View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. News
March 17, 2011

South Wales Guardian censured over child pic

By Press Gazette

The South Wales Guardian has been censured by the Press Complaints Commission for publishing a photograph of a young child without permission of its adoptive parents.

The parents, through Carmarthenshire County Council, complained that an article, headed “My Maxine is not evil – mum”, and published on 4 August included a photograph of their daughter when she was aged thirteen months.

The article was an interview with the mother of a woman who had been convicted of murder in 2008.

In the course of the interview she had spoken about her daughter’s appeal and the adoption of her daughter’s child as a result of the conviction.

The child’s new parents told the press watchdog they had not consented to publication of the photograph, and were concerned that the child – who was now three years old – had been identified as a result.

The newspaper told the PCC the photograph had been authorised by the child’s biological mother and grandmother.

It also argued that the information about the child had not been unduly intrusive, and that the consequences of the crime committed by the child’s mother – as well as the actions of social services with regard to the adoption – were a legitimate subject for public scrutiny.

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

Clause 6 of the Editors’ Code states: ‘A child under 16 must not be interviewed or photographed on issues involving their own or another child’s welfare unless a custodial parent or similarly responsible adult consents.”

Despite the paper’s stance, the PCC ruled yesterday that the South Wales Guardian had breached reporting guidelines as the photograph, given the context of the article, clearly involved the child’s welfare.

In addition, consent of the custodial parents had not been obtained before publication and there was not an exceptional public interest to justify use of the photo.

Stephen Abell, director of the PCC, said: “The editors’ code correctly goes to exceptional lengths to safeguard children and provides them with strong protection from intrusive attention.

‘A breach of the code such as this would require an exceptional public interest to override the normally paramount interests of the child.

‘In this case, the commission did not consider that there were exceptional public interest grounds specifically to justify the publication of the picture – even though it did recognise there was a general public interest in the story.

‘The complaint was upheld as a result”.

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