Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

The Calcutt Report: Editor backs ethics code in reporters' contracts: Select Committee

Patricia Wynn Davies
Thursday 14 January 1993 19:02 EST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

OBSERVANCE of the newspaper industry's code of practice should be part of every journalist's contract of employment, Andreas Whittam Smith, the editor of the Independent, told the Commons national heritage select committee yesterday, writes Patricia Wynn Davies.

Mr Whittam Smith told the all-party committee of inquiry into media intrusion: 'If the committee recommended this, that would be a valuable stimulus for us.'

The suggestion came after Gerald Kaufman, the committee's Labour chairman, suggested that in newspaper offices copies of the code had remained in 'pristine condition, perhaps preserved under glass'. But while Mr Whittam Smith said some newspapers had 'unduly and wrongly' invaded people's privacy, legal measures should be confined to new laws against trespass, electronic eavesdropping and 'peeping Tom pictures'.

He warned that laws that curbed the use of leaked documents would 'sweep aside the whole valuable process that is whistle-blowing'.

'There are occasions when corrupt practices are only exposed when somebody, often a junior person, sends something to a newspaper.'

Packs of reporters descending on the scene or subject of a story, while sometimes 'regrettable', likewise had benefits, providing reports from the trouble spots of the world, such as Sarajevo, Mr Whittam Smith said.

The Press Complaints Commission would have to step up pressure on editors which, in turn, would influence newspaper proprietors.

Stewart Purvis, editor-in-chief of Independent Television News, rejected as 'unworkable' the idea of banning the photographing of people on private property without their consent.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in