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Government to consult over Freedom of Information and the PCC
12/8/05:
The Campaign has won a notable victory in persuading the Government to look again at the Press Complaints Commission's (PCC) exemption from the Freedom of Information Act (FoIA). A story in the UK weekly trade paper, Press Gazette, published on 11 August, reveals that constitution minister Lord Falconer is to launch a consultation later this year aimed at deciding whether the FoIA should cover "private bodies carrying out a public function". The Department for Constitutional Affairs has not yet released a public statement on its decision or the implications for the PCC, but a spokesman for the Department told Press Gazette: "There will be a consultation later this year on whether to bring private bodies carrying out a public function under the scope of the Act." A spokesperson for the CPBF comments that the announcement from the DCA represents a significant achievement for the Campaign.
The Press Gazette notes that "subjecting the industry's independent regulator to the same Act that applies to Whitehall departments and public bodies such as local councils would be hugely controversial, and entail a dramatic change of policy by the Government."
The Government has resisted pressure from the CPBF in the past arguing that the PCC should not be subject to the FoIA since it is not a public body. The argument can be extended to encompass a wide range of organisations which fulfil public functions while remaining outside of Government.
CPBF co-chairman Julian Petley wrote to Lord Falconer earlier this year saying that many complaints had been raised to PCC rulings.
"Journalists were at the forefront of those calling for a Freedom of Information Act," said Petley (whose letter can be read on this site). "It is extremely puzzling that the body which is supposed to regulate their profession evades the Act altogether."
"What many complainants particularly disliked was the way in which it stitched up behind-the-scenes deals with offending newspapers and then presented these to complainants on a ‘take it or leave it' basis.
"Were the PCC to be considered a public authority in this context, then a complainant unhappy at their treatment by the commission could ask to see all correspondence relating to their complaint."
A similar approach from the then Labour MP, Clive Soley, had been rejected by media minister, Estelle Morris, before the May 2005 election. Morris had argued that bringing the PCC into the remit of the FoIA would have constituted "state intervention" into the workings of a free press.
Last modified: Monday, August 15, 2005
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World Press Freedom Day
More reporters are currently imprisoned in Turkey than in any other country in the world. Only a matter of weeks ago lawyers failed to persuade a Turkish court to release a 76-year-old journalist from a Turkish internet news station.
World Press Freedom Day on Friday May 3, 2013 is being marked in Britain by a rally to highlight the dangers facing journalists in Turkey and in this podcast, Nicholas Jones speaks to Barry White, Organiser at the Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom, and Sam Bamford, the TUC's policy officer for Eastern Europe and Africa about the importance of a campaign to highlight international press freedom.
The World Press Freedom Day rally is being staged by the National Union of Journalists at the NUJ head office, Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1 on Thursday May 2, 6pm-8pm.
DATELINE: 27/4/13
UK launch of EU media campaign
DATELINE: 13/3/13
The UK launch of a 'European Citizens' Initiative' calling for EU rules against concentration of media power will take place on Thursday March 21 from 11:00am – 12:30pm in Committee Room 4A at the House of Lords, London. Guest speakers will include actor and activist Hugh Grant (pictured), media consultant Claire Enders, Professor Steven Barnett, Barry McCall (President of the NUJ) and Marc Gruber (Director of the European Federation of Journalists).
A European Citizens' Initiative is an official petition, like a Downing Street petition. If it succeeds in gathering a million signatures across the EU, the Commission is obliged to respond.
This petition calls for the EU to act to protect media pluralism and press freedom.
CPBF Annual General Meeting
DATELINE: 1/3/13
Make a note in your diary
Saturday 13 July 2013 from 10.00am
NUJ HQ, 308/312 Gray's Inn Road, London WC1.
Leveson, media ownership, CPBF future work.
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MEDIA FOR ALL CONFERENCE
DATELINE: 26/3/10
Papers from the Media for All Conference
MEDIA MANIFESTO
DATELINE: 26/3/10
The media’s job is to inform and entertain us but we rely on them too to tell us what our rulers and representatives are up to. In the run-up to the Iraq war the government used spin and disinformation in the media to create panic and mislead people. The truth is coming out now, but we need stronger, more independent media to be able to scrutinise governments and make informed choices.
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