Premier Ewart Brown is fulfilling his commitment to fostering fair, accurate and accountable journalism in Bermuda through the creation of a Media Council. Premier Brown:

The first question that may be asked is why we need a Media Council. Media councils are hallmarks of democratic societies. They forge ties between the Government, the public and the media. We expect that our Media Council will not only fulfill these goals, but it will also revitalize the media industry in Bermuda. With the inclusion of a code of practice and a complaint mechanism in its operations, the Council will help ensure journalistic integrity, accuracy and accountability when reporting news stories. Additionally, and perhaps more importantly, the Media Council will offer a form of objective redress for the public, thereby restoring public confidence in the media...

The Media Council will raise the bar on reporting in Bermuda. Strong reporting and an accurate, fair and balanced media are vital to national growth and democratic success.

The PLP Government worked with local media to develop the council, which will serve to ensure a fairer, more accurate media. The Premier explains the next steps:

Members of the Council will “hit the ground running”, as the saying goes. They will be responsible for establishing the terms of reference for the Council’s operations, inclusive of council meetings. Within 6 months after this Act comes into force, the Council will seek input from the public as they develop a Code of Practice governing the conduct of the media in carrying out professional functions.

Another important function of the Council will be to develop a procedure that sets out the process for making complaints, as well as, for considering and making decisions on complaints. These procedures will be universal ones, in that they will be followed by all persons who find certain media activities to be objectionable.

Both the Code of Practice and the Complaints Procedure shall be easily accessible to the public.

After considering a complaint, the Council shall make a decision to dismiss or uphold the complaint in whole or in part and must inform the complainant and the respondent of the decision together with reasons. Appropriate action will be taken; for example, an order that the respondent publish or broadcast an apology, retraction or a correction.

To ensure that the intended objectives have been met, the Government shall review the operation of the Media Council one year after the Council’s establishment.

The Government expects that the Media Council will not only fill a void in our society, but that it will be widely used. The draft Bill is being shared with the media to ensure their continued support of this initiative.

The people of Bermuda deserve to know the truth and not be manipulated by those who control powerful microphones. The Media Council will act in the public interest to raise the bar on fair and accurate reporting in Bermuda.