Press Recognition Panel (PRP)

New polling from @pressjustice.bsky.social backs up our recent YouGov research: the public wants press regulation independent of politicians and publishers – not industry-run complaints systems – and most believe press behaviour hasn’t improved since phone hacking, and is getting worse 📊

Unlike Prince Harry, most people can’t afford costly legal teams and are powerless when they feel the press has harmed them.

More than a decade after #Leveson, an accountability gap remains, leaving the public largely unprotected.

#PrinceHarryVsDailyMail

Our Call for Information has now closed.

A huge thank you to everyone who took part – we’ve had a really strong and thoughtful response.

We’ll be spending the New Year carefully considering submissions as we prepare our next report on the Recognition System.

Season’s greetings!

Call for information on the effectiveness and future direction of press regulation in the UK – September 2025 - Press Recognition Panel Introduction The Press Recognition Panel (PRP) oversees press regulation in the UK. Established by Royal Charter in 2014 following the Leveson Inquiry, we operate independently of Government, Parliame...

⏳ ONE WEEK TO GO!

Our Call for Information on press regulation in the UK closes Friday 19 December.

We want evidence from the public, journalists, publishers, academics, campaigners, and anyone with an interest in press standards and accountability.

Don’t miss this chance to have your say 💬

“We have written numerous times to the Secretary of State to offer a meeting to discuss how the government can implement the simple, existing solutions to promote accountability and protect the public from press harm, while protecting press freedom.”

“Beyond warm words from the Secretary of State about setting up meetings, we are unable to identify how protecting the public from press intrusion and harm features in the Government’s thinking.

Our Chair, Kathryn Cearns OBE, said: “Gerry McCann’s words reflect the views of the vast majority of the UK’s population. 4 in 5 people believe the press often invades people’s privacy, and 7 in 10 say the press often publishes false or misleading information and fails to correct mistakes.

Victims have already given extensive evidence. Leveson examined these issues across nearly 2,000 pages, at a cost of £5.4m. The challenge is not a lack of ideas – it is the failure of successive governments to act on what is already known.

Lisa Nandy noted that people now get news “online from a whole variety of sources,” creating “new and different challenges.” But as Gerry pointed out, much of the harmful material “arises in the mainstream press and their websites.”

But more than a year into government, no changes have been implemented. Major publishers still opt out of independent oversight. IPSO is not a regulator. As Gerry said, it “is not independent or Leveson-compliant”, and victims still have no access to redress.

Lisa Nandy acknowledged a “very, very patchy landscape” in UK media regulation and a long-standing disparity between standards for broadcasters and the press.

We’ve recently written to the Culture Secretary, the Prime Minister, and the CMS Committee to reiterate that Leveson Part 1 is unfinished business. An independent system of press self-regulation exists, but the political will to implement it in full is missing.

Madeleine McCann’s father tells BBC how his family was hounded by press Gerry McCann, whose daughter vanished in 2007, tells the BBC he believes politicians fear the media.

🧵 Gerry McCann’s BBC Radio 4 Today interview yesterday was a stark reminder that press harm is not historic. Families are still living with intrusive coverage, and people are being “damaged, destroyed on a daily basis.”

Madeleine McCann's father calls for more scrutiny of press Gerry McCann, whose daughter vanished in 2007, tells the BBC he believes politicians fear the media.

We recently wrote to the Culture Secretary to clarify that, whilst #Leveson 2 was never commenced, Leveson 1 is unfinished business.

An independent system of press regulation already exists. What’s missing is the political will to implement it and give victims the protections they were promised.

Now You See Me - The Illusion of Press Accountability - Press Recognition Panel Following Mr Bates vs the Post Office, there was a national outcry in the press about the shocking injustice done to sub-postmasters, sharp finger-pointing in the Post Office itself, and a collective ...

🪄 NEW BLOG: Now You See Me – The Illusion of Press Accountability

The public thinks the press is regulated. It isn’t.

Beyond Impress, it’s an illusion – and ordinary people pay the price.

Call for information on the effectiveness and future direction of press regulation in the UK – September 2025 - Press Recognition Panel Introduction The Press Recognition Panel (PRP) oversees press regulation in the UK. Established by Royal Charter in 2014 following the Leveson Inquiry, we operate independently of Government, Parliame...

The Recognition System is fully independent and open to all publishers. Yet many remain outside it.

What affects whether news publishers decide to join or not?

Share your evidence 👇

Seven in ten people think the papers regularly publish false information, we need to improve press regulation – Zahera Harb

The resignation of the BBC’s director general and CEO of news is only the latest symptom of a deeper malaise in the media , a crisis of trust that runs through broadcasters…

Seven in ten people think the papers regularly publish false information – we need to improve press regulation The public perceives serious ongoing problems in journalistic practice.

The public perceives serious ongoing problems in journalistic practice.

Seven in ten people think the papers regularly publish false information – we need to improve press regulation The public perceives serious ongoing problems in journalistic practice.

7 in 10 people think the UK press regularly publishes false information - and most want stronger, more independent press regulation.

An important piece from PRP Board member @zaherah.bsky.social in @uk.theconversation.com 👇👇

The public haven’t been fooled: it’s time to stop pretending Leveson lessons were learned Press Recognition Panel chair says new research shows people remain sceptical of media standards.

Press Recognition Panel chair writes: The public haven’t been fooled: it’s time to stop pretending Leveson lessons were learned pressgazette.co.uk/comment-anal...

New PRP Opinion Poll shows that the majority of the UK public back independent press regulation

A new public opinion poll by YouGov, commissioned by the Press Recognition Panel ("PRP") shows that 54% of the public believe that the press should be regulated by a fully independent body.  22% support…

Consultation on guidance on the Royal Charter and online and digital news-related material - Press Recognition Panel This consultation sets out the PRP’s draft guidance under paragraph 13 of Schedule 2 of the Royal Charter on four key issues arising from news publication in the internet age: Whether the criteria giv...

📢 Consultation now open

We have published draft guidance on key issues arising from news publication in the internet age:

• The removal and amendment of online material
• Responsibility for user-generated content
• A regulator's remit over AI-generated content

Read & respond by 19 Dec 2025 👇

YouTube video by Byline TV After The Hack #7 | with Byline Times & Impress

We finally have the last edition of the Hack, out now!

Thanks for those of you who've gone on the journey with our companion piece to ITV's the Hack.

It's been a fun ride, and we know that a better media is possible

@hackedoff.bsky.social @mediareformuk.bsky.social

youtu.be/KnJNLrJC5Yc

Most think the press should be regulated by an independent body, followed by a legal/government-backed regulator. How the press should be regulated. By an independent body (not linked to government or the press): 54% By a legal or government-backed regulator (like Ofcom): 22% Each news organisation should regulate itself: 6% By a group run by the news industry: 3% By someone else: 1% Don't know: 8% N/A - I don't think the press should be regulated: 5% Net: Any: 86% Information box: Those aged 18-24 and 25-34 are most likely to say they don't know (15% and 14%) P4a: How, if at all, should the press be regulated? Please select one option. Base: All (2035)

If the journalism industry and journalists want to rebuild trust, we need to listen to the public 🤝

And they want the news to be regulated by a truly independent regulator, a survey from
@yougov.co.uk and the @prpanel.bsky.social has found.

So, why not urge your favourite outlet to join us?

Call for information on the effectiveness and future direction of press regulation in the UK – September 2025 - Press Recognition Panel Introduction The Press Recognition Panel (PRP) oversees press regulation in the UK. Established by Royal Charter in 2014 following the Leveson Inquiry, we operate independently of Government, Parliame...

The PRP is calling for:

✅ Publishers to join or form recognised independent regulators, or reform IPSO
✅ Government to encourage this change & strengthen accountability
✅ The public to share their views through our Call for Information 👇

PRP Chair Kathryn Cearns OBE says:

“This research shows a clear public demand for press regulation that is independent, effective and accountable, and overwhelming opposition to industry-run models such as IPSO acting as the regulator and final arbitrator of complaints.”

⚖️ Access to justice matters

🔵 Only 1 in 4 think the press pays attention to complaints from the public, compared with 4 in 5 who say it listens to the rich.
🔵 Only 1 in 5 believe an ordinary person would see a false or misleading story corrected, while 2 in 3 think a politician or celebrity would.

🔵 Nine in ten people say the press often publishes exaggerated stories just to get attention.
🔵 Eight in ten think it fails to represent people & groups fairly.
🔵 Seven in ten say it often publishes false or misleading info.
🔵 Four in five think it often invades privacy.

The findings, released as @itvx.com’s #TheHack concludes tonight with scenes at the #Leveson Inquiry, show many people believe problematic practices like those highlighted by the series haven’t gone away.

In fact, most think misleading reporting and unfair coverage are becoming more common.