The PCC- Press Complaints Commision

What does the PCC do?

• Press Complaints Commision (PCC) = an independant body which deals with complaints about the editorial content of newspapers and magazines in the UK, and their websites.
• Administers a 16 clause Code of Practice- acts as 'rules' to which editors and journalists must adhere to.
• PCC investigates complaints from people who believe that the Code has been broken- either in a published article or in the way a journalist obtained material.
• Where there is a problem- PCC acts as mediator to help the editor and the complainant agree on a way to resolved the dispute- For example: apolgy, correction
• If the problem cannot be settled in this way- the commision will assess the evidence from both sides in the dispute and will issue a formal judgement on the complaint
• If commision upholds complaint- newspaper or magazine in question must publish the PCC's critical adjudication in full in a prominent place in the newsapaper
• Sometimes PCC will consider during the course of its investigation if publication offers a remedial action and does not need further action
• This could include : publishing a correction, writing a priavte letter, or follow up letter- varies according to the circumstances

How does the system work?

• The system of regulation administered by the PCC is not a legal one.
• It is also NOT run by government
• It is based on a voluntary agreement by the newspaper and magazine industry to allow itself to be regulated by and independant body
• Code of Practice is drawn up by a comitee of editiors- the commission itself has a clear majority of public members
• 10 OF THE 17 COMMISSIONERS - including chairman -HAVE NO CONNECTION TO NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES.
• None of the PCC's staff are connected to the industry either.

What does the Code of Practice cover?

• Code of Practice- has 16 sections and covers 4 main areas:

Accuracy
Privacy
News gathering
Protecting the vunerable

• An editor is expected to take responsibility for all the stories and photographs that appear in his or her publication and to ensure that they comply with the Code
• Sometimes editor defends his publication by- being in the 'public interest'
• Code sets out circumstances in which an editor may mount such a defence
• Code does not cover issues of taste and decency
• PCC recognises that in a democratic society, newspapers must have the freedom to choose the style in which they publish material
• Commission understands- also down to peoples choice- they know which newspaper fits there taste.
• Billboards for example are public so rules on taste may be appropriate

How is the PCC funded?

• Funded through a body called the Press Standards Board of Fianance which is responsible for collecting money from newspapers and magazines in the UK.
• The press has agreed that each newspaper or magazine should contribute an amount in proportion to the number of people who buy it and read it.
• So a large newspaper such as 'the sun' will have to pay much more money than a small, local paper like the Enfield Advertiser
• Members of the public do not have to pay for the service either directly or indirectly through their taxes
• The PCC does not recieve any money from government

What is the history of the PCC?

• PCC set up in 1991
• It replaced the Press Council which had been set up in 1953
• 1980's- small number of publications failed to observe the basic ethics of journalism and this led many MPs to lose confidence in the Press Council
• Politicians- wanted to introduce new regulatory authority which would come under goevernment control and have legal punishments
• The report that followed did not recommend new statutory controls but proposed a new Press Complaints Commission
• National and regional editors set up - code of practice made- press standard board of finance was set up to organise funding.
• 2007- House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Select Comittee made an important statement of principle in support of self regulation.

Who complains to the PCC and what do they complain about?

• The PCC accepts complaints from anyone who believes an article involving them breaches the Code in some way.
• Celebs use PCC- E.g Kate Moss, Ms Dynamite
• Most complaints ordinary people
• 2007- 1.5% of complaints came from celebs but 95.8% came from ordinary members of the public
• The code provides special protection to particularly vunerable groups of people - e.g. children, hospital patients and those at risk of discrimination
• Majority of complaints to commission are about Regional newspapers

Why is the PCC important?

• In a democracy, the press should not be subject to stringent controls by law or by government
• The PCC, being an independant, voluntary organisation, projects against this possibility simply by its existence
• Being free does not mean the press should not be accountable- needs balance
• Needs expectations of what people can expect from press and which wrong can be righted
• PCC commited to protecting the public  by ensuring when rules are broken they are put right
• It is fast (35 days) free and is fair