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Press Complaints Commission slammed as being 'farcical'

Friday, 05 February 2010 14:56

The former director of public prosecutions, Sir Ken MacDonald QC (pictured), has criticized the UK’s system of self-regulation of the press calling on "all credible media organisations" to withdraw from the "farcical" Press Complaints Commission (PCC).

According to the Guardian, Sir Ken argued for independent regulation of the press saying "The press may think the PCC works, but they are living in a dream world. Nobody else does."

The PCC has come under consistent fire recently for its weak regulation of the press, lack of transparency and failure to promote accountability within the press. It launched the first independent review of its governance structure, since it was created 18 years ago, only last year.

‘Alan Rusbridger, the Guardian editor, said the credibility of the PCC was "clinging by its fingertips", and that recent investigations had been "embarrassing".'

‘The PCC's current review should work out whether it has the capacity to be a regulator or a mediator, he said.

‘Bob Satchwell, director of the Society of Editors, said statutory regulation would be a worse option, while Eric Barendt, media law professor at University College London, praised the PCC's "valuable free remedy" for people who are not in the public eye.’

The Media Standards Trust, which has forwarded a submission to the PCC's governance review, has previously called for ‘urgent reform’, of the PCC without which ‘self-regulation of the press will become increasingly ineffective at protecting the public or promoting good journalism’.

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Muslim - Can society police itself?

|2010-02-12 17:51:32

The strength of civic society is maintained by its institutions.

If the watchdogs have no teeth, then we it is all just a cynical Establishment game to fool the Great unwashed.

This gentleman appears to be worthy of the name - no to ineffectual Whitewash!

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