The prominence of corrections in the press must be agreed with the Press Complaints Commission (PCC) in advance, according to new rules announced by the Editors' Code of Practice Committee.

According to a release from the committee, which chaired by Daily Mail editor Paul Dacre is responsible for reviewing the code, the new amendment will apply from January next year.

The Editors' Code of Practice is upheld by the PCC and subscribed to voluntarily by the British Press. The amendment has been made to Clause 1ii, which covers accuracy. It now reads: "1ii) A significant inaccuracy, misleading statement or distortion once recognised must be corrected, promptly and with due prominence, and - where appropriate - an apology published. In cases involving the Commission, prominence should be agreed with the PCC in advance."

The change was agreed by the Code Committee following consultation with the industry and the PCC, the release adds.

"This amendment is designed to help kill the myth that newspapers and magazines routinely bury corrections," Code Committee secretary Ian Beales says in the release.

"Research conducted by the PCC has shown this to be untrue - nearly 85 per cent of PCC-negotiated corrections and apologies appear no further back than the original transgression, or in a designated corrections column.

"It is also the case that most editors already consult with the PCC informally on the position of corrections. This change formalises that position in the hope that it will remove one, at least, of the misconceptions about the PCC and the self-regulatory system."

The Code Committee also announced that it will now be publishing minutes of its meetings on its website.

Free daily newsletter

If you like our news and feature articles, you can sign up to receive our free daily (Mon-Fri) email newsletter (mobile friendly).