PORT MORESBY (THE NATIONAL) — Papua New Guinea media workers were challenged to work and live by the industry code of ethics to avoid government intervention and public derision.
PNG Media Council president, Neville Choi, while announcing the just adopted media code of ethics and professional conduct, told media practitioners that the code would help them navigate their way out of bad habits and to stop public criticisms.
In the last National Press Club session for 2024, Choi also called on the public to “name and shame” media personnel who stray from professional conduct.
Said Choi: “To every PNG journalist, cameraman, photographer, graphic artist or every media worker operating in the PNG news and information media, this code will help you navigate bad habits and expectations that do not align with our profession.
“And to every PNG citizen out there, if you see a media worker doing something that breaches the (council’s) Code of Ethics and Professional Practice, name and shame them.
“To all those who deal and engage with the media on a regular basis, not all PNG journalists expect to be wined and dined at every news job we attend. We appreciate some form of refreshment to keep our media personnel energised while covering your news event, but do not give cash to journalists.
“It speaks to the level of integrity you have as a Papua New Guinean.”
The new guidelines were adopted at the media council annual general meeting on 02 November and will now be applied in all mainstream media newsrooms.
The updated code provides a standard to which all media practitioners should be preforming, how they should carry themselves in the course of their duties and the values they should be subscribing to as the guardians of important news and information for the people.
The code also features in the National Media Development policies of the government as part of the industry’s standard and guidelines for its performance which strongly emphasises industry self-regulation.
Towards that end, the Code also includes an important provision for an independent complaints tribunal.
Choi said: “The media in PNG has been in the crosshairs of readers, viewers and audiences from around the country. With all of this conversation, came the call for the media to be answerable to some level for their actions, and the official line has been to develop and grow the media sector, while using its influence to help develop the country.”
Choi said there was a misconception that all ethical and moral considerations around news and information presented for public consumption was the sole responsibility of the media.
He said unbeknown to leaders and the public at large, newsroom have powerful information vetting systems that were crucial because they protect against libel, defamation, misinformation, disinformation, or just fake news.
An editor’s panel discussed the code and committed to implement the code in their organisations. Points were also made that the code and professional practice ought to be taught at journalism schools in the country…. PACNEWS