by holdthefrontpage staff
The majority of complaints made to the Press Complaints Commission, which raise a possible breach of the Code of Practice, are resolved directly between the Commission's staff, editors and complainants.
These are either settled to the express satisfaction of the complainant following some remedial action by the editor or are not pursued by complainants following an explanation or other response from the publication.
Below are summaries of the latest complaints involving the regional press which fall into the first category.
Anfield & Walton Star
C Farrelly, of Liverpool, complained on behalf of the Priory Residents Area Association, that a printed image of the proposed new Anfield football stadium was significantly smaller than the official projections. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The newspaper published a clarification on the matter.
Oldham Evening Chronicle
Eric A Roberts of Lancashire complained that the newspaper had inaccurately traced the etymology behind Mumps Bridge, by omitting the fact that it may have been the location of a workhouse for "mumpers" or beggars and suggesting that it was connected to the word 'mump' meaning 'grimace'. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The newspaper published a follow-up piece clarifying the subject, suggesting that the beggars may have been called 'mumpers' because they were known for grimacing due to the poverty of their circumstances.
East Anglian Daily Times
Kim Naish of Colchester complained that an article had incorrectly reported his involvement at a Council Cabinet meeting, especially in its suggestion that he had been 'thrown out' following his speech. Having made his comments, he walked out of the meeting of his own volition. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The newspaper published an edited letter from the complainant.
Daily Record
Marion MacLellan complained that an article about the men who killed her husband had misspelt her husband's name. She was also concerned that her husband was always referred to in articles about the two men's crimes – unlike the pair's other victims. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The newspaper apologised for the error and agreed to amend its archive. Following a second misspelling in a subsequent article the newspaper wrote directly to the complainant to apologise for the mistakes and gave an assurance that its database archive had now been changed. The managing editor also assured the complainant that members of staff had been made aware of her unhappiness and that it had been pointed out to them that the other victims of Robert Mone and Thomas McCulloch were rarely mentioned in articles about their crimes.
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