The PCC visited Ipswich in October for the latest in its series of Open Days. Over 50 attendees attended this free public meeting at the St. Nicholas Centre in the heart of the town, which was designed to encourage debate about the press and explain to the public how the PCC works on a day-to-day basis.

Tim Toulmin, the PCC's Director, began the proceedings by introducing the work of the PCC, and summarising its various services. He then invited the audience to put their questions to a panel of experts, which consisted of the editor of the Ipswich Evening Star, Nigel Pickover; the paper's ombudsman, Malcolm Alcock; and one of the PCC's lay Commissioners, the Rt Rev John Waine. With different experiences of the PCC and the industry, each panel member was able to offer an important perspective on how the system of self-regulation overseen by the PCC operates.

The ensuing discussions covered a variety of topics, including: how the local press covered the murders in Ipswich in 2006; the importance of the press ‘owning up' to mistakes; the funding of the PCC and make-up of its board; and the politics of news selection and presentation. Audience members came from a variety of backgrounds including the voluntary sector, the local Council and the local football club. We were also pleased to welcome a group of Media Studies students from a local college who were studying media regulation as part of their course.

The Evening Star's Ombudsman system is highly unusual in the UK regional press. Nigel Pickover and Malcolm Alcock were able to offer a fascinating insight into how this system works at the Star, explaining that the Ombudsman helps to resolve many minor complaints about editorial content directly, without the need for PCC involvement. The content of the Ombudsman's monthly column - which both summarises recent complaints and looks at how the Star covered particular topics - may not be changed by the editor, thereby allowing him to be critical of the paper when necessary.

PCC staff also ran a surgery earlier in the day, which enabled people to discuss specific queries in private. This session - which is run at all PCC Open Days - can be very helpful if an issue is of particular sensitivity, or if people are not already familiar with the PCC's work.

To read a report by Malcolm Alcock in the Evening Star about the Open Day, please click here.

Malcolm also visited the PCC's offices in 2007. To read the column he wrote as a result of this visit, please click here.

The PCC has held two Open Days throughout the UK every year since 2003. Details of forthcoming Open Days are always posted on this website but if you have any questions in the meantime, please contact the PCC's Information and Events Manager, Tonia Milton, on 020 7831 0022 or tonia.milton@pcc.org.uk.