Press Complaints Commission >> About the PCC >> Annual Reports >> 2003 >> Permanent Evolution

Permanent Evolution

In his first major speech as Chairman of the Commission, Sir Christopher Meyer told the Newspaper Society in May that the PCC was part of a constantly changing landscape, and that its natural state was turbulence amid the “ceaseless dialectic between the public and private interests, between the right to free expression and the obligation to responsibility”.

The Commission’s response must be constantly to seek ways of improving its service and anticipating what future challenges might be: by embracing not “permanent revolution, but permanent evolution”.

He acknowledged that while many criticisms of the PCC were unjust, some had an element of truth to them, and outlined an 8 point plan to bolster confidence in the Commission’s independence and to improve its service and authority. This is an update of how those proposals have been put into effect.

Extra lay Commissioner and transparent recruitment procedures

Proposal: To reinforce the Commission’s independence by increasing the majority of lay members over press members of the Commission to 10:7 in light of accusations that the majority was too slight.

Outcome: As of 1st January 2004 an extra public member was appointed to the Commission, a palpable sign of the PCC’s independence from the industry that it regulates.

Proposal: To appoint lay, or public, members of the Commission only as a result of an entirely transparent recruitment procedure.

Outcome: No longer can it be claimed that the membership of the Commission is a ‘cosy club’: a new lay member was appointed following open advertisement in newspapers across the whole of the United Kingdom which attracted just over 1,000 applications. These were scrutinised by an independent panel before interviews were conducted by Sir Christopher and Baroness Smith of Gilmorehill. As has been reported elsewhere, Eve Salomon was appointed following this process.

External scrutiny of the Commission’s procedures

Proposal: To improve accountability by establishing a panel of people to scrutinise all aspects of the Commission’s handling of complaints, and to report once a year to the board on how customer service might be improved.

Outcome: The PCC already operates under the terms of a customer service charter. A new “Charter Compliance Panel” was therefore appointed as of January 1st 2004. Members of the panel are: Sir Brian Cubbon, former member of the Commission and former Permanent Secretary of the Home Office; Dame Ruth Runciman, Chair of the National Aids Trust and former Commissioner; and Charles Wilson, former editor of The Times. The panel has the authority to review as many files as it wishes, at random, before publishing its recommendations in a report.

Proposal: To provide disgruntled complainants with the opportunity to have the Commission’s handling of their complaint reviewed by an independent “Charter Commissioner” who would operate a sort of internal system of judicial review.

Outcome: Sir Brian Cubbon was appointed to this post from 1st January 2004. He is entirely independent of both the Commission and its staff and can make recommendations directly to the Commission.

Keeping the Code relevant and making it widely understood

Proposal: To take account of changing technology and to highlight the fact that the Code is a constantly-evolving, organic document, there should be a formal ‘audit’ of the Code’s provisions on an annual basis.

Outcome: The Code Committee has responded positively to this suggestion and launched a wide-ranging public and industry consultation on possible changes to the Code. A new Code will be published during 2004.

Proposal: A “User’s handbook” should be produced to assist journalists in understanding the Code’s provisions and the Commission’s case law.

Outcome: The secretary of the Code Committee has been overseeing the production of such a document, which should be ready for publication by the middle of 2004.

Improving the Commission’s profile

Proposal: Critical adjudications by the Commission should be clearly branded when published in newspapers and magazines.

Outcome: It is expected that the new Code of Practice will refer to an editor’s obligation to identify any critical adjudication as a decision of the Commission.

Proposal: To hold regular ‘town meetings’ around the United Kingdom to talk about the PCC and to answer questions about its work from members of the public.

Outcome: The first such meeting took place in Manchester in November 2003. Just over 100 people turned up to quiz a panel comprising the chairman and some members of the Commission. A small drinks reception, to which all those who came to the meeting were invited, was held afterwards. Further meetings are currently being planned for Edinburgh, Cardiff and Bristol.

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