CONCERNED ABOUT SOMETHING YOU HAVE SEEN OR EXPERIENCED, IN THE MEDIA?
The regulatory landscape in the UK is fractured and complex, with three key complaints bodies and plenty of outlets which aren't in any of them.
Have a complaint about press behaviour?
Then please fill in the form and we will be in touch soon!
What's the impact of press intrusion, and how can the Press Justice Project help?
Therapist and campaigner Jacqui Hames explains the role of the Project.
All broadcast TV is regulated by Ofcom - and regulated fairly firmly. This means that if the outlet you are concerned about is a radio or TV outlet, then you can go to Ofcom. You can complain about all kinds of things - including bias, misleading news, breaching privacy, broadcasting lies, and so on.
If you have a complaint about a website owned by a broadcaster - for example, if you read a story on the News website and spot an inaccuracy, you can't complain to Ofcom. Instead, you should write to say News directly. The only exception to this is the BBC's website. Although you should still complain to the BBC first about anything wrong on its website, if you aren't satisfied with its response you can then go to Ofcom.
Things get even more complicated with the press.
Most of the national newspapers are in IPSO, except for The Guardian, The Independent and The Financial Times. To complain to IPSO, you must first complain to the newspaper. If, after 28 days your complaint hasn't been resolved, you can then take your complaint to IPSO. Many other outlets are in IMPRESS. Unlike IPSO, IMPRESS is a regulator approved by the Press Recognition Panel. Some outlets aren't in either - including Private Eye, The Canary, Novara Media and many other smaller outlets, including on-line-only outlets. To complain about an IMPRESS member, you must complain to the publisher. If, after 21 days your complaint hasn't been resolved, you can then take your complaint to IMPRESS.
For all other publishers, you are at the mercy of their own, in-house process. The Financial Times has a "Complaints Commissioner" and The Guardian has a Readers' Editor.
