Submission of evidence to the press regulator IMPRESS

This evidence is drawn from an ongoing study into press ethics and regulation that was, in part prompted by informal discussions with IMPRESS’s former CEO Jonathan Heawood. One of the things that Jonathan noted that was lacking in the area of press ethics and regulation was a set of empirically based benchmarks that regulators could use to measure their effectiveness and assess their impact. Part of the evidence here provides just that and is intended to help shape IMPRESS’s effectiveness in its role as a press regulator. Another key motivation for this report echoes the rationale behind Lara Fielden’s highly regarded Reuters report from 2012. Her comparative study on international press councils sought to stimulate the debate on press reform in the UK by providing examples of how other countries deal with press regulation. Like Fielden, our research seeks to contribute to the evolving debate around press regulation in Britain by looking at press ethics and regulation across a number of counties. The evidence presented here however is intended to support and feed into IMPRESS’s review of its standards code and its activities more broadly. We are more than happy to follow up on any aspects of the report if required.