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Readers asked for views on shootings coverage

Newspaper readers in Cumbria have been asked to give their views on how local and national journalists covered the recent shootings in the county.

Stephen Abell, director of the Press Complaints Commission, had a letter published in the Whitehaven News this week in which he calls for people to report any concerns about how the press handled the tragedy.

In his letter, he urges anyone with concerns over the behaviour of reporters or articles which have been printed to contact the organisation.

During a visit to the county, Mr Abell also met representatives from the police and clergy from the area affected by the shootings to gain their views on how journalists behaved, as well as meeting media representatives.

Mr Abell wrote: “I listened to their experiences of the shootings, and their dealings with journalists and broadcasters.

“What I learned – among positive stories about the actions of the press – was that the sheer numbers of journalists, both print and broadcast, caused difficulties for the affected communities, and there were individual cases of what was seen to be inappropriate behaviour.

“The PCC is keen to follow up, and deal with, any concerns suggesting that journalists have breached the Code we enforce.

“I would also like to point out that, starting from the first hour of the shooting, the PCC has been in regular touch with Cumbria Police to offer our services to families of the victims.”

Mr Abell said the PCC was already dealing with a number of enquiries from people directly affected by the shootings, and would respond to such enquiries with “speed and sensitivity.”

Local MP Jamie Reed has already praised three regional papers in Parliament, including the weekly Whitehaven News, for how they reported on the shootings by Derrick Bird last month – but he criticised the way some other sections of the media behaved.

Comments

Sean Duffy (19/07/2010 12:09:49)
The Press Complaints Commission aren’t being proactive, they are being reactive. I, along with a number of other people complained to the PCC about a certain article that appeared in the News of the World following the West Coast shootings.
Our complaint was not accepted as it didn’t fall within the PCC Code of Practice. It’s rather annoying that the complaint was rejected, then they publish a letter in the Whitehaven News asking for people to complain!
It’s very strange coincidence that the PCC reacted and issued a letter to the W/News after MP, Jamie Reed was contacted about the outcome of the complaint and his (Jamie’s) desire to clean up the press.
According to the PCC, newspapers can write what they want because views expressed by a columnists are their own view and not that of the newspaper… even though the editor has given the article the go ahead!
Read my complaint and the PCCs response here:
http://www.mywhitehaven.net/1/post/2010/07/press-complaints-commission.html