International report

Since 1999 - at a time when the so-called World Association of Press Councils was embarking on dangerous plans to establish some form of global ethical Code of Practice and trans-border complaints handling mechanisms (see Annual Review 1999, p.6 and Annual Review 2000, p.8) - the Commission has undertaken a carefully targeted programme of international work designed to guard against initiatives by any international body which would undermine self regulation and press freedom in the United Kingdom.

Last year's Review outlined the purpose and activities of the Alliance of Independent Press Councils of Europe (AIPCE) - a loose-knit grouping of independent, self-regulatory Press Councils throughout Europe. AIPCE has enjoyed increasing success - and, in the light of the palpable decay of the World Association of Press Councils (which now includes among its number almost entirely state run Press Councils, some working under the auspices of quasi-dictatorial governments) it has an important role to play in guarding against unwelcome international initiatives.

In October representatives of around 20 Press Councils from across the continent met in Dublin at the invitation of the National Newspapers of Ireland for the third Annual Conference of AIPCE. The two day Conference discussed a number of topics including: European Parliament attempts to prevent abuse of financial markets and the (unintended) effect that this might have on honest journalism; terrorism and the press; editorial compliance with self-regulatory Codes; and the establishment of self regulation in countries without any effective Press Council or PCC.

AThe then PCC Chairman, Lord Wakeham, addressing the meeting in Dublin, reminded those present that systems of self regulation are successful both in ensuring high standards of reporting and in protecting the vulnerable in society. He said:

"Editors know that in a legal system, few people - other than the rich and famous - would ever bother to challenge them. In a system of self-regulation - where complaining is free and easy - editors know that they must apply strict standards to stories about everyone, not just those with deep pockets. That is how standards are raised over time."

He emphasised the continuing significance of AIPCE in 'the fostering of relationships, co-operation in matters of mutual interest and importance, and the deployment of help and advice and experience to those who are seeking to traverse the paths we have all trodden.'

The PCC and other AIPCE members were most grateful to National Newspapers of Ireland for their hospitality. The Commission is delighted that changes in the Irish legal regime, with its onerous burden on newspapers and magazines, now seem to be imminent and to preface the setting up of a PCC in Ireland.

Members of the Commission and its staff have continued to be closely involved in the development of the Bosnian Press Council. At the Council's invitation, and under the auspices of the High Representative, former PCC Chairman Lord Wakeham accepted the post of International Chairman in 2000. Professor Pinker has now agreed to fulfil this role for the next two years. The Council has had two full meetings and has made its first adjudications on complaints.

As in previous years, the Commission has continued to work closely with the Commonwealth Press Union (CPU) in seeking to promote press freedom and the establishment of independent Press Councils in the Commonwealth. In particular, the Commission has been deeply involved with an ambitious global programme run by the CPU, and funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, to help promote - through advice and guidance - self regulation and press freedom throughout the Commonwealth. A number of PCC representatives, including Lord Wakeham and Professor Pinker, as well as Ian Beales (Consultant to the Code Committee) have attended seminars, which have already taken place in Southern Africa, the Caribbean, Sri Lanka (covering South and South East Asia), Australia (covering Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, New Guinea and several other Pacific countries) and West Africa. The results of these Conferences - none of the costs of which have been borne by the PCC - have been extremely encouraging.

Addressing the seminar in Sri Lanka - where substantial progress has been made in establishing a new PCC - Professor Robert Pinker underlined the purposes of the PCC's role in this area:

"As press self-regulatory systems develop across the CommonwealthÉinstitutional arrangements will take different forms in response to the needs of different countries and their distinctive political and legal cultures. Whatever the difference in their constitutions and procedures, independent Press Councils serve two main purposes. They protect press freedoms and they protect citizens from abuses of those freedoms by the press, while giving due regard to those matters which affect the public interest. And the more press freedom, with its consequent need for self regulation, across the Commonwealth the better for us all" (Colombo, 21st February 2002).

The PCC continues to maintain close links with academics - among whom we note a debt of continuing gratitude for his encyclopaedic knowledge and wise counsel to Professor Claude-Jean Bertrand - and other organisations involved in this important area of work, including the World Press Freedom Committee, the International Press Institute and the European Newspaper Publishers Association. In 2001, important bilateral meetings were also held with the media regulatory bodies in Catalonia and with the Ordine Dei Giornalisti in Italy.

Participating organisations

Austrian Press Council

Belgian Journalists' Union

Bosnian Press Council

Catalan Press Council

Cypriot Journalists' Code of Conduct Committee

Danish Press Council

Dutch Press Council

Estonian Press Council

Finnish Press Council

German Press Council

Greek Union of Periodical Press Journalists

Hungarian Association of Journalists

Icelandic Journalists' Code of Conduct Committee

National Newspapers of Ireland

Italian National Order of Journalists

Committee of Ethics of Lithuanian Journalists and Publishers

Luxembourg Press Council

Malta Press Club

Norwegian Press Complaints Commission

Association of Journalists of the Polish Republic

Slovene Journalists' Society

Swedish Ombudsman

Swiss Press Council

Syndicat of Journalists of the Czech Republic

UK Press Complaints Commission