Complaint ABOUT Press Complaints Commission.

This Is Part Two of, Complaints about, Criticisms of, and Suggestions to, the PCC.

9/ Initially I was extremely impressed with the organisation of the PCC. They sent me two booklets, these being their "Code of Practice" and "How to Complain". As it happened I had, in modern parlance, ticked all of the right boxes in putting my complaint to them. I note that on the cover of each of these booklets, in the bottom right hand corner, is what may be termed an "icon". Representing their avowed aims are the words "fast free fair". This same "icon" also appears in the bottom right hand corner of their headed paper.

In the course of time, as my complaint was dealt with, I became increasingly cynical about what they considered to be fair and also had cause to assess the aim fast.

Much later I chanced on literature they published in connection with appointing new Commissioners, that literature gave me a great deal of information as to how the PCC functioned.

10/ The PCC's first letter to me, dated 12 September 2007 may well have been their "standard" reply. Re- reading it, with the benefit of hindsight, I will comment on two aspects that, I feel, need mentioning. Firstly, paragraph two reads "Your complaint will now be assessed as to whether it requires investigation under the Code. If this appears to be the case we will ask the editor to deal with your complaint". My comments on this paragraph follow.
Bearing in mind the PCC's aim of fast it should have taken about thirty minutes to assess the
crystal clear evidence that there was a significant inaccuracy and that the Editor needed to obey the Code. The PCC should have "required" him to publish a correction in the next issue of his paper. That could well have ended the matter very quickly in compliance with their aim of fast. A simple apology would not have been out of place.

Secondly, later in the initial letter from the PCC to me the following sentence appears. "As part of a full and fair investigation we must ensure that each party to a complaint is able to see and comment upon what the other has to say". My comment on this is that each party should also "see" what the PCC has written to the other party and what exactly the PCC staff put before the Commissioners as an aid to them coming to a decision. Further "seeing" should include an exact transcript of any phone calls in connection with the complaint, in fact all concerned with the complaint should be able to "see" anything to do with the complaint, that would be fair.

This blog on the PCC will be continued in Part Three.

Frederick W Gilling Tuesday 17 Novemer 2009.