The death of former Cambridge professor, Jason Arday, following a sustained period of media scrutiny of his professional conduct and integrity, has raised significant public concern about news media, with some calling for greater accountability of the profession.

No person should feel that they have no right for redress when the media fails to adhere to the ethical and legal standards of newsgathering and reporting practices in the UK. In the event of a breach, Impress may recommend remedies such as corrections, apologies, or sanctions. However, it is important for the public to be aware that the media is not a monolith in terms of how it is regulated, and that there are differences in the remedies available:

• Licensed broadcasters are regulated by Ofcom, and subject to the broadcasting code, and complaints can be made directly to Ofcom where members of the public consider that Code has been breached.
• News publishers voluntarily elect to be regulated; many national and regional titles adopt the Editor’s Code of Practice and any complaints about their conduct can be made to the body IPSO: the Independent Press Standards Office. Some news publishers follow their own code of practice and choose not to use an independent body to manage complaints.
• News publishers regulated by Impress are subject to the Impress Standards Code. Complaints can be made about potential breaches of the Code; Impress can investigate serious and or systemic breaches of the Code (particularly if it concerns multiple articles, or a pattern of conduct), and individuals or their representatives can ask Impress to issue an advisory notice where they can request privacy and non-contact from the Impress membership at times of grief or intrusion. Find out more about which publishers are regulated by Impress here.

If a directly affected party, or a representative group, or a member of the public wish to complain about media reporting, they are welcome to do so according to the Code and rules of the relevant oversight body for the relevant media outlet.

For the benefit of the public, journalists and news publishers, we have provided a short guide below about relevant standards set out in the Impress Standards Code and Guidance.

Discrimination

News publishers must not make prejudicial or pejorative statements about a person based on their race or ethnicity; they must also not refer to a person’s race or ethnicity where this characteristic is not relevant to the story. Opinion pieces and inaccuracies must not be used as a vehicle for discrimination.

Suicide and self-harm

News publishers must not provide excessive details about suicide or self-harm, and they must signpost sources of support when reporting on suicide or self-harm. Media Reporting Guidelines from Samaritans can be found here.

Harassment 

News publishers must ensure journalists do not engage in intimidation and harassment, including pursuing a person when they know they wish to be left alone. If a journalist has received a reasonable request to stop contacting, following or communicating with a person, they must comply immediately.

Privacy and intrusion

Publishers must respect people’s reasonable expectation of privacy. This applies both to publishing private information and to journalistic activity that interferes with a person’s privacy. Whether someone’s expectation of privacy is reasonable is a matter of judgment, but it applies to all information not given voluntarily and can include sensitive medical, housing and employment information. Publishers must also take all reasonable steps not to exacerbate grief or distress through intrusive news gathering or reporting. Journalists should be cautious to avoid making any approaches that may result in the harassment of a person suffering from grief or shock or their friends, colleagues or wider families and they should also avoid increasing people’s grief or trauma by publishing unnecessary or sensational details of an event.

News publishers that can demonstrate they acted in the public interest may be able to defend breaches of the privacy and harassment clauses of the Code; it is upon the publisher to substantiate this. The public interest is defined in the Code as a matter of societal importance, where we have a ‘stake’ in the outcome, this can include the wrongdoing or improper conduct of public officials or celebrities, however, it is less likely to be relevant to private individuals who have not courted public attention. The public interest does not amount to what the public finds ‘interesting’ and public interest cannot be manufactured by the press as a justification for subsequent breaches of the Code.

At all times when applying the Code, due consideration is given to press freedom; at the same time, when a breach has occurred, the consequences of that breach including real or likely harm, its significance and proportionality is factored into the remedies issued to those subject to a Code breach.

If you or anyone you know is having a difficult time or is affected by or suicide or suicide thoughts please consider contacting free support services such as the Samaritans or Mind.

About Impress 

Impress is a champion for news that can be trusted. We are here to make sure news providers can publish with integrity; and the public can engage in an ever-changing media landscape with confidence. We set the highest regulatory standards for news, offer education to help people make informed choices and provide resolution when disputes arise. 

Media enquiries

Tom Norton: tom.norton@impressorg.com / 0203 325 4286