Paul Dacre Defends Press Self-Regulation And PCC

Paul Dacre has issued a staunch defence of press self-regulation and described the Press Complaints Commission as, “a great success story” in his annual report as chairman of the Editors’ Code of Practice Committee.

Mr Dacre, editor, Daily Mail; editor in chief, Associated Newspapers; wrote about recently-conducted examinations of self-regulation: “As well as the Code Committee’s annual review of the Code of Practice, a Governance Review panel has been looking at the work of the Press Complaints Commission – both processes in which the public was encouraged to engage.”

Mr Dacre said much had been learned from public submissions but the exercise had also, alarmingly, exposed, “a huge ignorance about how self-regulation works – often from those who should know better, in Parliament, in self-appointed media accountability groups and, more generally, in the blogosphere.”

In the Killing the Myths report, he added: “I remain more committed than ever to the belief that if Britain’s magazine and newspaper editors are to be locked into self-regulation, both in spirit and practice, then they must set their own code.

“The shame of censure by their peers is far greater for editors than that resulting from any penalty imposed.

“Certainly, the critics of self-regulation are entitled to expect more of us and we must continue to develop the Code and explain better how it works. But, by the same test, we are also entitled to expect more of many of our detractors in Parliament and in these self-appointed media accountability groups.

“They will probably never concede the truth, which is that the PCC has over the years been a great success story. Britain’s newspapers are infinitely better behaved than they were two decades ago.

“Yes, the industry can do more to improve standards. We will rise to our challenge. If our critics will rise to theirs, today’s often-corrosive debate could become instead tomorrow’s constructive way forward.”

For more information please contact Lynne Anderson on 020 763 274 21 or lynne_anderson@newspapersoc.org.uk.