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EDITORIAL: SCRAP THE BILL!
The contentious Cook Islands Media Bill is
ill-conceived and should be scrapped.
If our new government wants to pursue legislation along these lines, it
should go back to the drawing board.
This bill is one of the sloppiest bits of legislation this country has
seen. It resembles a paste-and-clip job by what has been a succession of
bureaucrats since they first talked glibly about setting up a media
commission some years ago.
The bill aims to create a commission with broad regulatory powers and the
authority to licence and de-licence publishers and broadcasters.
This amounts to a form of media control that is insidious and against the
democratic principles of freedom of speech.
Any enlightened review of this draft legislation would agree with the
damning opinion of the United Nations-recognised organisation called
Article 19.
Article 19 believes that if a media commission is to be formed, it should
have no regulatory powers over the internet or print media and, indeed, it
should list protecting freedom of expression and the public's right to a
diverse and pluralistic media as one of its key functions.
Cook Islands News believes the existing laws of defamation provide ample
protection for anyone who is treated wrongly or unfairly by local media.
We believe there is no need for a media commission, and if any new body is
formed it should be a media council similar to the New Zealand Press
Council.
This council is independent and self-funding, and its rulings on issues of
fairness and misreporting are always accepted and honoured by the media
(see www.presscouncil.org.nz).
The smartest move our government could make is to dump the bill, and at
least consult local media for input and constructive advice on how best to
maintain media standards, rules and ethics.
In the interest of the public's right to know what this media bill is all
about, Cook Islands News publishes the latest draft (number 9) of the
media bill and Article 19's full memorandum (with thanks to the author
Peter Noorlander).
John Woods
Editor
Cook Islands News |
