|
Code of ethics is only the first step towards effective media self-regulation. It is crucial to establish a self-regulatory body to supervise it and provide sanctions against those who break its rules.
Self-regulatory bodies have various forms around the world. Main types are press councils and media ombudsmen. Generally, as William Gore of the UK Press Complaints Commission puts it, “self-regulatory bodies determine the boundaries between the legitimate rights of a press freedom and the legitimate rights of people who attract media attention. They generally, do this by examining complaints against an agreed code of ethics and judging whether its rules have been broken. Thus they provide guidance for journalists and the public on what practices are acceptable and the standards expected of news outlets.” (The Media Self-regulation Guidebook, OSCE, 2008:34-35). Theoretically, a press council is suitable for all kind of media and in reality it depends on national specifics and stage of media development. A press council, as collective body, enjoys the highest possible representation and, therefore broader credibility – it is the most interactive form of self-regulation because it allows considering of all points of view. Well-functioning press council prevents interference from the state and the authorities and diminishes the number of court cases against journalists.
What is a press council
Existing press councils
Establishing and running a press council
Structure of a press council
Decision-making process in press council
Financing a press council
Challenges in new democracies
Convincing media to participate in self-regulation
