Press Council (newspaper watchdog)
Encyclopedia
The Press Council was a British
voluntary press organisation founded under threat of statutory regulation as the General Council in 1953, with a non-binding regulatory framework. Through most of its history the Council was funded by newspaper proprietors, with the stated aim of maintaining high standards of ethics in journalism. The General Council was reformed as the Press Council in 1962, with 20 per cent lay members. In 1980 the National Union of Journalists
withdrew from membership. In 1991, the Press Council was replaced by the Press Complaints Commission
.
recommended in 1949 that a General Council of the Press should be formed to govern the behaviour of the print media. In response to a threat of statutory regulation, the General Council of the Press was formed in 1953, membership restricted to newspaper editors, funded by newspaper proprietors. By the time of the Second Royal Commission on the Press
in 1962, the General Council had been subject to considerable criticism. The Commission's report demanded improvement, particularly the inclusion of members who were not employed by print media.
However, the Press Council was criticised extensively in the Younger report on Privacy in 1973 and in the report of the Third Royal Commission on the Press
, in 1977. The third Commission urged the development of a written Code of Practice. The Press Council rejected this proposal, and in 1980, the NUJ withdrew from membership on the grounds that the Council was incapable of reform.
QC to investigate in 1989. At the same time, under the chairmanship of Louis Blom-Cooper
, the Press Council transferred its funding to the Press Standards Board of Finance
and began work on the development of a written Code of Practice.
The 1990 Calcutt report recommended the setting up of a new Press Complaints Commission
to replace the Press Council. The new Commission would be given 18 months to prove non-statutory self-regulation could work effectively and if it failed to do so, then a statutory system would be introduced.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
voluntary press organisation founded under threat of statutory regulation as the General Council in 1953, with a non-binding regulatory framework. Through most of its history the Council was funded by newspaper proprietors, with the stated aim of maintaining high standards of ethics in journalism. The General Council was reformed as the Press Council in 1962, with 20 per cent lay members. In 1980 the National Union of Journalists
National Union of Journalists
The National Union of Journalists is a trade union for journalists in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. It was founded in 1907 and has 38,000 members. It is a member of the International Federation of Journalists .-Structure:...
withdrew from membership. In 1991, the Press Council was replaced by the Press Complaints Commission
Press Complaints Commission
The Press Complaints Commission is a voluntary regulatory body for British printed newspapers and magazines, consisting of representatives of the major publishers. The PCC is funded by the annual levy it charges newspapers and magazines...
.
Origins: 1947-1962
The first Royal Commission on the PressRoyal Commission on the Press, United Kingdom
In 1947 the National Union of Journalists argued for a Royal Commission to investigate the risk to freedom of expression caused by increasing concentration of ownership of the press and the potential influence of advertisers on editorial content...
recommended in 1949 that a General Council of the Press should be formed to govern the behaviour of the print media. In response to a threat of statutory regulation, the General Council of the Press was formed in 1953, membership restricted to newspaper editors, funded by newspaper proprietors. By the time of the Second Royal Commission on the Press
Royal Commission on the Press, United Kingdom
In 1947 the National Union of Journalists argued for a Royal Commission to investigate the risk to freedom of expression caused by increasing concentration of ownership of the press and the potential influence of advertisers on editorial content...
in 1962, the General Council had been subject to considerable criticism. The Commission's report demanded improvement, particularly the inclusion of members who were not employed by print media.
Second era: 1962-1980
In 1962, the Press Council was formed. Twenty percent of the membership were required to be lay members, not employed by a newspaper. The Press Council published a series of guidance booklets.- Contempt of Court (1967),
- Privacy (1971)
- Defamation (1973)
However, the Press Council was criticised extensively in the Younger report on Privacy in 1973 and in the report of the Third Royal Commission on the Press
Royal Commission on the Press, United Kingdom
In 1947 the National Union of Journalists argued for a Royal Commission to investigate the risk to freedom of expression caused by increasing concentration of ownership of the press and the potential influence of advertisers on editorial content...
, in 1977. The third Commission urged the development of a written Code of Practice. The Press Council rejected this proposal, and in 1980, the NUJ withdrew from membership on the grounds that the Council was incapable of reform.
Third era: 1980-1991
The Press Council had lost the confidence of many in the media, and the 1980s saw what people labelled as some of the worst excesses of unethical journalism and intrusions into privacy by the tabloid press. In response to two Private Members' Bills promoting privacy laws, the government set up a committee chaired by David CalcuttDavid Calcutt
Sir David Charles Calcutt QC was an eminent barrister and public servant, knighted in 1991. He was the Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge from 1985 until 1994. He was also responsible for the creation of the Press Complaints Commission.-References:...
QC to investigate in 1989. At the same time, under the chairmanship of Louis Blom-Cooper
Louis Blom-Cooper
Sir Louis Jacques Blom-Cooper QC FKC is an author and UK lawyer specialising in public law and administrative law.-Education:...
, the Press Council transferred its funding to the Press Standards Board of Finance
Press Standards Board of Finance
The Press Standards Board of Finance was set up by the Press Council to raise a levy on the newspaper and periodical industries to finance the Council, which had previously been funded directly by newspaper proprietors. Pressbof now funds the Press Complaints Commission...
and began work on the development of a written Code of Practice.
The 1990 Calcutt report recommended the setting up of a new Press Complaints Commission
Press Complaints Commission
The Press Complaints Commission is a voluntary regulatory body for British printed newspapers and magazines, consisting of representatives of the major publishers. The PCC is funded by the annual levy it charges newspapers and magazines...
to replace the Press Council. The new Commission would be given 18 months to prove non-statutory self-regulation could work effectively and if it failed to do so, then a statutory system would be introduced.