The Media Council launched by Gambian Journalists as an innovative model of self –regulation for the media industry, mandated to handle, without any government or industrial influence, complaints against breaches of the code of ethics and promote professional standards in the media are well praiseworthy.
The Gambia today needs media self-regulatory mechanisms such as Code of Ethics and having Media Councils in place to monitor the professional and responsible journalism which also guarantees the safety of journalists and a free responsible press.
As we launched the country first ever Media Council, the second strand of this council is possible partnerships with a provision of capacity development opportunities to train and educate the journalists on self-care directive and their safety in times of reporting, and editing.
Media self-regulations focus on setting professional and ethical standards that can guide the work of the journalists. By creating an industry that is recognised as a responsible pillar of democracy and also sustainable development is a right trend by the Gambia Press Union.
With the involvement of The Gambia Press Union, there has been a collection of wide range of opinions and consensus from the civil society organizations, government, academics, the media owners and media practitioners as well as the media training institutions in the country.
We hope that this Media Council will be the authoritative body that will regulate all media institutions in the country. This will supports the media institutions in the country with the development of media self-regulatory policies and mechanisms.
A free media by definition is decentralization. While lacking a central authority that pre-approves contents and the need to rectify mistakes—Omissions or Commissions—a free media resolves this paradox or illogicality by acting as a self-regulator.
Specifically, the contents of the Media Council itself can be analysed by others within the media, leaving the final judgment up to the readers and viewers. The self-regulatory is important because anyone in the media is capable of conveying preconceived notion; in lieu of restricting content, a free media would be capable of “policing” itself.
The significance of this Media Council is to judge and finding the important for freedom of expression and reaffirming the principles of the Constitution, and also to demonstrate the effective functionality of the Media Press Council and vitally, its ability to self-regulation in the interest of the community in broad-spectrum.
Finally, we welcome The Gambia and Professional Journalists Card Scheme and we calls on the Gambia Press Union to take all degree in issuing the card.