The Press Under Scrutiny

🏛️ Genesis of the Inquiry

Established in 1947, the inaugural Royal Commission on the Press was tasked with "furthering the free expression of opinion through the Press and the greatest practicable accuracy in the presentation of news." Its mandate extended to investigating the control, management, ownership, financial structure, and monopolistic tendencies within the newspaper and periodical press, including news agencies, and to offer recommendations.

Public apprehension regarding concentrated ownership, potential factual inaccuracies, and the influence of advertisers on editorial content fueled the commission's formation. The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) played a pivotal role, advocating for the inquiry due to what they perceived as "a progressive decline in the calibre of editors and in the quality of British journalism." The House of Commons ultimately voted 270 to 157 in favor of establishing the commission.

📝 Methodological Rigor

The commission, formally appointed by royal warrant on April 14, 1947, was chaired by Sir William David Ross, pro-vice chancellor of the University of Oxford and a fellow of the British Academy. It undertook an extensive investigative process, considering evidence from 182 witnesses and numerous responses to questionnaires. The commission held 61 full meetings, supplemented by 62 additional meetings conducted by various subcommittees.

Key stakeholders provided oral evidence, including 106 newspaper proprietors, representatives from 432 newspapers, three news agencies, and the Treasury. The comprehensive findings were compiled into a 363-page report (HMSO, Cmd. 7700), with much of the verbatim testimony published in a series of command papers throughout 1949 (Cmd. 7690). The collected evidence is now preserved within the National Archives.

💡 Critical Findings

The initial royal commission primarily scrutinized newspapers, addressing allegations of inaccuracy and political bias. Its report acknowledged that the presentation of news frequently "left much to be desired" and identified an inherent partisanship and political bias prevalent in much of the reporting. A notable criticism was directed at newspaper owners for often providing an "overly simplistic account of events" rather than striving to educate their readership.

However, the commission concluded that the United Kingdom's media landscape could not be accurately characterized as a monopoly. It also dismissed claims of undue influence by advertisers. Crucially, the commission rejected the notion that any identified weaknesses could be resolved solely through increased state intervention, advocating instead for industry-led solutions.

✅ Enduring Recommendations

The commission's most significant recommendation was the establishment of a "General Council of the Press" to facilitate industrial self-regulation. This body was envisioned to function as a watchdog against irresponsible journalism and to bolster the "freedom and prestige of the Press" by presenting a unified voice on its behalf. The commission argued that such a framework was essential, not merely to safeguard the press's own liberty, but to "save the press from itself." This recommendation directly led to the formation of the Press Council in 1953, marking a pivotal moment in British media self-governance.

🎯 Renewed Mandate

The third Royal Commission on the Press was established in May 1974 with a broad and critical mandate: "To inquire into the factors affecting the maintenance of the independence, diversity and editorial standards of newspapers and periodicals and the public freedom of choice of newspapers and periodicals, nationally, regionally and locally." This inquiry reflected a continued societal concern over the health and integrity of the press, particularly in an era of evolving media landscapes and public expectations.

🧑‍⚖️ Leadership Transition

Members of the commission were formally appointed by royal warrant on July 16, 1974. Sir Morris Finer initially served as chairman. However, following his untimely death in the same year, Professor Oliver McGregor was appointed to assume the chairmanship on March 7, 1975. This transition in leadership ensured the continuity of the commission's vital work, guiding its extensive investigations and deliberations.

📚 Preserved Records

The comprehensive archive for the third Royal Commission on the Press is meticulously preserved at the British Library of Political and Economic Science. This collection serves as an invaluable resource for scholars and researchers interested in the history of British media, regulatory policy, and the societal debates surrounding press freedom and accountability during the mid-1970s.

🚫 Call for a Code & Rejection

A significant proposal from the commission's chair was the development of a written Code of Practice for newspapers. The chair articulated this need, stating that "it is unhappily certain that the Council has so far failed to persuade the knowledgeable public that it deals satisfactorily with complaints against newspapers." However, this proposal was ultimately rejected by the Press Council. The ongoing dissatisfaction with the Council's efficacy culminated in the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) withdrawing its membership in 1980, citing the council's perceived inability to enact meaningful reform. This episode underscored the persistent tension between industry self-regulation and the demand for robust public accountability.

📜 References