Bloggers respond to threat of PPC regulation

Guy Aitchison, 18 November 2009

Barroness Buscombe, the new Tory chair of the Press Complaints Commission, is reported to be considering extending the remit of the PCC to include blogs.

Anyone who knows anything about how the PCC works (or doesn't) will know that this is a very bad idea and potentially a serious threat to the independence and integrity of blogging. This is especially so given the fact the PCC is run by people in the mainstream media who have an obvious interest in restricting the activities of bloggers.

Over at Liberal Conspiracy, Unity is organising a collective response from bloggers basically saying "Thanks, but no thanks - put your own house in order first". Following some good points raised in the comments, a new re-drafted letter will also include examples of how the blogging community meets higher standards of integrity and transparency than the mainstream media. It's hoped this will lead to a public debate between bloggers and the MSM about their respective standards of accuracy and accountability.

Over two hundred bloggers from across the political spectrum have already signed up to the letter and added their own suggestions and improvements - it's the blogosphere working at its best. Anthony Barnett and myself from OurKingdom have signed the letter - if you're a blogger who wants to stay free of the PCC I suggest you do too.

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