The PCC Code of Practice

The PCC Code of Practice or The Editor’s Code consists of 16 clauses:

1. Accuracy
2. Opportunity to reply
3. *Privacy
4. *Harassment
5. Intrusion into grief or shock
6. *Children
7. *Children in sex cases
8. *Hospitals
9. *Reporting of crime
10. *Clandestine devices and subterfuge
11. Victims of sexual assault
12. Discrimination
13. Financial journalism
14. Confidential sources
15. Witness payments in criminal trials
16. *Payment to criminals

Clauses marked * may be permitted if it is in the public interest to know.

Considerably more information about these clauses and the public interest can be found here.

Why is the PCC important?

The PCC believes that "in a democracy, the press should not be subject to stringent controls by law or by government” although the press should also remain unaccountable.

The PCC thinks of themselves as a mechanism which can right wrongs when people’s expectations of the press are gone against.

Their motto is made up of three words:

• Fast – dealing with complaints in ~35 days
• Free – doesn’t cost to use the service
• Fair – independent from the industry

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 2007, 1.5% of complaints came from public figures but 95.8% came from ordinary members of the public.

The Code provides special protection to particularly vulnerable groups such as:

• Children
• Hospital patients
• Those at risk of discrimination

The majority of complaints are about regional newspapers, perhaps because readers attach importance to papers which will be read by people in their locality.

What is the history of the PCC?

1953

The Press Council is set up with the aim of ‘maintaining high standards of journalism as well as protecting press freedom’

1980s

A number of publications fail to observer basic journalism ethics. Consequently, many MPs believe the Press Council to be weak and ineffective. Some politicians believe it would be better to have a government controlled regulatory authority to enforce legal punishments. A Departmental Committee was given the task “to consider what measures are needed to give further protection to individual privacy from the activities of the press and improve recourse against the press for the individual citizen”. The Committee recommended a new Press Complaints Commission for non-statutory regulation.

1991

The PCC is set up and replaces the Press Council. It continues to grow in respect and influence. It is clearly supported by the current Government.

2007

The House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee states that: "We do not believe that there is a case for a statutory regulator for the press, which would represent a very dangerous interference with the freedom of the press. We continue to believe that statutory regulation of the press is a hallmark of authoritarianism and risks undermining democracy. We recommend that self-regulation should be retained for the press, while recognising that it must be seen to be effective if calls for statutory intervention are to be resisted."

How is the PCC funded?

The PCC is funded through PressBof, the ‘Press Standards Board of Finance’. They are a board responsible for collecting money from newspapers and magazines in the UK.

The amount of money that a particular newspaper or magazine contributes is proportional to its readership. The larger a newspaper the more it has to pay.

Neither members of the public or the government pay for the PCC.

How does the press regulation system work?

The press regulation system is administered by the PCC. It is not a legal system and it is not run by the government.

It is a voluntary agreement by the press industry, allowing itself to be regulated by the independent PCC.

The Code of Practice is drawn up by a committee of editors due to their knowledge of the press industry and law. The PCC mostly consists of ‘lay’ members. Even the Chairman, Baroness Buscombe has no connection to the industry.

What does the PCC do?

The Press Complaints Commission deals with complaints about the editorial content of UK newspapers, magazines and related websites. They are a free and fast service for everyone, especially members of the public.

There are a body independent of the government so that we have a free press. The PCC administer a 16 clause Code of Practice which should be adhered to by journalists and editors. If the PCC receives a complaint about press, they investigate to see if the Code has been breached. If a problem is found, they mediate between the editor and complainant to resolve the dispute. Usually a correction, apology or clarification will be published.

If a problem remains unresolved, the PCC assesses all of the evidence and will issue a formal adjudication. This adjudication sets out the reasons why the complaint was either upheld or rejected; if it is upheld, the adjudication must be published in full.

Occasionally the PCC will decide that no other action is necessary if, for example:

• A correction is published
• The complainant receives an apologetic letter from the editor
• A follow-up letter from the complainant is published