EDITORS' CODE OF PRACTICE COMMITTEE | ABOUT US

The Code of Practice is a living document. It has to be flexible and responsive, changing with the times to reflect developments in circumstances, technology and public attitudes. It is the job of the Editors' Code of Practice Committee to keep it fresh, relevant and responsive.

The committee's role is to write, review and revise the Code, often considering suggestions for amendments from the public, or civil society, as well as from within the industry.

If you would like to suggest an amendment click here, or send it to:
Editors' Code Committee, c/o News Media Association, c/o Crowe LLP, 2nd Floor, 55 Ludgate Hill, London EC4M 7JW.

The Editors' Committee was formed in 1990 to draft Britain's first universally-accepted Code of Practice for the Press, to coincide with the birth of the Press Complaints Commission, which administered the new system of self-regulation prior to the launch of IPSO.

Since then, the Code has evolved consistently, with major rewrites in 1997, following the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, and 2004, when - at the suggestion of the then PCC chairman Sir Christopher Meyer - an annual Code review was introduced. In all, there have been more than 30 substantive amendments (click here to view).

The Editors' Committee's philosophy throughout has been that the Code should be a simple, commonsense and non-legalistic document that maintains a proper balance between protecting the rights of the individual and the public's right to know, which can sometimes compete.

The guiding principle has been that the Code should be observed not only to the letter, but in the full spirit - not interpreted so narrowly as to compromise the commitment to respect the rights of the individual, nor so broadly as to interfere with free speech or to impede publication in the public interest.

This "spirit of the Code" is a distinguishing feature that is possible in a voluntary self-regulatory system, but could not work in the legalistic framework of a statutory code.

The Editors' Committee produces The Editors' Codebook, an official handbook that brings together the Code and the case law developed by the regulatory body. It will be updated to reflect IPSO adjudications. This provides a unique bank of experience upon which editors, journalists and complainants can draw. The Codebook is now incorporated into this website (click here to view), where it can be regularly updated to reflect the most significant developments.

Maria Breslin, Liverpool Echo

Ian Carter, Iliffe Media

David Clegg, The Courier

Sarah de Gay, independent lay member

Charlotte Dewar, CEO, IPSO

Christine Elliott, independent lay member

Chris Evans, Daily Telegraph

Lord Faulks, Chairman, IPSO

Gary Jones, Daily Express

Tina Sany-Davies, Bauer Media

Gary Shipton, National World

Kate Stone, independent lay member

Ben Taylor, Sunday Times

Ted Verity, Daily Mail