Ensuring our service is well known

While a quick and efficient complaints handling system is one cornerstone of an effective regulatory system, another is accessibility. People who need to complain should be aware of our existence – and know how to access our service. That is why the PCC has always undertaken a comprehensive and proactive programme of public information designed to:

• target those groups of people most likely to need to complain – and in particular the most vulnerable groups in society;
• maintain a strong presence around the countries and regions of the United Kingdom;
• play our full part in training tomorrow’s journalists – on whom the future of strong, independent self regulation will depend – in the strictures of the Code and the work of the Commission.

Helping the vulnerable

As the protection of the vulnerable is at the heart of the PCC’s work, we have consistently sought to make our service well known to those who might need it most. This is often done through regular distribution of information to organisations such as Victim Support, Citizens Advice Bureaux and so on – as well as attendance at their Conferences across the country. In addition, in 2002 we undertook special initiatives to highlight our service to groups including Chief Fire Officers, Help the Aged, the Muslim Council of Great Britain, the Refugee Council and Forensic Scientists Press Officers.

At the same time, key adjudications from the Commission – some of them set out in this Review – underlined the Commission’s concerns in this area, and the need for editors to pay special attention to those often unable to look after themselves.

A service for all parts of the country

We aim to make sure we are known in each of the countries of the United Kingdom, and in all its regions. In 2002 we maintained our proactive programme of tours to regional centres – holding exhibitions and seminars in Birmingham Central Library, the Teachers’ Media Conference, the National Union of Students Conference, the Scottish Citizens Advice Bureau Conference, and the Scottish Parliament Mapping Relations Conference as well as some of the party political conferences. We also sought to ensure those involved in local government services are aware of our own service – and in 2002 held meetings with local authorities in Dudley, Sandwell, Dover, Shepway, Allerdale, Barrow in Furness, Carlisle, Copeland, Eden and South Lakeland, and with Kent Police, as well as a number of London Boroughs.

Training tomorrow’s journalists

An essential part of any durable system of self regulation is the training of those who will inherit the industry in the future. The PCC plays an important role in training journalists, and members of the Commission and its staff undertook over 35 lectures in 2002. Much of this training is put to use in the NCTJ exams taken by trainee journalists which demand knowledge of the Code and the PCC’s procedures.

Advertising our service

Advertisements frequently appear in newspapers and magazines, outlining how people with a grievance about a publication should complain. All these advertisements are in spaced generously donated by publishers to promote the work of the Commission. New advertisements were distributed to all publishers in September 2002.

The Cyber Commission

More and more people are using the internet as a source of information – and as a way to complain. That is why the PCC’s maintains an up to date website – www.pcc.org.uk – which in 2002 had some 85,000 visitors. The site includes a database of all adjudications back to 1996, along with a search engine to enable those wishing to find precedents to access them easily. Complainants can now make complaints by e mail – to complaints@pcc.org.uk – provided they either follow it up by sending us a hard copy of the article concerned or (as a result of a new initiative) attaching a relevant link to their e mail to the on-line article about which they are complaining. In 2002, some 500 complaints originated
via e mail.

The Commission also deals with complaints about newspaper or magazine websites, where such websites are an on-line version of a printed publication which is already subject to the terms of the Code of Practice.