Podcast host and PR consultant Paul Blanchard has unsuccessfully objected to two Times articles relating to his finances.
Blanchard complained to press regulator IPSO about a December 2021 headlined: “PR boss who owes taxman £300,000 is living high life” and a further story in July 2022 titled: “‘Catch Me If You Can’ PR man Paul Blanchard winds up latest firm owing £150,000”.
All of his complaints related to accuracy and receiving a fair opportunity to reply, as set out in Clause 1 (accuracy) of the Editors’ Code of Practice.
Among Blanchard’s complaints were that he was not given enough time to respond to the articles – he had just over 24 hours the first time and slightly less the second time and sent responses of 2,000 and 4,500 words respectively. IPSO said this showed he was “clearly able to respond extensively during the time allotted to him”.
He also complained that his response was not published in full but IPSO said his position had been made clear in both stories.
Blanchard runs PR firm Right Angles and is also host and publisher of the Media Masters podcast series.
Other points of dispute included that the court judgment about which the first article was written was based on a technicality. IPSO said: “The committee emphasised that the publication was not responsible for the decisions of the court: its obligation under the terms of Clause 1 was to report what the court had decided accurately, and the publication was entitled to report on the judgment regardless of the complainant’s own views as to whether the court had reached the right decision.”
Blanchard also objected to the phrasing that he had “claimed” he would appeal the judgment, calling it a “journalistic device used to cast doubt on his version of events”. However IPSO said the word was “not inaccurate”.
IPSO said it was also fair to say Blanchard’s former company was “winding up” when it had entered a members’ voluntary liquidation, as “publications are entitled to simplify issues for their readers” and the “generic” term was not misleading or inaccurate in this case.
According to Blanchard, the second article “did not accurately report on the bailiff’s visit to his home, and that it was inaccurate to report he had ‘jumped out of the tub and locked doors’ when the bailiff had arrived,” the IPSO ruling explained.
“He said he was in the hot tub for medical reasons – and as such – he said he was in no position to ‘jump out’ of the hot tub. He said that contrary to the article’s claim, he had spoken calmly with the bailiff outside his house and made no attempt to re-enter the house or lock the door. He said he had home security footage that he would have been able to provide to the publication that would prove this.” IPSO found, however, that The Times was entitled to base the article on the bailiff’s report.
Blanchard also objected to the headline description of him as a “‘Catch Me If You Can’ PR man”, saying the comparison was inaccurate because the main character of the film being referenced was a criminal, but he had never been convicted of a criminal offence.
According to the IPSO ruling he “said he believed the comment included in the article had been made by someone who had a ‘vendetta’ against him, that the publication was biased against him and that the articles lacked balance and fairness”.
However, The Times successfully argued to IPSO that the movie reference came from a “former corporate client” of Blanchard’s who was quoted in the story, and the headline was therefore supported by the text.
IPSO said the articles did not suggest Blanchard had been convicted of anything and that the Editors’ Code “does not prevent the publication of quotes from sources who may have negative opinions or views”.
Read the full IPSO ruling here.
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