New Press Distribution Forum chair pledges to raise awareness of retailer complaints

Grant Jordan has been appointed as the new Chair of the Press Distribution Forum, the body responsible for regulating and monitoring the news supply chain.

The new chair is also the general manager of commercial at Menzies Distribution and has long been a board member of the PDF.

In his opening address in the new role, Jordan said: “Under my Chairmanship the board will be introducing a fresh, more open platform to give clearer public awareness of retailer complaints and the management of them. We will be working to improve retailer access and understanding of the Press Distribution Charter which will ensure the continued provision of an independent, transparent and properly accountable complaints process.”

The Press Distribution Review Panel (PDRP), part of the PDF settles retailer complaints relating to news supply chain difficulties and assigns restitutions. Minutes from a recent meeting on 14 November at NFRN’s head offices in London seen by RN suggest a raft of changes may be coming soon.

The document reveals plans to review the Press Distribution Charter service standards, to incorporate automated complaints monitoring into the iMenzies and SNAPP news wholesaler apps, and to improve the number of retailers that continue their complaints past Stage one. Currently, just 30% of news sellers who request stage two complaint forms fill them in.

The role of chair of the PDF rotates between senior figures at the organisation’s member associations.  Previous chair Frank Straetmans from the Professional Publishers Association (PPA) stepped down at the end of 2018 – the end of his two year term. “I would like to pass on my personal thanks to past Chair Frank Straetmans and hope to build on his achievements through 2019,” said Jordan.