Subject newspaper to political correctness checks (5)
I believe the answer is:
topic
'subject' is the definition.
(as in a topic for discussion)
'newspaper to political correctness checks' is the wordplay.
'newspaper' becomes 'i' (UK newspaper).
'political correctness' becomes 'PC'.
'checks' indicates putting letters inside (inserted letters are checked or controlled).
'to'+'pc'='topc'
'i' inserted within 'topc' is 'TOPIC'.
(Other definitions for topic that I've seen before include "Issue (for discussion)" , "might this be hot?" , "Subject (of a talk, etc)" , "Subject (of speech, etc)" , "Subject (of, eg, speech)" .)