PCC

WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF THE PCC?

• The PCC as set up in 1991 and replaced the Press Council
• During the 1980s, a small number of publications failed to observe the basic ethics of journalism and this led to many MPs losing confidence in the Press Council
• Some politicians believed that it would be preferable to introduce a new regulatory authority which would come under government control and would have the power to enforce legal punishments
• A report that followed did not recomment new statutory controls but proposed a new Press Complaints Commission
• A commitee of national and regional editors was set up and they produced a formal Code of Practice for the PCC to administer
• The Press Standards Board of Finance was set up to organise funding