The new press regulator, IPSO, today has published its first set of adjudications on complaints, including the first use of its power to direct the nature and placement of a correction. Sir Alan Moses, Chairman of IPSO, has also written to editors and publishers, setting out new guidance to the industry for publications' own complaints handling processes.
In the three months since IPSO started work in September it has received nearly 3,000 complaints. Of those that have been concluded, many have been resolved between the publication and the complainant, under IPSO's new procedures in which publications are given a maximum of 28 days to try to reach resolution with the complainant before IPSO takes up the case.
IPSO has also published the first adjudications of its Complaints Committee. These include the first use of IPSO's new power to determine the nature and positioning of a complaint. In this instance the newspaper has been required to publish the correction on page three or further forward in the newspaper.
Sir Alan's letter also informs editors of the first requirements to be issued by IPSO regarding the operations of internal complaints handling systems. Every member publication should contain information informing readers how and to who they can complain about editorial issues. All complainants, raising issues relevant to IPSO's remit, should be informed about the Editors' Code and provided with IPSO's contact details.
Sir Alan Moses, Chairman of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) said:
'In its first three months IPSO has received nearly 3,000 complaints, many of which have been resolved between publication and complainant, showing that the new system is working well. Our complaints staff provide an efficient and sensitive voice to those who seek to complain about a breach of the standards set in the Editor's Code.
'For the future, we will strive to act in accordance with the principles we established in September, 2014. Now that we have agreed IPSO's budget for 2015 and found new offices, we can start to shape IPSO's standards function and set out to find the best means by which those who cannot afford court proceedings may seek resolution and redress from publications. We also expect to agree with the industry changes to IPSO's rules and regulations that will simplify our procedures, and ensure that we can act as an effective independent regulator for the benefit of the public and the press.'
Details of how to register a complaint with IPSO are on the regulator's website www.IPSO.co.uk
The Independent Press Standards Organisation C.I.C. is a Community Interest Company limited by guarantee and registered in England and Wales with registered number 02538908.
