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Press regulation: publishers seek judicial review of royal charter decision Press regulation: publishers seek judicial review of royal charter decision
(1 day later)
A group of national newspaper publishers have launched a legal challenge to the government's plans for press regulation, claiming that "irrational" ministers have failed to apply "rigorous standards of consultation" over plans for a new watchdog. Newspaper and magazines publishers have launched a legal challenge to the government's plans for press regulation, claiming that "irrational" ministers have failed to apply "rigorous standards of consultation" over plans for a new watchdog.
The Newspaper Publishers Association (NPA) is applying to the high court to seek a judicial review of the government's decision to proceed with the royal charter-based system supported by the three main political parties and Hacked Off, which campaigns for victims of the press. Four press industry bodies are applying to the high court to seek a judicial review of the government's decision to proceed with the royal charter-based system supported by the three main political parties and Hacked Off, which campaigns for victims of the press.
The association, whose principal members include the publishers of the Daily Mail, the Sun, the Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mirror, said it wants to have the decision quashed and is pressing ahead with plans to set up its own watchdog, in defiance of government wishes. The bodies, representing publishers including the owners of the Daily Mail, the Sun, the Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mirror, said they wanted to have the decision quashed and were pressing ahead with plans to set up their own watchdog, in defiance of government wishes.
Lord Black, the Tory peer and executive director of the Telegraph Media Group, said the NPA had to make this move in the interests of preserving a free press. "As the issues at stake are so extraordinarily high – we are having to take this course of action," he said. Lord Black, the Tory peer and executive director of the Telegraph Media Group, said the industry had to make this move in the interests of preserving a free press. "As the issues at stake are so extraordinarily high – we are having to take this course of action," he said.
Two weeks ago the culture secretary, Maria Miller, announced that ministers were not going to consider a rival royal charter devised by a group of major publishers, sticking instead with the charter agreed in March – a decision due to be ratified by the privy council next week.Two weeks ago the culture secretary, Maria Miller, announced that ministers were not going to consider a rival royal charter devised by a group of major publishers, sticking instead with the charter agreed in March – a decision due to be ratified by the privy council next week.
However it is clear from the NPA's hostility that the government's charter is in difficulty, as no large publisher has said it will apply to be part of the resulting system. However it is clear from the industry's hostility that the government's charter is in difficulty, as no large publisher has said it will apply to be part of the resulting system.
"The government and the privy council should have applied the most rigorous standards of consultation and examination of the royal charter proposed by the industry, which would have enshrined tough regulatory standards at the same time as protecting press freedom," said Black. "They singularly failed to do so.""The government and the privy council should have applied the most rigorous standards of consultation and examination of the royal charter proposed by the industry, which would have enshrined tough regulatory standards at the same time as protecting press freedom," said Black. "They singularly failed to do so."
Mark Warby QC, a leading media expert, believes the government's decision could be legally reviewed. "The privy council's royal charter processes are pretty obscure. This case could raise some interesting questions about what rules they follow, and whether the processes are fair."Mark Warby QC, a leading media expert, believes the government's decision could be legally reviewed. "The privy council's royal charter processes are pretty obscure. This case could raise some interesting questions about what rules they follow, and whether the processes are fair."
The NPA's legal challenge was denounced by Hacked Off as the sign of a "deaf and desperate" industry. Brian Cathcart, the group's executive director, said the NPA "refuse to listen to the evidence that there is no threat to the free press", claiming the cross-party royal charter "actually benefits the press, both financially and in terms of freedom of expression". The judicial review is being sought by four trade bodies - the Newspapers Publishers Association, whose members include the publishers of national titles including the Daily Mail, Sun, Daily Telegraph and Daily Mirror; the Newspaper Society, which represents more than 1,000 regional and local papers; the Scottish Newspaper Society; and the Professional Publishers Association, which represents thousands of magazines.
Their legal challenge was denounced by Hacked Off as the sign of a "deaf and desperate" industry. Brian Cathcart, the group's executive director, said the industry "refuse to listen to the evidence that there is no threat to the free press", claiming the cross-party royal charter "actually benefits the press, both financially and in terms of freedom of expression".
Other newspaper owners took a neutral position on the legal challenge. The Guardian is part of the NPA, in common with all other national newspapers, but is neither supporting nor rejecting the legal challenge being conducted by the trade body.Other newspaper owners took a neutral position on the legal challenge. The Guardian is part of the NPA, in common with all other national newspapers, but is neither supporting nor rejecting the legal challenge being conducted by the trade body.
On Thursday evening Fleet Street's largest publishers presented their final plans for its own regulator, the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), which would include a contract binding publishers to the watchdog's decisions. The NPA said the new watchdog would have greater powers of investigation, enforcement and sanction than the discredited Press Complaints Commission, which it will replace. On Thursday evening newspaper and magazine publishers presented their final plans for its own regulator, the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), which would include a contract binding publishers to the watchdog's decisions. They said the new watchdog would have greater powers of investigation, enforcement and sanction than the discredited Press Complaints Commission, which it will replace.
Those supporting the judical review and the creation of IPSO are the publishers of the Daily Mail, Daily Telegraph, Daily Mirror and Rupert Murdoch's News UK, publisher of the Sun and the Times. Paul Vickers, chairman of the industry's steering group and executive director of Trinity Mirror, said the 80-page plan was the result of nine months of consultation across the industry ranging from the big publishers to the Guardian and local newspaper groups. It hopes to have the new watchdog up and running in January. "I am confident that what we have produced will be the toughest regulator anywhere in the developed world," he said. Those supporting the judical review and the creation of IPSO include the publishers of the Daily Mail, Daily Telegraph, Daily Mirror and Rupert Murdoch's News UK, publisher of the Sun and the Times. Paul Vickers, chairman of the industry's steering group and executive director of Trinity Mirror, said the 80-page plan was the result of nine months of consultation across the industry ranging from the big publishers to the Guardian and local newspaper groups. It hopes to have the new watchdog up and running in January. "I am confident that what we have produced will be the toughest regulator anywhere in the developed world," he said.
• This article was amended on 25 October 2013 to reflect the fact that the judicial review is backed by not just the Newspaper Publishers Association, but the Newspaper Society, Scottish Newspaper Society and Professional Publishers Association.
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