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Press Complaints Commission

Heat magazine found in breach of PCC editors' code over N-Dubz Frazer cheat claim

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By The Drum Team, Editorial

August 15, 2012 | 2 min read

Heat magazine has found itself censured by the Press Complaints Commission (PCC) over an article that claimed a singer had cheated on his girlfriend by kissing another girl in a nightclub.

The story involved former N-Dubz member Fazer (Richard Rawson) was featured on the magazines front cover and took a double page spread inside the publication. The PCC ruled that the magazine had breached the clause in the editors' code of practice about accuracy in the story.

Rawson stated that while he accepted he had danced with the woman in question there had been no kiss. He also disputed the accuracy of the headline: "Exclusive: Fazer cheated on Tulisa with meā€¦Fazer told me he didn't have a girlfriend - then we kissed," claiming that her never told her he didn't have a girlfriend.

He also said the magazine should have spoken to his representative for a comment before the publication went to print, he claims to have only been informed of the claims after the magazine was out.

The magazine explained it had not approached Rawson's people as it was confident in its story. The also had an affidavit signed by the woman and a witness statement from a freelance journalist who had taken the accompanying photos, and confirmed the kiss.

Though unable to reconcile the conflicting versions of events, the PCC ruled the magazine was in breach of the editors' code which states, "The press must take care not to publish inaccurate, misleading or distorted information."

The PCC also took issue with the magazines decision not to contact Rawson for comment, with Charlotte Dewer, head of complaints and pre-publication services, commenting: "Although the code does not impose specific requirement of 'prior notification', seeking comment from the subject of a story before publication may be a necessary step to ensure the accuracy of any resulting coverage.

While the commission was not able to reconcile conflicting claims from witnesses about what had happened at the club, it decided that in the full context - which included the nature of the claims and the prominence with which they were trailed to readers - the magazine's decision not to seek comment from the complainant's representative about the incident before publication breached the terms of clause one."

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