Australian Press Council

The Australian Press Council (APC) is the self-regulatory body for some of the Australian print media. It was established in 1976 and is a private organisation.[1][2] Its aims are to help preserve the traditional freedom of the press within Australia and to ensure that the free press acts responsibly and ethically.[1] In its attempts to preserve the freedom of the press, it keeps a watching brief on developments which might threaten such freedoms.[1] Regulation of broadcast media in Australia is conducted by the Australian Communications and Media Authority.

The APC was only established after the Federal Government began preparation of legislation to create a government authority to ensure accountability in 1975.[3] A long-term campaigner for the establishment of the Australian Press Council was George Godfrey.[4]

The Council is funded by the newspaper and magazine industries.[1] It relies on publishers and editors to respect the Council's views, to adhere voluntarily to ethical standards and to publicly admit mistakes.[1] It has no legal or legislative power to discipline the press [2] and has no ability to detect and act on breaches independently.[5]

The effectiveness of the Council has been noted in that every adjudication made against a mainstream newspaper or magazine has been prominently published by the offending publication.[5]

Positions

The APC takes the position that a newspaper may take sides on an issue, including favouring one political party over others in elections.[6] At the same time, it is expected that newspapers be fair and balanced and to make opinion pieces distinguishable.

On 2 August 2011, the APC released new suicide reporting guidelines.[7] The standards stress the importance of the discussion of suicide may help to improve public understanding of the causes and warning signs of suicide and act as a deterrent.[8]

Members

The Council consists of 15 members, representing the publishers, journalists, members of the public and is chaired by an independent Chairman.[1] It meets monthly, in Sydney and is headed by an Executive Secretary.[1]

The current chairman is Julian Disney. The inaugural chairman of the Australian Press Council was Frank Kitto. He was followed by Geoffrey Sawer, Hal Wootten, David Flint, and Ken McKinnon. The chairman has always been a judge or university professor.[9] Former members include Michael Vernon, Frank Moorhouse and Adrian Deamer.

Reform

The APC has been criticised for being unwilling to censor its members in anything more than a minor manner when guidelines are breached by its members.[10] The chairman of Australian Consolidated Press, Kerry Packer described the Council as "window dressing" at a 1991 parliamentary inquiry into the print media.[3]

Former chair of the Council, Professor Dennis Pearce, told the Finkelstein Media Inquiry that the authority was overly influenced by concerns of losing its sponsors and that the industry was reluctant to fund its own watchdog.[11] Another former chairman, Ken McKinnon supported calls for the APC to have a stronger role and be better resourced, instead of statutory regulation.[12] The Australian Greens Senator Bob Brown has described the APC as a "hollow vessel" and supports reform towards a statutory body with better funding.[13]

The Australian Press Council wants to see its role expand into regulation of news and current affairs commentary across all platforms, including radio, television and internet including blogs.[14]

Complaints

To carry out its latter function, it serves as a forum to which the public may take a complaint concerning the press.[1] Complaints are dealt with by a Complaints Committee which conducts hearings on complaints through a procedure which is free and accessible.[15] Rulings can be subject to appeal.

The APC accepts complaints about magazines, newspapers or periodicals which are printed or published in Australia, regardless of whether or not that organisation is affiliated with the Council.[15]

The Council regularly deals with complaints regarding racially offensive material against Aboriginals. In their 1996 Annual Report the Council reaffirmed its belief that although some editorials may give offence, newspapers have a right to express forthright opinions.[16]

In 1979, during the run-up to the South Australian state election, the Murdoch owned The News campaigned against the Australian Labor Party in South Australia. A successful complaint was heard by the APC which News Limited representatives alleged contained irregular procedures, leading the News to withdraw from the Council.[17]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 About the Council, Australian Press Council website
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 The media, politics and public life, Geoffrey Craig, p. 40
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Schultz, Julianne (1998). Reviving the Fourth Estate: Democracy, Accountability and the Media. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press. p. 114. ISBN 0-521-62042-2. Retrieved 11 November 2011.
  4. ↑ Mitchell, Alex (2007). "Godfrey, George Fuller (1904–1989)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Australian National University. Retrieved 11 November 2011.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Spence, Edward H.; Andrew Alexandra; Aaron Quinn; Anne Dunn (2011). Media, Markets and Morals. Chichester, United Kingdom: John Wiley & Sons. p. 187. ISBN 978-1-4051-7547-0. Retrieved 11 November 2011.
  6. ↑ Young, Sally (2011). How Australia Decide: Election Reporting and the Media. Melbourne, Victoria: Cambridge University Press. p. 229. ISBN 978-0-521-14707-1. Retrieved 11 November 2011.
  7. ↑ "Standard: Suicide reporting". Australian Press Council. Retrieved 11 November 2011.
  8. ↑ Nick O'Malley (2 August 2011). "Press body lifts veil on reporting of suicide". The Sydney Morning Herald (Fairfax Media). Retrieved 11 November 2011.
  9. ↑ "Who we are". Australian Press Council. Retrieved 11 November 2011.
  10. ↑ One regulator to rule them all.... Media Watch. Episode 32, 2011. Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
  11. ↑ Belinda Merhab (9 November 2011). "Press watchdog has no bite, inquiry told". The Sydney Morning Herald (Fairfax Media). Retrieved 10 November 2011.
  12. ↑ Katharine Murphy (11 November 2011). "Fairfax warns on freedom". The Age (Fairfax Media). Retrieved 11 November 2011.
  13. ↑ Tim Dick (2 November 2011). "Media must curb corrosive corporate influence, Brown tells inquiry". Sydney Morning Herald (Fairfax Media). Retrieved 11 November 2011.
  14. ↑ Mark Day (22 August 2011). "The Press Council has plans to expand powers". The Australia (News Limited). Retrieved 11 November 2011.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Jones, Melinda (1997). "The Legal Response: dealing with hatred — a user's guide". In Cunneen, Chris; Fraser, David; Tomsen, Stephen. Hate Crime in Australia. Annandale, New South Wales: Hawkins Press. p. 226. ISBN 1-876067-05-5. Retrieved 11 November 2011.
  16. ↑ Elder, Catriona (1998). "Racialising Reports of men's violence Against Women in the Print Media". In Howe, Adrian. Sexed Crime in the News. Annandale, New South Wales: The Federation Press. p. 23. ISBN 1-86287-274-0. Retrieved 11 November 2011.
  17. ↑ Cryle, Dennis (2008). Murdoch's Flagship: Twenty Five Years of the Australian Newspaper. Carlton Victoria: Melbourne University Press. pp. 152— 153. ISBN 978-0-522-85674-3. Retrieved 11 November 2011.

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