A report on the future of investigative journalism in the U.K. offered a sobering assessment of the public relations industry.

PR has an “adverse impact” on investigative journalisms, said the report from the Lords Communications Committee. It recommended a “stringent code of behaviour” for people in the industry. “It is very much an unregulated activity, and there is currently no comprehensive system of self-regulation,” the report said. .

The code could be that from the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, the report said. But it noted:

“Given the CIPR is a voluntary organisation, its capacity to enforce its code seems, in practice, to be relatively light and of course, its current reach only extends into a small part of this industry.

“This has highlighted the real need for the responsible PR industry to strengthen its internal system of self-regulation, and thereby increase public confidence in their industry and their work.”

The 76-page report, released on Thursday, also drew attention to journalists’ use of press releases.

Read more about the report and what it had to say about PR at the Press Gazette.

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