As reported by the Newspaper Society: Giving evidence to the Culture, Media and Sport Committee on Tuesday, group content editor at The Independent Mr Blackhurst and Financial Times editor Mr Barber, told MPs that free arbitration could potentially have a damaging impact both on their newspapers and regional press titles.
Outlining areas of concern about the new system proposed the Government, Mr Barber said: “There is a problem, we should mention that on the record. I have a serious problem with the free arbitration service. That is potentially very damaging in terms of costs to the press, particularly the regional press.
“I see no reason why we can’t have a trial for a year to see how it works out or to have a small amount of money... otherwise there’s a real risk of claims farming.”
Outlining his areas of concern, Mr Blackhurst added: “My main one is the arbitration although the second Charter I think allows for a pilot and I would certainly endorse that.”
Later, when asked about the Government’s Royal Charter, he said: “I have got reservations about it, particularly on arbitration, how that would work and what it would cost us, not just the local press.”
Speaking about the process to date of attempting to implement a new system of press regulation, Mr Blackhurst said: “Some errors have been made along the way, the local press weren’t invited into Downing Street when they should have been, they feel very strongly about arbitration, they perhaps weren’t consulted enough.”
Steve Rotheram MP said he had received representations from his local paper the Liverpool Echo and asked if they should be exempted from the new system of press regulation.
Mr Blackhurst said that local press should be included in the system and if the argument to exclude it was taken to its logical conclusion then neither The Independent nor the FT would be included in the new system either.
He added: “What we have to get right is an arbitration system that’s acceptable to them. We understand their concerns because their concerns are our concerns; we don’t want to spend a fortune on arbitration either."
Mr Barber said: “I am very sympathetic to the regional press. I think it was very unfortunate that they were not included at an early stage - that led to natural disaffection.”
But they should want to be part of a reasonable regulatory system, he added.
