish the information or statement Relevant clauses: Harassment 5.1 Relevant clauses: IMPRESS-initiated investigation default of agreement, to be settled by the arbitrator. contained in the defamatory tweet. Outcome: Conduct did not meet the threshold for into serious breach of internal governance standards harassment. No case to answer following preliminary following information provided by a whistleblower investigation. journalist Outcome: No case to answer following preliminary investigation. IMPRESS Annual Report 2017–18

19 20 IMPRESS Annual Report 2017–18

Table. Complaint volumes of IMPRESS regulated publishers (per publication) in the year ended 31 March 2018.

Publisher Publication(s) Regulated Complaints Articles Complainants Complaints Articles Complaints Complaints from made to complained contacting escalated to complained upheld by dismissed by publisher about to IMPRESS IMPRESS about IMPRESS IMPRESS publisher escalated to IMPRESS Arkbound Ltd Arkbound 09/07/2016 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Boundless 07/09/2016 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Vocalise (Ashley Magazine) 07/09/2016 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 As Perceived As Perceived Online 03/03/2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 As Perceived Quarterly 03/03/2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 BellingCat BellingCat 15/05/2017 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 Bideford Buzz Bideford Buzz – Newspaper 12/01/2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Bideford Buzz – Online 12/01/2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Bristol 24/7 Bristol 24/7 24/05/2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Bristol24/7 Magazine 24/05/2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Brixton Media Limited Brixton Blog 19/10/2016 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Brixton Bugle 19/10/2016 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Byline Media Holdings Limited Byline 14/09/2016 29 7 7 4 4 1 3 Caerphilly Media Ltd* Caerphilly Observer 14/07/2016 n/a* n/a* 1 1 1 0 1 Canary Media Limited The Canary 21/08/2017 29 24 58 3 2 2 0 Common Space Common Space 03/03/2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Cornish Stuff CornishStuff.com 05/01/2018 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Crossing The Borders Brexit Standard 14/03/2018 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Brexit Standard (Print) 14/03/2018 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Derby News Derby News 03/07/2017 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 Descrier Limited The Descrier 20/09/2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 DeSmog UK Limited DeSmog UK 21/02/2018 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Emerging Europe Ltd Emerging Europe 17/10/2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Emerging Europe (Quarterly Print) 17/10/2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Entwo Ltd entwo.org 02/11/2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Evolve Media LTD Evolve Politics 23/11/2017 4 4 7 0 0 0 0 Hastings Online Times Hastings Online Times 16/06/2017 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Hyperlocal News Ltd Your Harlow 28/02/2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Your Thurrock 28/02/2017 1 1 2 1 1 0 1 Inside Moray Inside Moray 29/11/2016 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Iraq Business News Ltd Iran Business News 20/02/2018 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Iraq Business News 20/02/2018 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Libya Business News 20/02/2018 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 IW Publications (The Irish World) The Irish World (Online) 28/08/2017 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 The Irish World (Printed Edition) 28/08/2017 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 JNPAQUET Media Ltd Politics Means Politics 05/03/2018 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Keynsham & Saltford Times Ltd The Week In – Newspaper (NE Somerset & East Bristol) 31/10/2016 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 The Week In – Online (NE Somerset and E Bristol) 31/10/2016 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Llanelli Online Llanelli Online 15/08/2017 4 4 4 3 3 0 3 Local Communications Ltd Stalybridge Correspondent (Online) 29/09/2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Stalybridge Correspondent (Print) 29/09/2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Mossley Correspondent (Online) 03/07/2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Mossley Correspondent (Print) 03/07/2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Saddleworth Independent (Online) 03/07/2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Saddleworth Independent (Print) 03/07/2017 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 Shaw and Crompton Correspondent (Online) 19/10/2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Shaw and Crompton Correspondent (Print) 19/10/2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 London West End Television Ltd The Z Review 08/06/2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Make Some Noise Communications Ltd (Gedling Eye) Gedling Eye 15/07/2016 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 IMPRESS Annual Report 2017–18

21 23

New Internationalist Online 11/08/2016 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 IMPRESS Annual Report 2017–18 NVM Newspaper Associated Ltd Nantlle Gazette 02/02/2018 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 On The Wight On the Wight News 28/04/2017 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Opus Independents Ltd Now Then (Sheffield print edition) 03/08/2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Now Then Magazine (Manchester) 03/08/2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Now Then Magazine (Sheffield) 03/08/2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 PBT Media Relations (Southport Reporter) Formby Reporter 09/06/2016 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Liverpool Reporter 09/06/2016 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Mersey Reporter 09/06/2016 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Southport Reporter 09/06/2016 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Post Newspapers Ltd Bognor Regis Post Newspapers (online) 18/12/2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Bognor Regis Post Newspapers (print) 18/12/2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Chichester Post Newspapers (online) 18/12/2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Chichester Post Newspapers (print) 18/12/2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Ragged Trouser Productions Limited Cornwall Reports 21/07/2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Ramsey and Warboys Reporter* Ramsey and Warboys Reporter 01/02/2017 n/a* n/a* 0 0 0 0 0 Sara-Int Ltf Cooltura (Printed) 22/03/2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Cooltura 24 22/03/2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 elondyn.co.uk 22/03/2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Polskie Radio Londyn 22/03/2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Shetland News Online Ltd Shetland News 19/10/2016 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Shropshire Live LLP Shropshire Live 03/06/2016 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Small City, Big Personality Small City 05/01/2018 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Small City, Big Personality 05/01/2018 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 South Molton & District News South Molton & District News 05/09/2016 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Star & Crescent Community Media CIC Star & Crescent 15/02/2018 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Stonebow Media Limited Lincolnshire Business 13/07/2016 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Lincolnshire Reporter 13/07/2016 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 The Lincolnite 13/07/2016 2 2 3 0 0 0 0 The Ferret Media Ltd The Ferret 16/06/2016 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 The Guildford Dragon The Guildford Dragon NEWS 02/12/2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 The Lochside Press The Lochside Press 03/11/2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 The SKWAWKBOX The Skwawkbox 01/10/2017 7 7 9 6 6 3 3 union-news.co.uk union-news.co.uk 18/12/2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 VIEW/digital View Magazine 01/06/2016 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 VIEW/digital 01/06/2016 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Wendover News Ltd Wendover News 28/06/2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Wendover News (Printed) 28/06/2017 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 West Leeds Dispatch West Leeds Dispatch 13/03/2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 WF WellComm CIC (Waltham Forest Echo) Waltham Forest Echo – Online 14/07/2016 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Waltham Forest Echo – Print Edition 14/07/2016 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 XN Media Ltd The Wokingham Paper 20/03/2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Wokingham Today 20/03/2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 TOTAL 85 58 95 18 17 6 11 * Publisher ceased to be regulated by IMPRESS during period

22 IMPRESS Annual Report 2017–18 IMPRESS Annual Report 2017–18 25

Máire Messenger Davies (Board member) is Emerita Professor of Media Studies at Ulster University. After working as a journalist on UK regional newspapers and magazines, she gained a Board psychology PhD studying how people learn from television. She has taught in media schools in Boston, Cardiff & London and has conducted research with Ofcom, IBA, Broadcasting Standards Commission, BBC and DCMS. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and has served on the boards of the Children’s Media Foundation and the Voice of the Listener and Viewer. She is author of several books, including Television is Good for Your Kids. IMPRESS is governed by a board with a wide range of skills and experience. The chair and board members of IMPRESS are appointed by our independent David Robinson (Treasurer and senior independent board member) is non-executive Director Appointment Panel. They meet regularly, listen to all complaints escalated to the and Audit Committee Chair of Forester Life (UK), lay member of the Investigations Committee of the Chartered Accountants of Scotland and a Trustee of charity, ‘Changing the Chemistry’. He is the board and provide an adjudication on these. The board has ultimate responsibility former chair of insurer Engage Mutual, former governor and Audit &Risk Committee Chair of Heriot- for IMPRESS’s strategic planning, and oversees the delivery of this strategy in Watt University, Edinburgh and former Chair of the start-up charity ‘Smalls for All’. An actuary, he dialogue with the CEO and the executive team. was the founder and former CEO of life insurer Bright Grey and previously UK Marketing Director of insurer Scottish Provident.

Walter Merricks CBE (Chair) was the first Chief Ombudsman of the Financial Ombudsman Service, is President of the British Board of Film Classification, the with responsibility for an organisation of 1,500 staff and a £90m budget. He has just completed a Patrick Swaffer (Board member) independent non-statutory body which provides trusted classification for film and video. He also six-year term as a member of the board of the Gambling Commission and has been involved in sits as a recorder in the Crown Court and is a partner in Media Compliance Services. He was for dispute resolution and regulation in the fields of legal services, healthcare, insurance, energy and more than 30 years a solicitor with the firm Goodman Derrick, specialising in media law and intellectual property, among others. He has also worked as a legal journalist and academic. working principally with broadcasters and book publishers. He frequently advised such clients when disputes arose regarding contentious material both prior to and after publication. Deborah Arnott (Board member) is Chief Executive of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), which has a reputation as one of the UK’s most effective campaigning charities. She was awarded has exceptional senior experience of broadcast journalism the Alwyn Smith prize by the Faculty of Public Health for her role in getting the ban on smoking Andrea Wills (Board member) regulation, standard-setting, and investigating serious editorial failings both in the UK and Australia. in public places. After gaining an MBA from Cranfield and working in print and TV journalism she She was Independent Editorial Adviser to the BBC Trust until its closure in April, investigating over set up and ran the Financial Service Authority’s consumer education function. As a producer and 60 complaints about BBC content over 10 years. She began her career as a radio journalist and programme editor in current affairs and documentaries she developed and ran a wide range of news editor and then executive producer of television programmes, before serving for 7 years as programmes for ITV and Channel 4. the BBC’s Chief Adviser, Editorial Policy. In Australia she worked for the ABC in Sydney, conducting independent reviews of broadcast content, developing editorial and media ethics standards, and Iain Christie (Board member) is a mediator, facilitator and actor with a background as a barrister training senior journalists. in human rights and media law. After 17 years at the media and entertainment law chambers 5RB, he is now an Associate Member of 4–5 Gray’s Inn Square, having previously served as a legal adviser in HM Diplomatic Service. Iain is joint Consultant Editor of Tugendhat and Christie: The Law of Privacy and the Media and Secretary of the Civil Mediation Council. Code Committee Martin Hickman (Board member) is a journalist and publisher who is passionate about press freedom and ethics. He is managing director of publishing house Canbury Press, which specialises Máire Messenger Davies (Chair) Jonathan Heawood Gavin Phillipson in contemporary non-fiction books. In a 20-year career in local and national news, he worked as a Iain Christie Martin Hickman Andrea Wills reporter or editor for the Press Association, Reuters, and The Independent, where he was deputy Jonathan Collett Emma Jones Paul Wragg news editor. In 2012, he co-authored a best-selling book about the phone hacking scandal, Dial M Mary Fitzgerald Walter Merricks CBE Lorna Woods for Murdoch.

Emma Jones (Board member) is a writer and journalist. She is a regular columnist and reporter and interviewer for The New European. Emma is a former editor of Smash Hits magazine. As Appointment Panel a news and showbusiness reporter, she worked for the Sunday Mirror, Mail on Sunday and the Sun (youngest Fleet St. columnist and Bizarre Deputy Editor.) Her television work includes live Caroline Instance (Chair) Tom Murdoch Aidan White presenting for Channel Four and ITV. Emma is Deputy Chair of Governors at Tidemill Academy, in Chris Kenny David Robinson Deptford, S.E London. Walter Merricks CBE Damian Tambini

David Leigh (Board member) is Anthony Sampson Professor of Reporting at City, University of London. Until he retired from the paper in 2013, he was investigations editor at the Guardian for 13 years. In a journalism career spanning over 40 years he also worked for The Observer, The Times, The Scotsman, Granada TV, Thames TV and the Washington Post. He has won numerous journalism Finance & Audit Committee awards including Investigation of the Year 2015 (British Journalism Awards), Lifetime Achievement Award 2013, Global Investigative Journalism Network, and awards at the British Press Awards in David Robinson (Chair) Richard Fass Walter Merricks CBE 1979,1996 and 1997. He is the author of numerous books building on his investigative reports. Deborah Arnott James Flint IMPRESS Annual Report 2017–18

24 IMPRESS Annual report 2017–18 27

Staff

Jonathan Heawood (Chief Executive Officer) began his career as a journalist at the Observer and went on to spend seven years as Director of English PEN, where he campaigned successfully for the universal human right to freedom of expression. He co-founded the Libel Reform Campaign, which was shortlisted for a Liberty Human Rights Award, and sat on the Ministry of Justice Working Group on Libel Reform. He has also given evidence to several Parliamentary select committees. “ Small-scale news “ I am delighted that “ We welcomed the Jonathan has written for a wide range of newspapers and magazines, including the Telegraph, production can be after almost a decade opportunity to be Independent, Guardian, London Review of Books, Prospect and New Statesman, and has vulnerable to attempts running an independent regulated by IMPRESS contributed articles to academic journals including Critical Quarterly, Ethical Space, the Journal of to stifle news coverage digital news organisation, because it helps restore Media Law and Communications Law. In 2011, Jonathan was included in the Guardian’s list of the through threats of legal we will finally have an trust in journalism. 100 most influential people in the world of publishing. He is currently a visiting research fellow at action. Anything that can independent body to be Informed journalism is the University of East Anglia and a Trustee of the Stephen Spender Trust. Until 2017, he was vice- chair of Governors at a federation of primary schools in West London. help tackle that bullying a part of, looking after content with veracity. has to be welcomed for a our interests as well as Regulation puts a seal free press.” arbitration any issues on the trustworthiness Ed Procter (Chief Operating Officer) is the former Chief Executive of Sport Resolutions, which over a nine-year period he established to become the premier independent arbiter of sport Simon Perry, Editor of we might run into as a of the information disputes in the United Kingdom. He is editor of the Sport Arbitration Handbook. Before that he OnTheWight growing publisher.” presented.” led the delivery of legal aid in the South East in his role as Regional Director of the Legal Services Daniel Ionescu, Una Murphy, Publisher Commission and was Head of Monitoring at Sport England. He is a regulatory and compliance Publisher of of VIEWDigital professional who has also worked in the criminal justice system, advertising and newspaper The Lincolnite & industries. Lincolnshire Reporter

Business Manager & Company Secretary: Lee Hall Business Development Manager: Konsta Saastamoinen Complaints and Investigations Manager: Lexie Kirkconnell-Kawana Complaints Executive: Sonia Giga Communications Executive: Clara Aguirre

IMPRESS has also been supported in the course of the year by a number of employees and consultants, including Jazz Berry, Laura Brown, Fiona Davies Coleman, Chris Elliott, Rachel Knight, Brigit Morris and Busayo Ogundare. IMPRESS Annual Report 2017–18

27 26 IMPRESS Annual Report 2017–18 28 IMPRESS Annual Report 2017–18

Regulated publications (as of 31 August 2018)

• 5Pillars (Regulated from • Connect Jersey (Regulated from • Libya Business News (Regulated • Saddleworth Independent • The Canary (Regulated from • union-news.co.uk (Regulated 05/04/2018) 30/04/2018) from 20/02/2018) (online) (Regulated from 21/08/2017) from 18/12/2017) • Arkbound (Regulated from • Cooltura (Printed) (Regulated • Lincolnshire Reporter (Regulated 03/07/2017) • The Descrier (Regulated from • View Magazine (Regulated from 09/07/2016) from 22/03/2017) from 13/07/2016) • Saddleworth Independent (Print) 20/09/2017) 01/06/2016) • As Perceived Online (Regulated • Cooltura 24 (Regulated from • Liverpool Reporter (Regulated (Regulated from 03/07/2017) • The Ferret (Regulated from • VIEW/digital (Regulated from from 03/03/2017) 22/03/2017) from 09/06/2016) • Shaw and Crompton 16/06/2016) 01/06/2016) • As Perceived Quarterly • CornishStuff.com (Regulated • Llanelli Online (Regulated from Correspondent (Online) • The Gosport Globe (Regulated • Vocalise (Ashley Magazine) (Regulated from 03/03/2017) from 05/01/2018) 15/08/2017) (Regulated from 19/10/2017) from 21/07/2017) (Regulated from 07/09/2016) • Asian Lite (online) (Regulated • Cornwall Reports (Regulated • Mersey Reporter (Regulated from • Shaw and Crompton • The Guildford Dragon NEWS • Waltham Forest Echo – Online from 10/05/2018) from 21/07/2017) 09/06/2016) Correspondent (Print) (Regulated (Regulated from 02/12/2017) (Regulated from 14/07/2016) • Asian Lite newspaper (Regulated • Derby News (Regulated from • Mossley Correspondent (online) from 19/10/2017) • The Irish World (Online) • Waltham Forest Echo – Print from 10/05/2018) 03/07/2017) (Regulated from 03/07/2017) • Shetland News (Regulated from (Regulated from 28/08/2017) Edition (Regulated from 14/07/2016) • BellingCat (Regulated from • DeSmog UK (Regulated from • Mossley Correspondent (Print) 19/10/2016) • The Irish World (Printed Edition) 15/05/2017) 21/02/2018) (Regulated from 03/07/2017) • Shropshire Live (Regulated from (Regulated from 28/08/2017) • Wendover News (Regulated from 28/06/2017) • Bideford Buzz – Online • Emerging Europe (Regulated • My Turriff (Regulated from 03/06/2016) • The Lincolnite (Regulated from (Regulated from 12/01/2017) from 17/10/2017) 15/07/2016) • Small City (Regulated from 13/07/2016) • Wendover News (Printed) (Regulated from 28/06/2017) • Bognor Regis Post Newspapers • Emerging Europe (Quarterly • Nailed (Regulated from 05/01/2018) • The Lochside Press (Regulated (online) (Regulated from Print) (Regulated from 22/09/2017) • Small City, Big Personality from 03/11/2017) • West Leeds Dispatch (Regulated 18/12/2017) 17/10/2017) • Nantlle Gazette (Regulated from (Regulated from 05/01/2018) • The Skwawkbox (Regulated from from 13/03/2017) • Bognor Regis Post Newspapers • entwo.org (Regulated from 02/02/2018) • South Molton & District News 01/10/2017) • Wokingham Today (Regulated (print) (Regulated from 02/11/2017) • Network Norwich & Norfolk (Regulated from 05/09/2016) • The Week In – Newspaper from 20/03/2017) 18/12/2017) • Evolve Politics (Regulated from (Regulated from 02/03/2018) • Southport Reporter (Regulated (NE Somerset & East Bristol) • Your Harlow (Regulated from • Boundless (Regulated from 23/11/2017) • New Internationalist Magazine from 09/06/2016) (Regulated from 31/10/2016) 28/02/2017) 07/09/2016) • Express Guernsey (Regulated (Regulated from 11/08/2016) • Stalybridge Correspondent • The Week In – Online (NE • Your Thurrock (Regulated from • Brexit Standard (Regulated from from 30/04/2018) • New Internationalist Online (Online) (Regulated from Somerset and E Bristol) 28/02/2017) (Regulated from 31/10/2016) 14/03/2018) • Express Jersey (Regulated from (Regulated from 11/08/2016) 29/09/2017) • Brexit Standard (Print) (Regulated 30/04/2018) • Now Then (Sheffield print edition) • Stalybridge Correspondent (Print) • The Wokingham Paper (Regulated from 20/03/2017) from 14/03/2018) • Feed Me News (Regulated from (Regulated from 03/08/2017) (Regulated from 29/09/2017) • Bristol 24/7 (Regulated from 14/08/2018) • Now Then Magazine (Manchester) • Star & Crescent (Regulated from • The Z Review (Regulated from 08/06/2017) 24/05/2017) • Formby Reporter (Regulated (Regulated from 03/08/2017) 15/02/2018) • Bristol24/7 Magazine (Regulated from 09/06/2016) • Now Then Magazine (Sheffield) from 24/05/2017) • Gedling Eye (Regulated from (Regulated from 03/08/2017) • Brixton Blog (Regulated from 15/07/2016) • On the Wight News (Regulated 19/10/2016) • Good News for Norwich & Norfolk from 28/04/2017) • Brixton Bugle (Regulated from (Regulated from 02/03/2018) • Planet Extra (Regulated from 19/10/2016) • Hastings Online Times (Regulated 29/06/2018) (Regulated from • Byline (Regulated from from 16/06/2017) 29/06/2018) 14/09/2016) • indx.media (Regulated from • Planet: the Welsh Internationalist • Chichester Post Newspapers 01/05/2018) (online) (Regulated from 29/06/2018) (online) (Regulated from • Inside Moray (Regulated from 18/12/2017) 29/11/2016) • Planet: the Welsh Internationalist (print) (Regulated from • Chichester Post Newspapers • Iran Business News (Regulated 29/06/2018) (print) (Regulated from from 20/02/2018) • Politics Means Politics (Regulated 18/12/2017) • Iraq Business News (Regulated from 05/03/2018) • Climate Home News (Regulated from 20/02/2018) • Polskie Radio Londyn (Regulated from 20/04/2018) • Isle of Wight Observer (online) from 22/03/2017) • Common Space (Regulated from (Regulated from 24/07/2018) • RightsInfo (Regulated from 03/03/2017) • Isle of Wight Observer (print) 30/04/2018) • Connect Guernsey (Regulated (Regulated from 24/07/2018) from 30/04/2018) IMPRESS Annual Report 2017–18

29 The Independent Monitor for the Press

IMPRESS, 16–18 New Bridge Street, London, EC4V 6AG T 020 3325 4288 E [email protected] W impress.press  @impressproject  /impress-press