View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Archive content
January 29, 2004updated 17 May 2007 11:30am

Bracknell News wins battle to name youngsters

By Press Gazette

A weekly newspaper has persuaded a school to back down after it threatened to impose a ban on releasing the full names of pupils to the press, writes Dominic Ponsford.

Bracknell News editor Paul Ryan wrote to the Licensed Victuallers’ School in Ascot after it informed the paper of the new no-names photographic policy. In future, surnames would be withheld from photos of sports days, plays and other events.

Ryan sent a letter to the school, together with a copy of Bracknell News-owner Trinity Mirror’s policy and guidelines to editors on the use of pictures of children. The head immediately agreed to revoke the ban.

Ryan said: “The school’s press officer phoned and said our letter and policy document was like gold dust to him. He went straight to the head who said if that is the policy of a major newspaper group then let’s go with it. It’s a remarkably enlightened response.

He added: “They still send a letter to parents asking them to say if they do not wish their child to be in pictures. If they are in pictures they will be fully named.”

The policy was drawn up by Trinity Mirror Southern editorial director Marc Reeves and Berkshire Regional Newspapers editor-in-chief Anthony Longden.

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

Reeves said: “Increasing numbers of TMS titles were being approached by schools, or coming up against knee-jerk bans. One paper was even told it could only take pictures of children if they held pieces of paper over their faces to obscure their identities.

“We drew up the guidelines to state the case for keeping full names in papers, and to reassure teachers and parents that our papers act with the utmost sensitivity in this area.

“The guidelines have persuaded many schools to think again, but none so satisfyingly as in Bracknell.

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network