Resolution Statement 02597-18 Stewart v express.co.uk
Summary of complaint
1. Roderick Stewart complained to the Independent Press Standards Organisation that express.co.uk breached Clause 1 (Accuracy) of the Editors’ Code of Practice in an article headlined “Montserrat's volcano update: Is the terrifying volcano at risk of imminent eruption?”, published on 7 March 2018.
2. The article reported that Montserrat’s volcano was “showing signs of intense activity deep underground, though no lava has breached the ground just yet”. It said that fears of eruption had been sparked by a “’swarm’ of five volcanic-tectonic earthquakes last week”, and that volcanologists had noted “increased volcanic stirrings”. It went on to say that “Montserrat’s dormant volcano last erupted in 1997”, and noted that “the current hazard level…is Level 1, which indicates more than one year without measured activity”.
3. The complainant
said that the article was inaccurate because it suggested that there had been a
change in the status of the volcano, when this was not the case.
"Swarms" of earthquakes were common, and there were no “fears” that
this preceded an eruption. It was also inaccurate to state that there had been
“increased volcanic stirrings underneath Montserrat”: the activity, and the
rate of magma build-up inside the volcano, had been relatively unchanged since
2010. In addition, it was not true to say that the volcano last erupted in
1997: the eruption had started in 1995, and had continued since then, with
intermittent pauses; the current pause started in 2010.
4. The publication
said that the reference to “fears of eruption” was made in relation to social
media comments about the earthquake ‘swarm’; it was legitimate to report on
these fears. However, it accepted that the article did not make clear who was
expressing these fears. It said that, if the rate of magma build-up had been
constant since 2010, the volume of magma within the volcano must have increased
since that time; it was not therefore significantly inaccurate to state that
there was “increased volcanic stirring”. The publication accepted that it was
misleading to suggest, through the use of the headline question, that an
eruption was imminent. The publication updated the article to include comments
from the complainant’s organisation.
5. The complainant said that the amendments to the article did not resolve the complaint satisfactorily.
Relevant Code provisions
Clause 1 (Accuracy)
i) The Press must take care not to publish inaccurate, misleading or distorted information or images, including headlines not supported by the text.
ii) A significant inaccuracy, misleading statement or distortion must be corrected, promptly and with due prominence, and — where appropriate — an apology published. In cases involving IPSO, due prominence should be as required by the regulator.
Mediated outcome
6. The complaint
was not resolved through direct correspondence between the parties. IPSO
therefore began an investigation into the matter.
7. During IPSO’s investigation, the publication said it was willing to remove the article and to publish a clarification as follows (including an image of the volcano):
Clarification – Montserrat’s volcano at risk of imminent eruption?
On 07 March 2018 we published an article headlined “Montserrat’s volcano update: Is the terrifying volcano at risk of imminent eruption?”. The article said that the volcano was showing signs of intense activity. The article was subsequently amended on 03 April 2018. The article claimed that ‘Montserrat’s dormant volcano last erupted in 1997, when the fiery mountain reared its ugly head after a two-year-long period of activity.’ This is incorrect. The eruption started in 1995 and has continued ever since that date, with five “pauses” in the surface activity.
According to the Montserrat Volcano Observatory (MVO) the
volcano is currently in such a pause, which started in February 2010.
Inflation, earthquakes and gas characterise these pauses. The first paragraph
said that volcano-tectonic earthquakes in February had ‘sparking fears of
eruption. The MVO state that nobody in
the Monserrat government, or scientific community has developed a fear of an
eruption because of these earthquakes. According to the MVO five earthquakes in
a week is not unusual for the Monserrat volcano because the average weekly rate
since February 2010 is four. One week recorded 62 such earthquakes.
This type of earthquake activity, known as a “swarm”, is
considered to be perfectly normal at this stage in the eruption. The article
also said "But volcanologists monitoring the volcano have noted increased
volcanic stirring underneath Montserrat.” We have been asked to clarify that
the MVO has regularly reported on activity and that since 2010 there has been
gradual inflation of the volcano and the entire island due to the influx of
magma at depth.
Professor Neuberg had been re-examining some of the data in
a quest for an alternative explanation and concluded that there is no reason to
change MVO’s interpretation. The rate quoted of "35 cubic feet of magma
building up beneath the island every seven seconds” is a new estimate, but
remains the average rate since 2010. Consequently there has been no “increased
volcanic stirring”. Since February 2010 the advice from MVO has always been
that the eruption is not over and that surface activity may restart.
8. The complainant
said that this would resolve the matter to his satisfaction.
9. As the complaint
was successfully mediated, the Complaints Committee did not make a
determination as to whether there had been any breach of the Code.
Date complaint received: 25/03/2018
Date complaint concluded by IPSO: 22/06/2018