The Press Complaints Commission’s longest-serving lay member and former acting chairman is to retire.
Professor Robert Pinker, from the London School of Economics, has been on the Commission since its inception in 1991 and was acting chairman from January 2002 until March 2003.
Current chairman Sir Christopher Meyer said: “Bob Pinker’s contribution to the success of the PCC over the past 13 years has been immense.”
Pinker said: “In the early years we came through some difficult times but, with good leadership and team spirit, we made self-regulation a success story in the UK.”
Market research consultant Adam Phillips has been appointed the commission’s new lay member. He said: “These are interesting times to be joining the Commission, with renewed scrutiny of the manner in which it balances the rights of members of the public on the one hand with the freedom of the press on the other. I am looking forward to contributing to that important balancing act.”
Ten of the commission’s 17 members have no connection with the press and the other seven are senior editors.
By Dominic Ponsford
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