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Will UK press regulation Royal Charter be another establishment fix-up? RT 18Mar13

361 views · Published 18 March 2013 · 5:17 · Indexed 6 November 2026

Channel: Public Enquiry · 2013 · News & Politics

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Will UK Royal Charter on the press be another establishment fix-up? RT 18Mar13

The National Union of Journalists has given a cautious welcome to the proposals. This is from Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general secretary
There are elements in the new framework which can be welcomed -- the NUJ has long campaigned for a regulator that is genuinely independent of the industry and the state, one that has teeth and powers of investigation. The editors pushed hard to have a veto over membership of the regulator, and it is good news that their intensive lobbying to keep power in their own hands has been seen off.
The NUJ believes that co-regulation is vital. We welcomes recognition of the principle that working journalists and members of the public should be involved in the drawing up of the standards code. The great failure of the PCC, as recognised by Leveson, was that it represented the interests of only the editors and proprietors and operated like an old boys' club. Journalists below the rank of editor had no input and there was no real attempt at public engagement.
Now we need agreement from the new regulator to introduce a conscience clause for journalists, as part of the code, to protect them from being forced to act unethically -- this was supported Lord Leveson in his recommendations.
The cross-party charter marks an important improvement on Cameron's plans, by allowing third party complaints to the regulator, subject to discretion to reject vexatious complainants. The failure by the PCC to take up third party complaints has meant that some of the most vulnerable, such as asylum seekers, have been subject to unchecked vilification by parts of the press.
The NUJ hopes the industry can build on the political consensus and focus on ensuring the new framework is effective. The editors of the Guardian, the Independent and the Financial Times have all conceded that some sort of statutory underpinning, to ensure the independence of the new body and the powers it will need to be effective, would not cause the sky to fall in nor John Milton to spin in his grave.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/blog/2013/mar/18/leveson-press-regulation-royal-charter

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