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All major publishers to stay with IPSO for further five years

IPSO-logo3Press watchdog IPSO has announced that all major publishers have agreed to sign-up to the regulator for a further five years.

IPSO – the Independent Press Standards Organisation – was set up by the industry to continue the system of voluntary self-regulation following the demise of the Press Complaints Commission.

Most of the national newspaper publishers and almost all local newspapers and magazines joined the organisation rather than sign up to a rival regulator approved the government.

IPSO today announced that all but two of the 83 publishers who joined have chosen to remain part of the system of independent, voluntary self-regulation for the next five years.

Chief Executive Matt Tee said: “Five years ago, few would have believed that we would make such determined progress in establishing effective regulation of the press.

“We set out to protect the public and bolster freedom of expression, and I am confident that IPSO is now achieving far more than most thought possible.

“It is pleasing that all major publishers have chosen to remain part of IPSO – making a commitment to robust independent regulation and demonstrating that in an era of increasing disinformation and ‘fake news’, IPSO membership is a mark of quality, responsible journalism.”

The two publishers who have left are financial news service Citywire and specialist publisher Connect Publications.

Under IPSO’s regulations, regulated publishers must sign up to legally enforceable contracts which oblige them to follow the standards set out in the Editors’ Code, comply with IPSO’s rulings, submit an annual compliance report and have proper complaints handling processes in place.

HoldtheFrontPage itself joined IPSO in 2017.