View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Media Law
September 6, 2013

Publishers set to sign contracts on new IPSO press regulator next month

By Dominic Ponsford

Newspaper and magazine publishers are said to be close to finalising details of a new Independent Press Standards Organisation to replace the Press Complaints Commission.
According to a statement issued this afternoon, publishers are set to sign contracts binding them into the new system of press regulation next month.
The Industry Implementation group, which includes representatives from across the national and regional press and the magazine industry, met on Tuesday to further discuss creating a new system of press regulation based on the Royal Charter submitted by publishers' body Pressbof to the Privy Council.
The new regulator would have powers to investigate wrongdoing and fine publishers up to £1m in extreme cases. But it is not as independent from the press as a rival statute-backed system proposed by MPs in a rival Royal Charter and it has been condemned by pressure group Hacked Off.
Guardian Media Group has been particularly critical about the proposed new system, voicing fears that it would effectively be under the control of News UK, Associated Newspapers and Telegraph Media Group.
Press Gazette understands that some of the points GMG raised have led to changes in the proposed scheme which were agreed at Tuesday's meeting.
Both the industry and Parliament-backed Royal Charters are set to be considered by the Privy Council, possibly next month.
The new regulation system needs to be okayed by a Royal Charter-backed official recognition body if it is to insulate publishers from the threat of exemplary damages in libel actions.
Chairman of the Industry Implementation Group Paul Vickers said in a statement:
The Industry Implementation Group – including representatives from across the national, regional, periodical and Scottish press – met earlier this week to finalise the legal and contractual documentation that will establish the new press regulator, the Independent Press Standards Organisation. Very significant progress has been made.

A number of suggestions, both from publishers and from other parties, have been incorporated and the four key documents will shortly be ready for a final consultation across the newspaper and magazine industry. Work is also well under way on the financing arrangements for IPSO; and the Foundation Group under the Chairmanship of Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers is undertaking the task of selecting an independent appointments panel to appoint the first board.

We hope that we will therefore be in a position to begin signing contracts that will establish IPSO during late September and October, with a view to implementation of the new regulatory system, fully compliant with the Leveson principles, in the early part of the new year."

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

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