The Press Complaints Commission's first newspaper website audio-visual ruling is sensible and uncontroversial. It has applied the rule covering newsprint papers - protecting the privacy of school children - to online material.
At the same time it has underlined that the subject matter, highlighting possible indiscipline within a school, had a public interest validity. I have to say that the nature of the complaint suggested that the school's parent-teachers' association was taking issue even with the publication of the story.
Looking back to the original article in the Hamilton Advertiser, it strikes me that the paper had a great story. On the face of it the school does have some some questions to answer. Now the complaint is out of the way, perhaps these ought to be properly addressed.
12.55pm UPDATE: There's an even more fundamental matter for us all to consider. See Bluestringer's comment and my reply.
