• Statistics 2010
  • Introduction
  • The key numbers
  • What do people complain about?
  • Complaints with merit
  • Complaints without merit
  • Speed of service
  • Prominence
  • Desist requests and
    pre-publication advice
  • Complainant feedback and public opinion research
• Key rulings 2010

Statistics 2010

Complainant feedback and public opinion research

Complainant feedback

The PCC surveys all those who receive a ruling or whose complaint is settled by mediation. We also request feedback from all individuals whose cases were investigated (meaning that we wrote to the editor because the complaint appeared to have merit) even if they did not ultimately pursue their complaints.

In 2010, 437 people responded to our survey, which is carried out anonymously. Results were generally positive, especially when it is considered that over half of those who sent us their feedback did not have their complaints upheld by the PCC. In 2010:

84% of those who rated our helpline staff gave them at least 7 out of 10 – and the most popular score was the maximum 10

78% of respondents said the time it took to deal with their complaints was 'about right'

73% said their complaint had been dealt with thoroughly or very thoroughly

51% even those whose complaints were found by the Commission not to raise a breach of the Editors' Code of Practice were more likely than not (51%) to feel that their case had been handled satisfactorily or very satisfactorily.

Following last year's independent Governance Review, the PCC has committed to a new set of performance objectives. As part of this process, we have revamped our complainant feedback questionnaire. The results should enable deeper analysis and provide us with improved information about the experiences of those who use the Commission's services.

Public opinion research

As well as listening to the views of the people whose complaints we examine, the PCC also conducts research into public attitudes and awareness about its work.

In 2010 the Press Complaints Commission commissioned an online attitude survey to be conducted amongst 1,000 nationally representative adults in the UK. Some of the key results of the research were:

Awareness 81% of people know of the PCC

EFFECTIVENESS Of respondents who expressed an opinion, 75% thought the PCC to be effective or very effective

FUNDING Almost 9 out of 10 people believe the PCC system should be funded by the newspaper and magazine industry (rather than by the taxpayer or by complainants)

PRIMACY OF APOLOGIES Three-quarters of the population (77%) prefer a quick public apology to a lengthy process and fine.

For more results and to read the research in full please click here.

The sample was drawn from Toluna's online panel. Toluna is a global organisation running communities of 4 million members across 34 markets. Over 1,500 of the world's brands, market research firms and advertising networks use Toluna's online panels and technology to power their research activities. Many of these clients are global media organisations such as the BBC, ITV, Condé Nast, Canal Plus and Gruppo24ORE. Toluna are members of the The Market Research Society and Esomar. Quotas were set to ensure the total sample refl ected the latest census data in terms of age, gender, region and marital status.