Regulatory Bodies in Media

Different regulatory bodies and their functions:

Press Complaints Commission (PCC)

The PCC is is an independent body which deals with all complaints from all members of the public when concerning the editorial content of press publications such as Newspapers, magazines and online articles. The Editors' Codes of Practice is the "rulebook" and is used when the PCC are assessing complaints against the article in question. 

http://mediastandardstrust.org/resources/contact-a-regulatory-body/
http://www.pcc.org.uk/complaints/makingacomplaint.html

OFCOM

OFCOM is the independent regulator and competition authority for all UK communications industries. OFCOM  covers a very wide variation of media platforms including Television and Radio sectors, Fixed line telecoms and the airwaves that wireless devices operate on. It is OFCOM's job to consider all complaints made by the public regarding all UK licensed broadcasts and to investigate them against the Broadcasting Code. One exception to OFCOM's responsibilities is complaints regarding accuracy and impartiality within BBC Television and Radio broadcasts. These are dealt with by the BBC Trust.

http://mediastandardstrust.org/resources/contact-a-regulatory-body/
http://www.ofcom.org.uk

BBC Trust


This is the governing body of the BBC however they operate independently of the rest of the BBC management and external bodies. They always aim to act in the best interests of the license fee payers. The BBC Trust accepts complaints on issues such as editorial content, fair trading, television licensing, digital switchover and others just like other regulatory bodies do but only for the BBC. Complaints about editorial content are measured against the BBC’s editorial guidelines and then legal action may be taken if seen needed.

http://mediastandardstrust.org/resources/contact-a-regulatory-body/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/

Advertising Standards Authority (ASA)


The ASA is the self-regulator for advertising across all media platforms including TV and internet. Although the ASA is a self-regulator, it works closely with Ofcom and has a statutory backstop in the Office of Fair Trading. The ASA considers whether adverts are ‘legal, decent, honest and truthful’ by measuring them against the Advertising Codes.

http://mediastandardstrust.org/resources/contact-a-regulatory-body/
http://www.asa.org.uk

Association for Television On Demand


The Association for Television On Demand (ATVOD) is an independent co-regulator that deals with the editorial content of UK video on demand services such as BBCiplayer and 4OD. Ofcom has only recently delegated certain functions to ATVOD. This Regulator works mainly off veiwer complaints and investigating complaints they receive that are related to OnDemand video.

http://mediastandardstrust.org/resources/contact-a-regulatory-body/
http://www.atvod.co.uk

Internet Watch Foundation




The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) is an independent self-regulatory body that provides the UK internet Hotline for the public and IT professionals to report criminal online content in a secure and confidential way. They ‘help internet service providers and hosting companies to combat the abuse of their networks through a “notice and takedown” service which alerts them to content within the remit so they can remove it from their networks and provide unique data to law enforcement partners in the UK and abroad to assist investigations into the distributors’. The IWF acts on issues within its remit.

http://mediastandardstrust.org/resources/contact-a-regulatory-body/
http://www.iwf.org.uk