Santha Rasaiah, the Newspaper Society’s head of legal and regulatory affairs, has been promoted to the new position of head of political, editorial and regulatory affairs (PERA), with effect from 1 November.

The Society’s director, David Newell, said: “Santha Rasaiah is making a unique contribution to the Newspaper Society’s lobbying work for the newspaper industry. The Society has influenced the shape of the Local Government and Freedom of Information Bills and a whole succession of other legislation over the last year. It has also opened up an important dialogue with the judiciary on open justice issues.

“In her new role, Santha will oversee the Society’s lobbying and legal work in Europe and the UK. This covers the editorial, commercial and employment concerns of newspapers – from the citizen’s right to know, to media ownership legislation and from advertising bans to trade union law. She will also have responsibility for managing the Society’s professional, legal and employment services and seminars.”

Santha has worked at the Newspaper Society since 1988. She was called to the Bar in 1983 following a law degree at Oxford. She is co-author of Butterworth’s Law of Journalism and author of various articles on newspaper law topics.

During 1999, she won a Campaign for Freedom of Information award as well as the first-ever Press Gazette Gold Award for services to the newspaper industry. She sits on various working parties on European media law issues and is legal adviser to the Society of Editors.

Santha’s appointment comes in the run-up to the retirement of Sandy Park, the Newspaper Society’s head of employment and regulatory affairs, at the end of the year. Sandy will be appointed consultant to the Society from January 2001.