ARTICLE 19: PRINT MEDIA

Media Regulations  The print media in United Kingdom is in actual fact self regulated. There is no statutory Press Council, statutory complaints body nor requirements that journalists be assigned or belong to any specific group.  In the course of the1980’s period there appeared to be numerous complaints received by the public about the way immoderation in the British press and the British Government countered by putting up a public enquiry into press regulation which was reported in The investigation suggested that the institution of a new professional body to regulate the press which would be specified a restricted time to gain and improve its efficiency. If unsuccessful to launch high values of ethical journalism within that period, a statutory Press Council was to be announced.  In comeback to this suggestion, and in order to prevent the creation of a statutory council, a group of editors of a range of press organs met and launched the Press Complaints Commission in A Code of Practice for the press was followed up by the group of editors and all British editors and publishers committed themselves to preserve the code. A duty on newspapers and magazines was well-known to fund the PCC and it was recognized that a majority of individuals on the PCC would be non professional people. The key purposes predicted for the PCC were to set high principles for the preparation of press journalism, to distribute and promote those principles, as well as through the training of journalists, to receive complaints against press organs and deliver judgment on them, and normally to certify that the main standards of journalism are upheld by the British press. Membership of the PCC is officially voluntary, even though in practice all major newspapers are members. The PCC began receiving complaints and issuing procedures on specific matters not quite right away and has continued to do so.  Anybody can compose a complaint to the PCC alleging breach by a newspaper or magazine of the Code. Complaints are without charge and do not require legal representation. As stated by the PCC, most complaints are handled promptly and are resolved to the standards of the complainants. The complaint process is governed by a “complainants charter” against which satisfaction of complainants can be measured. The only ‘sanction’ for breach of the code is a requirement that the offending newspaper publish the findings of the PCC. yet this sanction has proved too much for some newspapers and, over the years, a number of newspapers have inhibited from the PCC in protest against one of its findings. These rebel newspapers have all, in due course, rejoined the PCC.

leveson Inquiry  The Leveson Inquiry is a official public inquiry into the traditions, practices and moral code of the British press which relates to the News International phone hacking scandal, chaired by Lord Justice Leveson who was selected in July 2011 to be chairman of this particular enquiry. The News of the World phone-hacking scandal is an indication that the Press Complaints Commission request the authority to fine delinquent newspapers.  There is a immense contrast of legitimacy that the PCC simply was not strong enough, fast enough or powerful enough when the phone hacking took place.  News of the world were not stating a crime instead they were committing a criminal act, they have broken the code of the PCC. Phone hacking is a confidential source which has been broken into without permission, therefore the leveson inquiry came to hand. Lord Justice Leveson

The PCC (Press Complaints Commission) This would take account of:  Articles and pictures  Words and pictures (including video) on newspaper and magazine websites  Audio material on newspaper and magazine websites  Readers' letters  Edited or moderated reader comments on newspaper and magazine websites The PCC also deal with the physical behaviour of journalists. This issue would contain:  Persistent pursuit of individuals  Refusing requests to stop taking photos or asking questions  Using hidden cameras to obtain material  Failing to be sensitive when dealing with cases involving grief and shock  Failing to obtain the proper consent before speaking to children or people in hospital The PCC have 5 steps in order to tackle the complaint and resolving it:  Assessing the complaint  Falls into an investigation.  Resolution by mediation  Taking stock  Complaints upheld The PCC (press complaints commission) Is an independent company based in the UK which have a duty to examine complaints about editorial content which is displayed in newspapers and magazines including the websites. The PCC handle all the editorially controlled material which would appear in either newspapers or magazines, in addition, their websites. The complaints that are reported on the website are organized into the following categories by the PCC:  Adjudication  Resolved  Monthly complaints summaries  Hospitals  Reporting a crime  Victims of sexual assault  Discrimination  Financial journalism  Clandestine devices and subterfuge The Editor’s code:  Accuracy  Opportunity and replay  Privacy harassment  Intrusion into grief or shock  Children  Children in sex cases  Confidential sources  Witness payments in criminal trials  Payment to criminals

Possible Regulation Issues Facing KERRANG!  The term ‘regulation’ refers to a set of rules that you have been restricted in order to do what you are assigned.  The term ‘media regulations’ refers to how the media should follow the codes and laws that they are restricted to follow. The regulations are intended to imply what the media are/ not allowed to do.  One problem with this particular magazine being displayed is that there is no categorized age group. This is seen as a major problem, the amount of bad language the magazine contains is shocking, disgraceful as well as offensive, especially to children learning inappropriate language. There is no authorised age required in order to purchase the magazine which means that anyone of any age group can purchase this magazine.  In addition I believe the cartoon comic strip known as a ‘PANDORA’, seems to catch the readers attention, especially children. Some comics are rude involving the words F***ing, S***t and B****. Besides swearing some inappropriate images are also presented within the PANDORA comic. This is seen as a problem to parents/ guardians because children who read the magazine may pick up foul language as well as bad behaviour. This has a huge impact on children than adults, this is why the magazine should be classified with an age in order to purchase the magazine, so then consumers will be aware of what sort of content it involves before purchasing the magazine.  The magazine features many images of rock bands screaming/ shouting, covered in tattoos and piecing, this might be a frightening/ terrifying to young children since they appear to be violent.  The majority of the magazine is informal, so many of the interviews contain a vast amount of coarse language. I had established a huge amount of swearing in one interview, I had pulled out a few comments made by the interviewees:  “This is not a f***ing telethon”  “Ian is doing drugs, Ian is f***ing a million hookers a day”  “This is f***ing brilliant” said Sean smith  C**t  “I accidentally got shit in my teeth once!”  This information indicates that the content included is far too extreme for young people and should be classified because it may violate the code. It contains Bad Language, conversations about Drugs/ Sex. These possible regulations issues in KERRANG! may violate the PCC code.