Press Ombudsman's office a 'powerful alternative system of redress' despite 'shoestring' budget
Mckay Press Ombudsman Picture: Speirs Susan Derek
The Office of the Press Ombudsman dealt with 260 complaints in 2022, a drop of about half over the previous year.
A large majority of complaints (94) cited breaches of Principle 1 - Truth and Accuracy - of the Press Council's Code of Practice. Twenty-nine complaints cited Principle 2 - Distinguishing Fact and Comment, with the remainder citing various other principles of the code.
The Ombudsman's annual report for 2022, launched today, notes that nine complaints were resolved through the office's less formal conciliation process (a mediated to-and-fro between the parties), while 21 were decided upon by the Ombudsman. Three complaints were upheld (one was overturned on appeal); 14 were not upheld.
There were significantly fewer complaints received by the Press Ombudsman’s Office in 2022 than in the previous year - 527 in 2021 and 260 last year. The office points to a surge of complaints in 2021 about the reporting of Covid-19, with multiple complaints received about a small number of articles, amounting to about half of the total in that year.
Of recent incidents of the intimidation of journalists along with the spreading of disinformation as threats to press freedom and democracy, Press Ombudsman Susan McKay said: “All who work in the public interest strive as members of the Press Council to be truthful and fair, and to uphold the rights contained in the Irish Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights.
"All who believe in social solidarity reject as members of the Press Council do the ideas of those who seek to stir up hatred on the basis of race, religion, nationality, colour, ethnic origin, membership of the traveling community, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, illness or age.”
Ms McKay, who took up office on October 1 2022, said that in 2024 she will make publicising the work of her office and of the Press Council a priority in order to encourage greater public awareness, and discourage complaints based on a misunderstanding of what the office does.
She urged politicians and others to show solidarity with the press by using the Office of the Press Ombudsman. “Everyone is entitled to go to the law, but we offer a powerful alternative system of redress,” she said. “One does not rule out the other – my office does not consider complaints while a legal case is ongoing, but there is nothing to stop a person making a complaint under the Press Council’s Code of Practice and following it up by going to law if they so wish.”
Press Council Chair Rory Montgomery said: “Dramatic events at RTÉ over the summer have brought the question of the funding of public service media into renewed focus” and that the funding of the Press Council and Office of the Press Ombudsman is suffering a knock-on effect from the loss of revenue within the press industry, which is the office's only source of funding.
“Our annual budget is in real terms now less than half of what it was when we were founded in 2008,” said Mr Montgomery.
“We deliver an efficient and effective service on an ever-shorter shoestring. The Code of Practice which our members are committed to upholding calls on them to maintain the highest professional and ethical standards. At a time when they are under acute pressure, the Office of the Press Ombudsman and the Press Council are more important than ever and must be able to do their jobs."
The Press Ombudsman issued decisions regarding four complaints against the Irish Examiner in 2022. These four are listed below, and include two articles whose subject matter was far-right extremism. So far this year, a further complaint on the same topic was subject to a Press Ombudsman decision. All three decisions on this topic supported the Irish Examiner's coverage in these articles; the three complaints were not upheld:
Article: How far-right propaganda in Ireland ‘weaponises legitimate social issues’
Press Ombudsman's decision: Mr Stephen Kerr and the Irish Examiner
Press Council Appeal
Article: Far right exploits Ashling Murphy's death to ramp up anti-immigrant rhetoric
Press Ombudsman's decision:Mr Hermann Kelly and the Irish Examiner
Article: Mick Clifford: Does Ireland have a problem with right-wing extremism?
Press Ombudsman's decision:Complainant and the Irish Examiner
Article: Rory Hearne: Why is the State selling public land to private developers for a fraction of its value?
Press Ombudsman's decision:Glenveagh and the Irish Examiner
Press Council Decision:An Author and the Irish Examiner
The Office of the Press Ombudsman receives complaints from members of the public and seeks to resolve them through the Office’s conciliation service to the satisfaction of everyone concerned. Where conciliation is not possible, the Press Ombudsman will make a decision on the complaint based on the Code of Practice. The Press Ombudsman’s decision-making is independent of the Press Council. The Press Ombudsman's office has two full-time and one part-time staff.
The Press Council of Ireland is responsible for the oversight of the professional principles embodied in the Code of Practice, and with upholding the freedom of the press. It operates with the support and cooperation of member publications and journalists. It decides on appeals against decisions made by the Press Ombudsman and on complaints referred to it directly by the Press Ombudsman. It is independent of both government and media.