Regulators

Question 1

Who are Ofcom?

Answer 1

They are a statutory regulator for licensed broadcasters and can fine, suspend and remove the licence of broadcasting publishers.

Question 2

Who are IPSO?

Answer 2

• They are a regulator refusing to be recognised by the statutory Press Regulation Panel (PRP)
• ‘the independent regulator for the newspaper and magazine industry in the U.K.’
• Most of the country’s print and online media groups contract into its content regulation.
• It has the power to fine for breaches of the Editor’s code and can order corrections.
• it’s started an arbitration scheme for media law disputes where claimants have capped costs of £3,000.

Question 3

Who are IMPRESS

Answer 3

• They are a regulator recognised by the PRP and is being substantially funded by the family foundation of Max Mosley (media standards campaigner).
• ‘The first truly independent press regulator in the UK’.
• Developing by consultation of its own code of standards and ethics.
• Runs a low cost arbitration scheme, and has the advantage that those media publishers regulated by IMPRESS are NOT subject to exemplary (punitive) damages in media law cases
• Or the risk of having to pay the legal costs of all sides even if successful.
• Mirco publishing companies, no more than £2 million a year or have less than 10 employees are not subject to these penalties under the 2013 Crime and Courts Act.

Question 4

Who isn’t regulated with an external body?

Answer 4

• The Guardian
• Observer
• Independant Online
• London Evening Standard
• Financial Times
• If they joined IMPRESS, the industry would have a situation of two active rival regulators with separate codes of ethics and standards.

Question 5

THE BBC

Answer 5

• Employs the largest amount of journalists in the UK.
• Although subject to full future Ofcom content regulation from 2017, will still oblige its employees to comply with BBC Editorial Guidelines.

Question 6

Who are The Information Commissioner’s Office?

Answer 6

• They regulate The Data Protection Act 1998 and Freedom of Information Act.
• You are obliged to register if you process digital information about others for journalistic purposes.
• As a publisher OR freelancer.
• UNLESS THEY ARE EXEMPT
• Annual registration fee is £35 as of 2017.

Question 7

Case study: ICO and Daily Telegraph

Answer 7

• The Daily Telegraph got finned £30,000 for misusing the data it had collected from its subscribers.
• The publisher sent hundreds of emails on the day of the general election to vote conservative.