| Synopsis: |
The system of self-regulation of the press was constructed in 1991 in the wake of the Calcutt Inquiry 1990. This report, 'Self-regulation of the Press (HC 375)', has been prompted by recent events including the conviction of Mr Clive Goodman, the royal editor of the "News of the World", for interception of communications without lawful authority, and the press pursuit of Ms Kate Middleton, the girlfriend of HRH Prince William. In these instances the Committee believes the press did not observe its own code of practice and that editors failed to take care not to use pictures obtained through harassment and persistent pursuit.The Committee feels the Press Complaints Commission response was inadequate and that it could have intervened sooner by issuing a desist notice to editors. The Committee views these recent events as a failure on the part of the press to uphold certain standards of being mindful of the rights of individuals in the news, particularly the breaching of the Editor's Code of Practice by Mr Goodman.The Committee believes there should be a strengthening of the existing system of self-regulation, and commends steps taken by the Press Complaints Commission to exercise more rigorous controls over the actions and expenditure of reporters.However, the Committee is severely critical of the journalists' employers for making little or no real effort to investigate the detail of their employees' transactions, as evidenced by the Information Commissioner, which showed large numbers of journalists having had dealings with a private investigator known to have obtained personal data by illegal means. The Committee believes a broader investigation may be in order to examine the issues of press behaviour and the regulatory framework of the industry. |