Fencing in the watchdog

Accountability – all journalists strive to hold leaders accountable. In fact, in our recent class discussion, it was this watchdog role that won out as the premier purpose of journalism. But as the public confidence in news organizations declines, to whom do wayward journalists answer? To whom are mistaken journalists accountable?

One possibility lies with news councils. These independent organizations hear and investigate complaints of unfair and inaccurate reporting. While they often cannot sanction, typically they make public statements of their findings. Such statements are newsworthy by nature and the thinking is that public denouncements are punishment enough (Silha). Currently, news councils are popular in Europe and Canada, but in the United States, only Minnesota and Washington states have implemented them. Much of news councils’ unpopularity in the U.S. has to do with their historical failure. The National News Council, the short-lived U.S. experiment, died out from lack of support and participation (Boeyink).

On the surface, the arguments for such a council are compelling. It would offer more effectual accountability. Journalists would have to answer to waning public trust and disgruntled sources. The Jason Leopolds of the industry would no longer be able to so easily hop between jobs and hide from mistakes. Also, a hearing in front of a news council offers a much cheaper alternative to a libel suit. Journalists and their companies’ lawyers would no longer quake at the cost of a lawsuit – even a winning one (Jenkins). Furthermore, the industry is changing – journalists are becoming better educated and better paid. Their personal stake in the splash a story makes is higher than ever. (Jenkins) A news council can hold the reckless individuals to industry and public standards.

However, I would argue that the impracticality, lack of support and deterring effect of news councils outweighs their possible contributions to journalism. As the industry changes rapidly with technology, the identity of a journalist becomes increasingly nebulous. Who now, will these councils hold accountable as bloggers and citizen journalists chime in? But the practical questions only begin there. The largesse of such councils, if implemented nationwide, would be excessive. There would be a professional bureaucracy of news moniters, an unnecessary venture and one that may invite its own corruption and biases. (Jenkins)

The support for such councils is mixed among journalism professionals. Unfortunately, such councils cannot survive with sparse and sporadic participation. The National News Council failed because some of the major organizations refused to play (Boeyink). These nonparticipants, such as the New York Times, have not changed their positions since, saying it’s part of their job to uphold industry standards. A news council cannot survive without the major players’ cooperation. Since that seems unlikely, forming a council would be in vain.

The more theoretical concern with news councils lies with the potential “chilling” of investigative journalism and the inability of the councils to address modern journalism’s failures. Many journalists think the regulation by councils which are partially outside the industry, its training and its challenges constitutes a slippery slope. They fear the stringent regulation that has historically challenged free and independent journalism. Independence is high on journalistic values and responsibility to an outside bureaucracy seems to injure that principle. Also, as pundits and infotainment capture and alienate audiences, news councils stand powerless to affect necessary change (Jenkins). While basic locality and institutional coverage wane, how will news councils provide an answer? In short, they can’t.

Superficially, news councils seem to apply accountability – that journalistic favorite – to the industry. But the implications of such councils may in fact injure other journalistic fervor and principle – a large price to pay in the face of impractical organization.

Sources:

Jenkins, Evan. "News Councils: The Case For and Against." Columbia Journalism Review: March/April 1997.

Silha, Stephen. "News Councils: A Meeting Place for Communities and Their Storytellers." Christian Science Monitor: August 29, 2005.

Boeyink, David. "Public Understanding, Professional Ethics and the News: A Response to Jane Rhodes." www.law.indiana.edu/fclj/pubs/v47/nol/boeyink.html