The History of the PCC

• Set up in 1991 to replace the Press Council, which had been set up in 1953, aiming to maintain high standards of journalism and protect press freedom
• In the 1980s a small number of publications failed to observe the basic ethics of journalism, leading to a lack of confidence in the Press Council amongst many MPs
• Some politicians believed that it would be preferable to introduce a new regulatory authority under government control
• The government therefore appointed a Departmental Committee to consider the matter, and what measures needed to be taken to ensure further protection to individual privacy from the press
• The report that followed suggested a Press Complaints Commission which would have to prove that non statutory regulation can be made to work effectively
• A committee of national and regional editors was set up and produced a formal Code of Practice for the PCC to administer and the PressBof was set up to organise funding
• Despite some initial problems the PCC has continued to grow in respect and influence