| International Council for Press and Broadcasting | |
|---|---|
| Formation | 2006 |
| Type | Non-profit organization |
| Legal status | Foundation |
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom |
| Region served | Worldwide |
| Chairman | William Morris (Next Century Foundation) pictured back row center right during a 2004 Media Council visit to Palestine taking journalists from the UK's FT, Mail, Economist, and Guardian |
| Website | http://www.ncfpeace.org/ |
The council is a subsidiary body of the Next Century Foundation, an organisation which deals primarily with conflict resolution issues and holds an annual International Media Awards in London. It also takes press delegations to the Middle East and South Asia as well as running an annual conferences on subjects such as Xenophobia and Disinformation.
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The International Council for Press and Broadcasting was established by the Next Century Foundation in 2007. It incorporates the International Media Council (founded 2000)[1] of the Next Century Foundation and the International Institute for Media Ethics (founded 2005). It works in cooperation with the International Communications Forum and the St Brides Forum. It was established to eliminate confusion caused following the establishment of a second International Media Council by the Davos World Economic Forum organisation in 2006.
An International Media Council delegation was the last to meet Yasser Arafat shortly before his death in November 2004.
The International Media Council and Peace Through Media is committed to promoting, "peace through media". Though it recognises that the business of publishers is to sell newspapers, it believes that the media has an ethical responsibility for encouraging harmony in today's Middle East. Convinced that the honesty or dishonesty in the media affects the mental health of the world, the Council believes that freedom of expression has a price. This price is continual vigilance - in particular vigilance in identifying and exposing the encouragement of malice or war, and the incitement of hatred in print and image.
The present Chairman is William Morris (Next Century Foundation). Patrons are Mrs Dalia Salaam Rishani of Hood Hood Books; The Lord Stone of Blackheath; Mr Felix Posen of The Posen Foundation; Mr Ribal Al Assad of ANN Satellite TV; Mr John Porter of the Porter Foundation.
The Council seeks to promote high standards or responsible journalism, particularly with regard to conflict situations and areas of the world were there has been a history of animosity between populations. Accordingly, the council has published its own code of media ethics which it seeks to promote as a means on encouraging journalistic integrity.
1. Write the facts as you see them
2. A story without a source is a source of trouble
3. A source is not a source when the story is based on rumour
4. When in doubt, cut it out
5. Prejudge no one
6. Be objective
7. Divorce comment from news and label it as such
8. Commentators are not exempt from the duty to be accurate
9. Never incite racial or religious division
10. Enlighten, lest we fail to understand one another
The International Media Awards are presented at a ceremony every year to honour editors and journalists with the symbolic prize of an olive tree. The awards are held in recognition of the vital role that the media can play in contributing to understanding, without which no peace process is possible. William Morris, Secretary General of the Next Century Foundation explained: "By publicly recognising the efforts of these editors and journalists, some of whom have put their careers and even their lives at risk through their commitment to reporting truthfully and responsibly, we hope to help raise the standards of journalism in reporting on the Arab Israeli conflict"[2]
The Media Credibility Index is a relatively new publication, produced annually by the Next Century Foundation, together with the International Council for Press and Broadcasting. It was launched at the NCF's 2011 International Media Awards. It is currently being developed to try and cover a wide range of publications, assessing them in terms of press freedom, accuracy, incitement, bias, sensitivity and transparency, awarding plus or minus points as is seen fit. Points awarded are only based on items reported to the International Council for Press and Broadcasting that have been posted on our media blogs.[3] The purpose of the Index is to foster good journalism, responsible editing, balanced broadcasting and more responsible treatment of media professionals. It mostly focuses on Anglo-American media, the Middle East and South Asia.
To view the 2011 report in full, please follow the link: http://www.ncfpeace.org/drupal/node/677