Editors' Code of Practice committee publishes new codebook

The Editors' Code of Practice committee today launched a new version of its Editors' Codebook online, featuring guidance on areas such as prior notification, blogging and social networking.

The Code of Practice is administered by the Press Complaints Commission.

The new handbook, used by the PCC to adjudicate on complaints, has grown by 13 pages to include guidance on a number of topics as well as details of new rules such as the publishing of corrections.

New topics added to the codebook follow summaries on key PCC cases from 2010, such as sensitivity at funerals following to Jan Moir's comment piece on Stephen Gately.

The guidance also looks at prior notification, an issue which has been taken by Max Mosley to the European Court of Human Rights following his privacy case against the News of the World in 2008. The codebook says there is "wide agreement" that prior notification of the subjects of stories ahead of publication, while often desirable, "could not – and should not – be obligatory".

"It would be impractical, often unnecessary, impossible to achieve, and could jeopardise legitimate investigations. yet, at the same time, a failure to include relevant sides of the story can lead to inaccuracy and breach the Code," the book adds.

"The Codebook - like the Code itself - has to be a responsive, living document, constantly evolving in the light of PCC decisions, external developments and suggestions from civil society," Ian Beales, secretary to the Code Committee, said in an announcement.

"This major revision is intended to reflect that. Our aim is that this should provide greater clarity for editors, journalists, and complainants alike."

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