IPSO Vix Mc Keown ROLE AND PURPOSE The

IPSO Vix Mc. Keown

ROLE AND PURPOSE • The IPSO is responsible for regulating most magazines and newspapers in the United Kingdom. It's main purpose is to address complaints in order to ensure that no indecent material is exposed to the public and that a fair level of journalism is maintained, primarily by enforcement of the Editors' Code of Practice. This covers issues such as dependable and authentic reporting, appreciation for individuals and prohibition of intrusion as well as respect for confidentiality amongst other things.

LEGAL POWERS • The IPSO is a an independent self-regulator. It was established in 2014 to take over from the PCC (Press Complaints Commission) primarily due to accusations of press misconduct, to which the PCC was failing to resolve. It is funded by publications and is independent from parliament. This means it is not regulated by the government which makes it a powerful body.

MEDIA ASPECTS COVERED • It covers the regulation of newspapers and magazines, this can be for material it deems insensitive, discriminative or improper. Publishers, journalists and editors are required to abide by the Editors' Code which is enforced by the IPSO. The Editors' Code was created by Editors' Code Committee and ranges over various newspaper and magazine platforms, although many of these platforms are not satisfied with the actions taken by the IPSO.

CASE STUDY • In 2016 the Daily Express, the Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail were reported to the IPSO for publishing inaccurate news stories. All three of these publications were accused of breaking the Editors' Code cause they did not "take care not to publish inaccurate, misleading or distorted information or images". This is not the first time for the Daily Telegraph as they have had numerous complaints in the past and actually became the most frequently reported in 2016 with nine complaints made in only two years.

CONTROVERSIES • There are many who say the IPSO doesn't measure up to expectations and that they should be enforcing the Editors' Code more responsibly. There also concerns because some who work for it are funded by the very same publications they used to work for, but now regulate. Many who were victims of the press misconduct shortly before the creation of the IPSO protested against them over their lack of enforcement of the Editors' Code. They were quoted as saying "we have no confidence in this sham body, which is controlled by the newspapers which have appointed their own ‘industry representatives’ to sit in judgment on their compliance with their own editors’ code”.

HOW THEY IMPACT ON THE PRODUCTION OF A MEDIA PRODUCT • This can prevent journalists from exploiting others in order to produce their media product, so in that sense it would make a positive impact - maybe not for the exploitative journalist but for those being exploited. However if the IPSO fails to apply the Editors' Code fairly across all levels of publications it can become a flawed body, and could potentially impact a journalist who might have something to say that the IPSO might not like or want them say. In this case it may restrict creative control over a media product for the wrong reasons, whereas restricting creative control for discrimination against others would be for the right reasons. So it can have both positive and negative impacts.