The Guardian-owning Scott Trust has appointed an Australian journalist and lawyer to the new job of global readers’ editor.
The appointment of Paul Chadwick follows the departure of Chris Elliott as Guardian readers’ editor.
Unlike most national newspapers, The Guardian and Observer titles are not regulating meaning that all complaints are dealt with internally.
Chadwick will be based in the UK but oversee complaints to Guardian US, Guardian Australia and the main UK website and print editions.
He will report directly into the Scott Trust in a move which the body said maintains the “independence and impartiality for the Guardian’s internal complaints processes.
Chadwick is a former director of editorial policies at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and he is a non-executive director of Guardian Australia.
The Guardian has declined to sign up to press regulator IPSO because of concerns that the body lacks independence from the publishers who fund it.
He said: “The Guardian has a fine tradition of effective readers’ editors and I look forward to playing a part in this valued journalism institution in what is a radically changing global media environment.”
Scott Trust chair Dame Liz Forgan said: “I am delighted that Paul is taking up the role of global readers’ editor. Paul is a hugely experienced journalist with an excellent legal pedigree, therefore I am confident that he will ensure that the Guardian’s high standards of fairness and transparency are adhered to across the world.”
Asked whether it plans to sign up a system of press regulation, a Guardian News and Media spokesperson said: “Guardian News & Media’s long standing readers’ editor system continues to apply standards set out in the editors’ code of practice, whilst also providing complainants with the opportunity to refer decisions of the readers’ editor to a Review Panel.
“While we continue to speak to industry regulators and observe their development with interest, we have no intention of joining either Impress or IPSO at this time.”
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