The Council notes the following issues that may affect the judgment as to what is an adequate response to a serious inaccuracy or a singling out for comment.

1. The Council's existing policy is to encourage publications to have a regular place in the publication, or on its website, where corrections, clarifications and apologies are published.

2. The Council encourages publications to print follow-up material, whether in the form of articles or letters to the editor, in cases where there is a significant difference of opinion or where an individual or group has been the major focus of a report or a commentary.

3. The Council accepts that a published letter to the editor will not always be an adequate response to a published inaccuracy and that many readers will want to see the publication itself correct the inaccuracy. However, in respect of letters to the editor, the Council has said in the past that:

a. Editors are not obliged to publish letters on demand. It is their responsibility, guided by fairness, balance and the public interest in the views submitted by correspondents to select and, where necessary, edit letters for publication.

b. The editor's prerogative includes the editing of letters for space, grammar or legal reasons, although such editing should not change the meaning or tenor of a letter.

c. Where significant changes are made to the letter, the correspondent should be advised of the proposed changes before publication.