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PCC to consider training group on self-regulation for newspaper journalists

Posted: 10/11/09 By: Laura Oliver

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The Press Complaints Commission (PCC) will consider forming a group to train journalists on 'discrete legal and self-regulatory matters' at newspapers.

The idea was put to the industry regulator by a newspaper group, which gave evidence during the commission's recent investigation into allegations of phone hacking at News Group Newspapers.

The commission will consider the proposal to provide a list of experts to provide such training to newsrooms, it said.

But the commission said it was satisfied that its work to improve the integrity of undercover journalism had 'raised standards in this area', following its original inquiry in 2007 prompted by the arrests of News of the World journalist Colin Goodman and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire.

In yesterday's report the commission said it had found no evidence of ongoing phone hacking at News Group Newspapers since its original investigation. The committee conducted the new inquiry following a series of articles in the Guardian in July, which hinted at new evidence relating to phone hacking activities at the news group.

The commission's report was heavily criticised by the Guardian with statements from the paper and Nick Davies, the journalist behind the Guardian's phone hacking stories.

"This complacent report shows that the PCC does not have the ability, the budget or the procedures to conduct its own investigations," said the paper in a statement.

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