Press Complaints Commission

Press Complaints Commission

The Press Complaints Commission (PCC) is a voluntary regulatory body for British printed newspapers and magazines, consisting of representatives of the major publishers. The PCC is funded by the annual levy it charges newspapers and magazines. It has no legal powers – all newspapers and magazines voluntarily contribute to the costs of, and adhere to the rulings of, the Commission, making the industry self-regulating.

The PCC received extensive criticism for its lack of action in the News of the World phone hacking affair, including from MPs and Prime Minister David Cameron, who called for it to be replaced with a new system in July 2011.

Lord Hunt was appointed Chairman of the Commission in October 2011. In December 2011 Lord Hunt announced his plans to replace the PCC with a new independent regulator.

Hunt also wants to introduce a voluntary, paid-for, 'kitemarking' system for blogs. The kitemark would indicate that the blogger has agreed to strive for accuracy, and to be regulated. Bloggers would lose their kitemark if complaints against them were repeatedly upheld. He plans to start the roll-out by targeting bloggers that cover current affairs.

When asked about his proposals in an interview Hunt said β€œAt the moment, it is like the Wild West out there. We need to appoint a sheriff.”

Read more about Press Complaints Commission:  Chairpeople, History, The Code of Practice, Criticism

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