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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