PCC complaints hit 'record high'

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The growth of online editorial services run by newspapers and magazines had led the Press Complaints Commission (PCC) to approach independent self-regulation of the industry in a completely new way, he said in the commission's annual report.

"It is our continuing duty at the PCC to uphold high standards, not least through providing effective remedies to the victims of bad journalism."

Sir Christopher said the PCC dealt with a record number of complaints - which included a record number of complaints about privacy.

There was no evidence that the rise in the number of complaints received was due to a collapse in standards - rather, it was likely that the increase was due to other factors, such as the extension of the PCC's remit to cover editorial material on websites run by newspapers and magazines.

Sir Christopher went on: "The flexible service offered by the PCC is clearly sought-after in resolving complaints about the digital media.

"The majority of complaints in 2007 - for the first time - concerned articles as they appeared online, not in the paper."

The annual report shows that last year the PCC received a total of 4,340 complaints - an increase of 70% since 1996, and a rise of 31% on the figure for 2006.

But the total was inflated by multiple complaints about just a couple of articles, it said.

An article by Tony Parsons in the Daily Mirror under the headline "Oh, up yours senor" sparked 485 complaints, while a sticker given away in heat magazine which ridiculed the disabled son of Katie Price - also known as glamour model Jordan - attracted 143 complaints.