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Society of Editors director Bob Satchwell said the MST report would have fallen foul of the Editors’ Code if it had been a produced by a newspaper.

“While the PCC system can always be improved the MST report is far off the mark. I understand they did not consult the PCC neither did they consult the Society of Editors.

“It is usual practice to put such strong allegations to those criticised before publishing. It is perhaps fortunate for the MST that they do not come under the ambit of the PCC. If it did this report would fall at the first clause of the Editors' Code of Practice concerning accuracy because it fails to distinguish between comment, conjecture and fact.

Earlier in a discussion on BBC Radio Five, Satchwell said: “Some of the other points which are made by this report just don’t stand up. It talks about there being fundamental flaws in the system – I think there are fundamental flaws with this report.

“Of course people are entitled to make points about the PCC system. I’m not saying it is perfect but it is dynamic and in my experience it has made a dramatic change in the behaviour of the press over the last 15 years.

Asked if there had been any change in press behaviour since the Max Mosely case, Satchwell said that in the context of the MST report, he was not quite sure why they should have changed.

“That was a case that went to court, and obviously any court judgement will have an effect on the way the press behaves.”

And he added: “But again - this is another fundamental point that is made in this report – it says more and more people are going to court, In fact there have been one or two celebrity cases which have made huge headlines about privacy. As I understand it the PCC, according to its own report, dealt with about 300 cases involving privacy last year, and people were satisfied with those cases.

“The report also accuses the PCC of being in some kind of disarray, because the number of complaints is going up. In fact the number of complaints going up reflects the fact that the public now knows more about it.”

Lebedev to open upbeat editors’ conference

Alexander Lebedev will deliver the Society of Editors lecture in Glasgow in November.

The prestigious annual lecture that has previously been delivered by politicians and some of the biggest names in newspapers and broadcasting opens the Society of Editors conference which will celebrate the huge achievements in meeting the challenges of the multi-media age.

Click here for full details

 

The Society of Editors works to protect the freedom of all sectors of the media to report on behalf of the public.

Society members share the values that matter:

• The universal right to freedom of expression
• The importance of the vitality of the news media in a democratic society
• The promotion of press and broadcasting freedom and the public’s right to know
• The commitment to high editorial standards