PCC is a self regulatory organization which is funded by a levy from the Newspaper Industry. PCC stands for Press Complaints Commission, which is deemed toothless by the public and the media because they don't want to "Bite the hand that feeds", meaning that because the newspapers pay the commission, the PCC has to be careful over what they choose to slander.
If a publication breaches the code set by the PCC, usually the first step towards "Righting the wrong" is adjudication, which often results in the said paper having to give a formal apology in the form of an article or public address.
Most papers take a "publish and be damned" approach, meaning that they publish the information and deal with the consequences as they come.
The most common complaint the PCC faces are complaints about the accuracy of information.
The PCC employs a strict complaints code, which covers a number of areas, including privacy, harassment, discrimination, financial journalism and witness payments.
By stating that the article is in the interests of the public, the editor is making an attempt to wriggle out of the accusations piled on them by the PCC.
Though they carry great weight in the newspapers and media industry, the PCC is not connected in any way to the government, and thus has no legal power with which to permanently shut a paper down.
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