The Press Council was established in 1972 by newspaper publishers and by the then Journalists’ Union. It is funded entirely by the industry. The Council comprises an independent chair, five members representing the public, two representing the Newspaper Publishers’ Association, one representing magazine publishers, and two journalists, appointed by the journalists’ union, the NZ Amalgamated Engineering Printing & Manufacturing Union (EPMU). Accordingly the Press Council has a majority of public members.
Its principal objects are:

• To consider complaints against newspapers and other publications. Such complaints must be directed at editorial content – a separate body deals with complaints against advertising. The Council may also consider complaints about the conduct of persons and organisations towards the press.
• To promote freedom of speech and freedom of the press in New Zealand.
• To maintain the New Zealand press in accordance with the highest professional standards.

New Zealand Press Council