View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Archive content
December 18, 2003updated 17 May 2007 11:30am

Naming of children is now ‘a matter of urgency’

By Press Gazette

The Newspaper Society has requested a meeting with Government officials as a “matter of urgency” to discuss guidelines on the naming of children in local papers.

In recent years papers have found it increasingly difficult to publish full names alongside photographs of children taken at schools. Headteachers have argued that such information could be misused by paedophiles.

In 2002, the Department for Education and Schools issued guidance saying that headteachers should only release the first names of children.

In a letter to Education Secretary Charles Clarke the Newspaper Society said this week: “Although we are advised that the guidance was not intended to affect the local media, it has certainly had an adverse impact upon coverage of school events. Our members are increasingly experiencing difficulties in taking photographs of school plays and teams.

Without names, pictures are of limited interest to local papers.”

The letter concluded: “Now that the season of school nativity plays is upon us we anticipate an escalation of the difficulties currently experienced.

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

This situation has now become a matter of urgency.”

By Dominic Ponsford

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