MEDIA SELF-REGULATION IN THE NETHERLANDS

The Netherlands Press Council Daphne C. Koene secretary 8 June 2007 Budapest

• Why self-regulation? • History Netherlands Press Council • Establishment and financing • Mission • Procedure • Developments and challenges • AIPCE

Why self-regulation?

• freedom of expression and information • fundamental human right • cornerstone of democracy • ‘public watchdog’ • media accountability • state-regulation vs self-regulation

History Netherlands Press Council

• 1948 • 1960 Raad van Tucht » disciplinary council » practice of union members Raad voor de Journalistiek » council of opinion » practice of all journalists

Establishment and financing

• • • • • • Foundation - Stichting Raad voor de Journalistiek Netherlands Union of Journalists Netherlands Society of Chief-editors Netherlands national news agency co-ordinating organizations of printed press (co-ordinating) organizations of public and commercial broadcasting Planet Internet

Mission Article 3 of Statutes: Examination of complaints against violations of good journalistic practice

• • • • • complainant directly involved journalistic practice specific editorial content (all media) ‘watchdog without teeth’?

moral redress

Procedure

• complaint in writing • no charge • legal representation permitted • public hearing • consideration behind closed doors • decision within 8 weeks

• 1993 • • • 2003 2004 2005 • • 2006 2007

Developments

mediation opinion on own initiative accelerated treatment improving website term to file complaint freelance clerks enlargement Press Council working committees guidebook

Challenges • New media • Comparising research • Further improvements - procedure - budget

Alliance of Independent Press Councils of Europe (AIPCE)

• annual meeting • exchange of views and information • remarkable differences • no ‘one-fits-all’ model