Media regulation
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Journalists are the eyes and ears of the public. In a democratic society they must be free to investigate and report matters of public concern.
And the public should be able to trust them to provide accurate information.
Many who find themselves ‘in the news’ are unhappy about the way their story has been presented or the way journalists have obtained information.
Regulatory bodies for the print and broadcast media receive some 10,000 complaints a year. Inaccuracy and unfairness top the list of complaints about journalism.
Many laws restrict what can be published but not the behaviour of journalists, and there are few legal remedies for inaccurate reporting.
Legal aid is not available for libel cases, which are very expensive, but it can be obtained if you are claiming that a ‘malicious falsehood’ has been published.
There is no statutory regulation of the press. Instead there is an entirely voluntary system which does not have the force of law.
The industry has drawn up a Code of Practic...
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