Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1998- (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
41 boxes (accruing)
Context area
Archival history
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Papers of the Readers' Editors of the Guardian. Contains examples of readers' letters and complaints relating to significant issues. Also includes surveys of Guardian journalists conducted by the readers' editor on a number of topics.
Administrative/Biographical history: In 1997 the Guardian was the first national newspaper to appoint a readers' editor to produce the daily Corrections and Clarifications column. The role of the readers' editor is 'to collect, consider, investigate, respond to, and where appropriate come to a conclusion about readers' comments, concerns, and complaints in a prompt and timely manner from a position of independence within the paper, and to seek to ensure the maintenance of high standards of accuracy, fairness, and balance in reporting and writing'.
Ian Mayes became the Guardian's first readers editor and remained in this post until March 2007 when Siobhain Butterworth, the Guardian's chief lawyer, took over the role. Siobhain was succeed in July 2010 by the current reader's editor, Chris Elliott, formerly managing editor.
Creator: Guardian News & Media Limited; Readers' Editor's office
Accruals
System of arrangement
The collection is split by the 3 readers' editors
Ian Mayes GUA/6/12/1
Siobhain Butterworth GUA/6/12/2
Chris Elliott GUA/6/12/3
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Material in this section is closed for 10 years and may be restricted for longer under the terms of the Data Protection Act
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright: Guardian News & Media
Language of material
Script of material
Access Status
Open(part)