How to make a complaint about the coverage of sex-related issues in teenage magazines

If you are unhappy with an article in a teenage magazine, you can make a complaint in the following way:

• If you are unhappy with something in the magazine, you should firstly write to the editor of the magazine as it is important for them to know about your concerns.
• If you are not completely satisfied with the response from the editor, you can write to TMAP, which is made up of experts from the field of law, public health and child health care and development and also the magazine publishers themselves. It is administered by the Periodical Publishers Association (PPA), the industry organisation for magazines in the UK.
• All complaints will be carefully considered. If a complaint is clearly not in breach of the guidelines your letter will be responded to immediately. All other complaints will be considered at TMAP meetings, held quarterly. They will write to let you know when the next meeting is to be held and that they will respond to your complaint at this time.
• If the magazine is considered to be in breach of the guidelines, TMAP will write to the editor of the relevant magazine to inform them of the breach. A copy of this letter will be sent to you.
• If the magazine is considered to be in breach of the guidelines, it will be highlighted in TMAP's annual report which will be made available to the Home Office, the publishing industry and other interested parties. You will also be able to obtain a copy.
• There is a separate code for advertising which is produced by the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) and complaints are adjudicated by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). The ASA will make the final decisions on any complaints about advertising within teenage magazines.

Examples of teenage magazines regulated by the guidelines include:

To contact the TMAP and for a copy of the guidelines or annual report please write to:

Kerry Neilson

TMAP
c/o Periodical Publishers Association (PPA)
Queens House
28 Kingsway
London WC2B 6JR
Tel: 020 7400 7520
Fax: 020 7404 4167

TMAP is a self regulating body whose remit is to ensure that the guidelines are adhered to. Breaches are highlighted in a formal way ensuring that mistakes are unlikely to happen again.

Contact: Kerry Neilson , TMAP secretariat, kerry.neilson@ppa.co.uk, 0207 400 7520

Teenage Magazine Arbitration Panel (TMAP)
28 Kingsway
London WC2B 6JR

tel: 0207 400 7520 - fax: 020 7404 4167 - email: kerry.neilson@ppa.co.uk - web: www.tmap.org.uk -

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