1195/2022 - A Complainant and the Sunday Independent

The Press Ombudsman has not upheld a complaint that the Sunday Independent breached Principle 1 (Truth and Accuracy),  Principle 2 (Distinguishing Fact and Comment) and Principle 8 (Prejudice) of the Code of Practice of the Press Council of Ireland.

On 5 December 2021 the Sunday Independent published a front-page report on an opinion poll carried out by a polling company  into attitudes to Covid-19 vaccination and in particular what approach should be taken towards people who do not get vaccinated.

A complainant wrote to the editor of the Sunday Independent complaining that the headline ‘Public mood turns against the unvaccinated’ and the article breached the Press Council’s Code of Practice.  She complained  in particular about a quote in the article:

 “There is a well-defined rump of the population, albeit small that are not vaccinated. While that is indeed their right, there is an undercurrent of defiance among them, and this leading to a fracture of that collective spirit in tackling the virus.”

She complained about what she described as the  “quite extraordinary use of language to vilify people with a broad stroke that all unvaccinated people are a homogenous group who are selfishly partying and socialising with no thought for their health or that of other people”.  She complained that Principle 1, Principle 2 and Principle 8  of the Code of Practice  had been breached. In regard to the alleged breach of Principle 8 she said the survey and the newspaper “seems to be designed solely to “stir up hatred” against people who are unvaccinated, to ostracise them even further from ‘mainstream’ society.”

The editor of the Sunday Independent replied to the complainant stating that the article complained about “reflected the findings of a survey of the views held by members of the public, conducted by a reputable polling firm… the results of the survey are laid out for the readers who are free to make their own assessment”.

The complainant was not satisfied with the response of the editor and made a complaint to the Office of the Press Ombudsman claiming that Principle 1, Principle 2 and Principle 8  of the Code of Practice had been breached.   

In a submission to the Office of the Press Ombudsman the editor of the Sunday Independent said that having been presented with the survey’s findings, the complainant had formed an alternative view of things that she would prefer to have seen reflected in the Sunday Independent coverage but that she had not identified a single inaccuracy that would require correction. 

In regard to Principle 2 the editor noted that the complainant had referred to the newspaper having been inappropriately influenced by undisclosed interests. The editor said that this claim appeared to be “completely gratuitous and is thrown out without any attempt at substantiating it”.

The editor also dismissed the claim that Principle 8 had been breached. He said that “Nothing in the coverage complained of comes within the ambit of Principle 8 because it simply did not apply to any individual or group on any of the grounds protected by Principle 8”.

As the complaint could not be resolved by conciliation it was forwarded to the Press Ombudsman for a decision.

Principle 1

The complainant failed to identify any inaccuracy in the article. She expressed her preference for the newspaper to have carried out an investigation into the efficacy of vaccination. Principle 1 only deals with what has been published, not what might have been published. There was no breach of Principle 1

Principle 2

The complainant produced no evidence that the newspaper had been compromised by undisclosed interests, or that comment, conjecture, rumour or an unconfirmed report were reported as fact. Therefore there was no breach of Principle 2.

Principle 8

Principle 8 identifies twelve categories of individuals or groups who may not be discriminated against by the press. The group of individuals who are unvaccinated are not covered by any of the identified groups. As the complainant notes they are not a homogenous group varying from those with medical conditions that mean they cannot be vaccinated to those who are opposed to vaccination for a range of perceived scientific or ethical considerations. For this reason I find there was no breach of Principle 8.

23 February 2022