IPSO - Institutional Regulations

1. Regulations, ethical and legal issues
to bear in mind when making
production...

2.  The Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) is the independent
regulator of the newspaper and magazine industry – recently replaced the
‘PCC’ (Press Complaints Commission; was launched September 2014).
 They maintain the highest standards of journalism by monitoring and
maintaining the standards set out in the Editors' Code of Practice -
relating to the editorial content of magazine and newspaper products,
the company involves itself with the complaints within the terms of the
Editors’ Code of Practice.
 They give institutional regulations in which I have to bear in mind, as I
am producing a (regional) magazine front cover, contents page and double
page spread.
 The objective is to supply the public by holding editors to account; they
take rights/individuals into consideration and additionally protect
appropriate freedom of expression for the press.
 I must maintain high professional standards as I, as a regional magazine
editor, will be working within the press and I have to uphold these set of
standards.
IPSO (The Independent Press
Standards Organisation)...

3. The press must ensure not to publish
inaccurate, misleading or distorted
information (including images).
If this happens, it must quickly be
corrected and followed by an apology
being published.
The press must understand the clear
difference between factual,
conjectured and opinionated
information, even though they are free.

4. People in the media
must fairly reply to
any inaccuracy’s
when asked for, and
be aware of their
mistakes.

5. Everyone is entitled to respect his or her
private family and home life, health and
other associations (including digital
communication) – allowed to disallow
access to personal information.
If they do invade their life without
consent, a report will be taken of the
complaint.
It is unacceptable to take photos of others
private places without their permission;
additionally, I must leave if asked to or if I
agitate the customer in anyway.

6.  Journalists cannot harass an individual for
information, or engage in persistent pursuit
or intimidation.
 Aren’t allowed to continue taking photos,
pursuing, telephoning or questioning
someone when asked to stop!
 Must identify yourself, and say who you work
for if asked to.
 Must leave the premise immediately when
asked to.
 It’s necessary not to harass any customers or
impose on the business.

7. In cases involving personal
grief or shock,
investigation/approaches
must be made with a level of
understanding, discretion
and empathy – doesn’t
restrict the right to report
legal proceeds.

8.  Young children should be free to complete their time at
school without unnecessary intrusion from the media.
 Children under 16 years of age cannot be
interviewed/photographed on issues involving another
child’s welfare (unless, they’re with a
parent/guardian).
 Equally for pupils, where permission of school
authorities is needed in order to approach/photograph
the pupil at the school.
 Except if it’s in the child’s interest,
parents/guardians/minors cannot be paid for material
concerning a child’s welfare.
 Editors mustn’t use infamy, fame or position of a
parent/guardian as a distinct justification for publishing
details of a child’s private life.

9. Children under 16 years of
age, who are victims or
witnesses of sex offences,
cannot be identified unless
legally free to do so.
Adults may be identified.
The word ‘incest’ mustn’t be
used where a child victim may
be identified.

10. Those in the media cannot enter
non-public areas of hospitals, or
similar institutions, without
written permission from a
responsible executive and
evidence of identification to do
so – significant to restrictions on
imposition into privacy.

11. People, such as relatives and
friends convicted of crime, mustn't
be identified without their
consent; unless they are truly
relevant to the story.
Regards should be paid towards
victim(s) of the crime; child
witnesses/victims of crime
shouldn't be put under potentially
vulnerable positions.

12.  The press must not use hidden cameras or
clandestine listening devices (e.g. microphones,
phone hacking, unauthorised removal of
documents/photographs or by accessing digitally-
held private), to seek out information without
consent.
 They must also not intercept calls, messages or
emails.
 Only in the public interest and when the material
cannot be got hold of by other purposes, it is
generally justifiable if there was to be
engagement in misrepresentations/subterfuge
(including agents/intermediaries).

13. Victims of sexual assault
mustn't be identified –
unless they are free to do
so.
Additionally, mustn’t publish
any material that would
contribute towards the
identification of the person.

14. The press must avoid
prejudicial or pejorative
references about peoples’
race, colour, religion,
gender, sexual orientation,
mental illness or disability.
This must be avoided unless
relevant to the story.

15.  Journalists cannot use financial information,
before universal publication; or pass
information onto others (for their own profit) -
cannot use your own money to bribe others.
 Mustn't write about shares/securities in whose
performance they know, or their close families
have a major financial interest without
revealing the interest to the editor/financial
editor.
 Mustn't buy/sell (either directly or through
nominees/agents), shares/securities about
which they’ve written lately or about they
propose to write in near future.

16. Journalists have a
moral obligation to
defend/protect
confidential sources
of information.

17.  No payments or offer of payment given to witnesses (or a
person who may be expected to be called as a witness), to
gain information on cases; once proceedings are active in any
case, as defined by the Contempt of Court Act 1981.
 The prohibition lasts until...
- the suspect has been bailed (freed unconditionally without
charge),
- the proceedings are discontinued,
- entered a guilty plea in court,
- court has announced its verdict (in event of a non-guilty
plea).
 Cannot make/offer payment to any witnesses when there
may be proceedings that haven’t began.
 In no circumstances, should such payment be conditional on
the outcome of a trial.

18. Payment or offers of payment to gain
additional information, like stories or
pictures of information which search to
take advantage of a specific crime,
mustn't be directly made to
convicted/confessed criminals or to their
associates; may include family, friends or
colleagues.
Would need to display that there was a
good motive to believe the public interest
would be served if editors appeal to the
public interest to justify payments/offers.

19. I am now confident with the 16
regulations, and what I should and
should not do as an editor when
producing my regional magazine product
(including front cover, contents page and
double page spread).
I will keep them all in mind during the
production process, and fortunately I
already knew nearly all of these
principles as I was given the same task
last year during AS Level, however, this
time it applies to my REGIONAL
magazine.