STATISTICS AND REVIEW OF THE YEAR

Our complainants

The PCC received 3,033 complaints in 2001 - 36% up on the previous year, and higher even than the previous record year of 1996. The recent trend in the number of complaints received is set out in Table 1. The Commission interprets this increase not necessarily as a sign of falling journalistic standards - but far more likely one of the increasing visibility of the Commission. Events to mark the 10th Anniversary of the PCC, and a number of very high profile complaints, ensured that the PCC was seldom out of the news.

Contrary to popular but ill-founded misconceptions, very few of those complaints came from public figures or organisations. In fact, as Table 2 demonstrates, 2,765 of the complaints - or 90%, the vast majority - were from ordinary people temporarily caught in the spotlight of media attention. Only 86 complaints, or 3% of the total, were from famous or (occasionally) infamous people in the national public eye, with the remaining 7% being from organisations. The Commission's procedures in dealing with all complaints - no matter who they are from - are identical in their transparency and openness.

The publications complained about

Of the total number of complaints received, 56% were about national daily and Sunday newspapers. This was a slightly higher proportion than in previous years - and is substantially accounted for by a significant increase in complaints against national newspapers under Clause 13 (Discrimination) of the Code of Practice following the appalling events of September 11th 2001.

As Table 3 illustrates, just over a quarter of complaints were about regional and local newspapers in England and Wales, 7% were about publications special to Scotland, 4% were about magazines and periodicals and the remaining 7% about publications special to Northern Ireland and to agencies.

Complaints and the Code of Practice

Although the number of complaints increased substantially in 2001, the clear majority - 58% - continued to be about accuracy in reporting. As Table 4 shows, a quarter of all complaints were brought about by some aspect of personal privacy under different Clauses of the Code (including children, intrusion into grief and the use of telephoto lenses). The trend in the increase in discrimination complaints continued - especially with the high proÞle of reporting both about asylum and immigration matters, and in the wake of September 11th - with some 13% of complaints being brought under Clause 13 of the Code.

An interesting trend in privacy complaints is that they are proportionately higher among regional and local newspapers, and publications in Scotland, than among national newspapers. As Table 5 shows, while 56% of all complaints were about national newspapers, only 47% of privacy complaints were about them. Similarly, while only 33% of all complaints were about regional and local newspapers in England and Wales, and publications in Scotland and Northern Ireland, they accounted for 46% of privacy complaints. This underlines the importance with which many complainants view their local or regional newspaper - and is not necessarily a reflection on journalistic standards: few of these complaints establish a breach of the Code.

The outcome of the complaints

The Commission's principal task in every complaint it receives is to seek an amicable resolution. This is in the interests of swift, and effective, justice. In that aim, we again achieved very signiÞcant success in 2001 - with a record number of complaints where there was a prima facie breach of the Code being resolved, and in record time.

One third of the complaints received proved to be outside the Commission's remit. This included complaints made by third parties, matters of taste and decency, legal matters and a small number disallowed for unjustifiable delay.

Following investigation, in 30% of the complaints no breach of the Code was established, or no further action was required by the Commission after an appropriate offer by an editor to remedy any possible breach.

The Commission issued a full adjudication on 41 complaints - upholding 19 and rejecting 22. Table 6 sets out the results of those adjudications (and the types of publication concerned) along with the numbers resolved directly, or not pursued by complainants following an explanation from the publication concerned or a letter or email from the PCC.

Dealing with harassment

The Commission has long been concerned about the position of individuals who Þnd themselves caught up temporarily in the eye of the media, and at the centre of the so-called "media scrum". This is one of the issues on which the Code is most rigorous in its requirements - and the PCC's procedures to deal with such harassment are swift and highly effective.

The Commission took the opportunity presented by a complaint from the parents of one such person - a girl who was not in the public eye temporarily caught up in a major news story - to issue guidance to individuals who Þnd themselves the subject of media harassment. The guidance was published on the PCC's website and includes practical advice on how to deal with the matter, and how the PCC can help.

Financial journalism: raising standards even further

The Commission adjudicated on a number of complaints about share tipping on a national newspaper in May 2000 (see Annual Review 2000, p.12). Building on that adjudication, and following discussions with the Government and the Financial Services Authority about the implementation of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, the Commission published a "Best Practice" note to supplement the terms of Clause 14 (Financial Journalism) of the Code of Practice. This note covers areas including the internal and external disclosure of shareholdings, guidance on the type of transactions covered by the Code and definitions of a number of terms contained in the Code.

"Naming and shaming"

Following controversy in 2000 about the campaign by one national newspaper to "name and shame" paedophiles (see Annual Review 2000, p.13), the Commission consulted widely with a number of interested parties to see whether any fresh guidance from the PCC was necessary on this issue. The Association of Chief Officers of Probation (ACOP) and the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) made speciÞc representations to the Commission, along with the Society of Editors and others. As a result of that consultation, the PCC issued a short guidance note in 2001 - available on the Commission's website - outlining some of the principles involved in such campaigns and highlighting the main areas of the Code involved.

Mental health

The Commission has been involved over a number of years in seeking to raise standards of reporting in the coverage of issues relating to mental health and of persons suffering from it. It took a specific initiative in 1997 to issue guidelines in this area (see Annual Review 1997, p12) - and has used a number of adjudications to remind editors of the importance of accuracy in reporting on such matters.

The Commission was therefore very pleased that the mental health charity MIND, in presenting its awards for media coverage last year, was able to point to a "gradual improvement in media reporting of mental health issues" in the last few years. The PCC is delighted to have played some part in that improvement, and will continue to work with MIND and others involved in the care of people with mental illness to raise yet further what are already increasingly high standards of reporting.

Asylum and refugee issues

Issues relating to the coverage of refugees and asylum seekers were very much to the fore in 2001 - leading to a rise, as reported on page 7, in the number of complaints under Clause 13 (Discrimination) of the Code. The Commission took the opportunity of one such complaint about a regional newspaper to remind editors of the crucial importance of accurate reporting, and of the obligation to do nothing to incite violence. The adjudication said: "editors must make sure that material is accurate and that comment is distinguished as such; that there is no discrimination on the grounds of race or religion against a named individual; and that when disputes of fact do arise a fair opportunity to reply is given" (Report 56).

In view of the importance of this issue, the Commission has also undertaken a substantial amount of work with groups involved in the care of refugees and asylum seekers to explain the work of the Commission and how individuals can complain about inaccurate or discriminatory treatment. Commission staff have spoken at a number of "Refugees, Asylum Seekers and the Mass Media" Conferences, to regional Refugee Councils and to some of the local authorities affected by these issues.

In the light of the events of September 11th, issues relating to discrimination were further highlighted. Again, the Commission has actively sought to make its services known to groups affected - for instance, by attending events such as the conference on Muslims and the Community organised by the Muslim Council of Britain.

The PCC will continue to liaise closely with all groups who may be affected by potential discrimination in reporting.

The protection of children

As in previous years, the privacy of children who become the focus of press attention Ð either by accident, or because of the position of their parents - has been a key part of the Commission's work to protect the vulnerable.

In a number of adjudications - notably with regard to a complaint received from the author JK Rowling about a magazine - the Commission has emphasised that the children of famous people are entitled to as much privacy as any other family. In that adjudication the Commission ruled that:

"[the] intrusion into a young child's private family holiday was unnecessary and in finding a breach of the Code the Commission wished to remind editors that publications should take particular care to seek full and proper consent when publishing pictures of children which might embarrass them, intrude into their privacy or damage their welfare in some other way" (Report 56).

But the children of ordinary families can be exposed to the same risks as the children of famous people - and the Commission reached an important adjudication in a case brought by Salusbury Primary School against an evening newspaper, involving both intrusion and subterfuge as well as the jigsaw identiÞcation of a child involved in a sex case. The Commission ruled that:

"The Code at its heart seeks to protect the vulnerable - and it is difficult to conceive of a potentially more vulnerable person than a sexually abused primary school child" (Report 54).

The Commission asked the editor concerned to review the application of the Code on his newspaper to ensure such multiple breaches of the Code did not recur.

Helping the vulnerable to use our service

Everyone - no matter who they are - is entitled to the protection of the Code, and as the adjudication in the case of Salusbury School made clear, the protection of the vulnerable is at the heart of the PCC's work. Throughout 2001 - as in previous years - Commissioners and members of staff undertook extensive programmes to make the service of the PCC, and the terms of the Code, better known among those who are, or who care for, vulnerable people. These included asylum seekers and refugees, and mental health organisations (as set out above), schools and hospitals, bereavement forums, work with prisoners and prison visitors, support groups for transsexuals, those involved with child sex abuse, and Gypsy groups. This work - which takes place away from the headlines, and is removed from the glamour associated with that very small proportion of the more famous people who complain to the PCC - is hugely important, and the Commission is committed to continuing and expanding this programme.

PCC On-line

The Commission overhauled its website - www.pcc.org.uk - in 2001, ensuring that it is simpler and more accessible. In addition, all new adjudications are now published on the Commission's website and interested parties notified of publication - along with other general news from the PCC - via e mail. All the Commission's adjudications since 1996 are contained on the site, along with a search engine to make it easy to find precedents on specific issues. The Commission is delighted that as a result of these initiatives there is more interest than ever in the site, which registered some 100,000 "hits" in 2001.

Training the next generation of journalists

Vital to the future of self regulation is the training of tomorrow's journalists. The PCC plays an increasingly active role in training journalists - and Commissioners and members of staff undertook over 20 lectures at training colleges and Universities in 2001. The Commission is very pleased that a working knowledge of the Code and of the PCC's procedures is part of the NCTJ exams, and will continue to do all it can to ensure that future journalists are well versed in the Code and the principles of self regulation.

Financial review

The key advantage of the PCC over any form of legal redress is that it costs nothing to complain. Similarly, it places no cost on the taxpayer - because the significant costs of maintaining self regulation are borne by the newspaper and magazine publishing industry, through the Press Standards Board of Finance (or Pressbof). This is a powerful symbol of the commitment of all publishers in supporting tough and effective self regulation and to the highest possible standards of newspaper reporting. The PCC's audited accounts for the year ended 31.12.2000 can be found in the hard copy of this report.