View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Archive content
August 10, 2006updated 22 Nov 2022 8:36pm

Meyer: ‘Intercepting mobile phone messages is completely unacceptable’

By Press Gazette

This week's police crackdown at the News of the World comes just months after a hard-hitting report from Information Commissioner Richard Thomas on the trade in confidential information.

In May, Thomas called for jail sentences of up to two years for those who bought and sold secret information — a call which was last month echoed by Lord Falconer.

Thomas said: "The ultimate buyers of illegally obtained personal information include journalists, financial institutions and local authorities."

He said there was "a large scale market in the trading of personal information" and that the penalties are too low to have a deterrent effect.

In one major case investigated by his office, records had been found of secret information being sold to 305 named journalists from a range of newspapers.

Thomas said: "At a time when senior members of the press were publicly congratulating themselves for having raised journalistic standards across the industry, many newspapers were continuing to subscribe to an undercover economy devoted to obtaining personal information forbidden to them by the law."

Press Complaints Commission chairman Sir Christopher Meyer, presenting the PCC's annual report in May, urged journalists to respect the law which says paying for confidential information is illegal.

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

He said: "We can and do urge on journalists respect for the law — bribery has no place in journalism.

"I will go on urging. And I look forward to discussions with Mr Thomas about what more he thinks the PCC can do about this within the self-regulatory framework.

"But clearly it would not be viable simply to duplicate the criminal law in the Code of Practice."

■ Clause 10 of the Code states:

The press must not seek to obtain or publish material acquired by using hidden cameras or clandestine listening devices; or by intercepting private or mobile telephone calls, messages or emails; or by the unauthorised removal of documents or photographs.

Engaging in misrepresentation or subterfuge can generally be justified only in the public interest and then only when the material cannot be obtained by other means.

Meyer said this week in response to the Goodman arrest: "It is absolutely clear that intercepting private or mobile telephone messages is completely unacceptable under the Code, unless there is a compelling public interest reason for doing so.

"Even then, journalists must also of course abide by the terms of the. The Commission reserves the right to investigate the newspaper's conduct in this case, if, at the end of the legal process, it appears that there are unresolved questions about its application of the Code of Practice."

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network