Public to be offered a role on Press ethics committee

The newspaper industry will invite members of the public to take part in a review of the way papers are written in the wake of the Leveson Report.

The Editors’ Code of Practice Committee said it plans to review the journalists’ code in a series of new initiatives following Lord Justice Leveson’s recommendations for the reform of Press regulation.

Under the plans, five lay individuals will be appointed to the committee – which currently consists of 13 editors – including the chairman and director of the new Press regulator.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The code’s definition of public interest will be revised “with urgency”, the committee said, while a new “compliance clause” will be added.

This will state all editors must offer readers a “clear and effective” means of making complaints, and must publish corrections and apologies promptly, the committee said.

A full review of the code, as suggested by Lord Justice Leveson, will also encourage newspapers and magazines to urge their own readers to contribute.

It is hoped the proposals will “ensure high standards of journalism in a fast-changing 
media world”, the committee said.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Daily Mail editor Paul Dacre, chairman of the committee, said: “Lord Justice Leveson recognised in his report that the Editors’ Code was praised by witnesses to his inquiry. He also recommended improvements – and the committee is determined to meet this challenge as promptly and positively as possible.”

Lord Justice Leveson’s inquiry into Press ethics, prompted by the phone-hacking scandal, recommended a statutory body to oversee a beefed-up watchdog.

Prime Minister David Cameron is reluctant to take that step, warning it could pose a future threat to free speech, but has told the industry it must act fast to convince politicians and the public that it is not necessary.

Cross-party talks on Press regulation broke up this week with members no closer to an agreement, the key sticking point being the proposal for the watchdog to be backed up in law, but there were also differences over data protection reforms.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Newspaper and magazine publishers have written to Culture Secretary Maria Miller detailing their support for the “clear majority” of Lord Justice Leveson’s recommendations.

They said they were committed to establishing a new system of independent self-regulation, based on the principles set out by Mr Cameron, and that work was under way on a draft contract.

The principles to underpin the new regulator include independence of appointments and funding, a standards code, an arbitration service, a speedy complaint-handling mechanism and the power to demand up-front, prominent apologies and impose million-pound fines.

Lord Hunt, chairman of the Press Complaints Commission (PCC), is to act as a point of contact between publishers and the Government.

Related topics: