Former regional newspaper editor Geoff Elliott has been appointed to the Broadcasting Standards Commission.

Mr Elliott, (55) was editor and director of The News, in Portmsouth, from 1990 until last year when he was sacked after the paper was taken over by Johnston Press.

Earlier this year he was appointed head of journalism at the University of Central Lancashire.

His career began as a trainee reporter on the Coventry Evening Telegraph. He became its deputy editor in 1973 and left six years later to edit the Kent Messenger. He returned to Coventry in 1981 as editor, and left 10 years later to join the News.

He was President of the Society of Editors in 1999 and President of the Guild of Editors between 1998 and 1999. He has served on the Press Council, the Press Complaints Commission, and the PCC’s Editors’ Code Committee.

The Broadcasting Standards Commission produces codes of practice relating to standards and fairness, and adjudicates on complaints. It also monitors, researches and reports on standards and fairness.

Mr Elliott’s appointment, by Culture Secretary Chris Smith, is for four years.

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