Memorandum submitted by the Periodical
Publishers Association (PPA)
1. THE PERIODICAL
PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION
(PPA)
(a) PPA is the trade body for UK magazine and business
and professional media publishers, and in this role welcomes the
opportunity to respond to the Culture Media and Sport inquiry
into self-regulation of the press.
(b) The association's membership consists
of some 500 members who publish or organise over 4,400 products
or services. These include over 2,500 consumer, business and professional,
and customer magazines and nearly 1,000 online products.
(c) Many PPA members offer online services,
including websites and online versions of print publications.
Online publications also encompass consumer, business to business
and contract magazines.
2. INTRODUCTION
(a) Magazines are a vast, diverse and inclusive media—more
than 28 million people read one of the 170 magazines measured
by the National Readership Survey (there are over 3,000 consumer
magazines plus more than 5,000 business magazines). In a typical
week, 26 million copies of magazines are sold, which equals 40
magazines a second.
(b) PPA is represented on the regulatory
body of the press, the Press Standards Board of Finance (PRESSBOF)
along with newspapers. PPA members contribute to PRESSBOF via
a levy, which combined with the funding from newspapers, ensures
secure financial support for the Press Complaints Commission (PCC).
The PCC is then mandated to enforce the Code of Practice. The
complete independence of PRESSBOF is guaranteed by the inclusion
of a majority of lay members.
(c) PPA members play their part in supporting
the work of the PCC and it is a stipulation of their membership
that they pay toward the funding of the PCC and agree to abide
by the Code. Many publishing companies have the PCC Code written
in to the contracts of employment of their journalists.
3. COMMUNICATION
(a) PPA ensures that the profile of the PCC remains high
by maintaining up to date news and information about the PCC.
PPA nominates a senior editor to serve on the PCC and regularly
updates members on recent adjudications and any changes to the
Code—such as the welcome PRESSBOF announcement that it has
agreed to extend the remit of the PCC to include editorial audio-visual
material on newspaper and magazine websites.
(b) The magazine sector is also represented
on the Editors' Code of Practice Committee and also invites members
to make suggestions to the Committee when they undertake the annual
review of the Code, about how the Code might be revised to improve
the system of self-regulation of the press.
(c) The PCC updates are sent out via a number
of channels. PPA has a weekly news update that is sent out to
all members and appears on the PPA website. PPA also publishes
Member Briefing, a magazine that is sent out eight times
per year to all members. Further, PPA has a monthly legal update
that is sent to senior management and heads of legal and includes
a section on the PCC.
(d) The magazine representative on the PCC
also attends at least one meeting of the Editorial and Public
Affairs Committee of the PPA, to update the editors on any changes
and also give details of adjudications.
4. A FREE PRESS
(a) A free press is one of the bastions of democracy
and although the magazine industry does not always agree with
the PCC's adjudications, it is prepared to accept them over state
regulation. Indeed, legislation in this area would be unthinkable.
(b) The importance of the PCC cannot be
underestimated. Having an independent content regulator that actually
has an understanding of the industry is crucial. The structure
of the PCC means that it is independent and balanced. There are
lay, magazine and newspaper representatives—but most importantly
for the effectiveness of the system is that the PCC is respected
by those it regulates.
5. CIRCUMSTANCES
OF THE
REVIEW
(a) A lot has been made of the recent Clive Goodman case,
which has led to questions being asked about the role of the PCC.
PPA, however, would submit that the Clive Goodman case was a matter
for criminal law—Goodman was jailed under the Regulation
of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA). Laws exist against telephone
tapping as well as other offences. The Clive Goodman case has
been dealt with at law, satisfactorily and justice has been done.
(b) Instances where an individual, such
as Goodman, consciously engages in activities which not only breach
the Code but contravene the law are unequivocally wrong. However,
it would be unreasonable to suggest that where the criminal law
has failed to deter such misconduct a voluntary code of practice
should be criticised in such circumstances.
(c) There was also much made of the intense
media interest and harassment of Kate Middleton in January 2007.
This is an area where the PCC is particularly effective. The Code
already has rules against harassment. Once it was made clear that
there was no public interest in following and photographing Miss
Middleton, the furore died down. Further, News International,
the Guardian Group and Hello magazine banned the use of paparazzi
photographs.
(d) The PCC Code exists in addition to the
law to add value. At the same time, it is over and above the law
as the Code covers moral behaviour. The law exists to prevent
or deter against crime. The Code exists to ensure responsible
journalism and to protect individuals.
February 2007
| 
