Ethical values and the media

The public enjoys the inalienable right to disapprove of an opinion, disagree with it, or to even completely reject it, but not to insult the person or entity expressing the relevant opinion. Mass Media and Information Minister Keheliya Rambukwella was very explicit on this most valid point and the public could be glad that this principle in good media practice was laid bare so lucidly. The position of the state on this question needs to be explicitly stated because not all sections of the media in this country see its importance.

What prompted this statement by the minister were the issues thrown-up by the state requirement that all local websites register with the media authorities prior to functioning. Registration is not synonymous with regulation but some sections are inclining to this view and such minds need to be disabused of these misleading notions. Therefore, the minister’s statement would prove very valuable in clearing the air on these web-related issues and we hope the principle involved would be grasped very clearly.

We have right along in this newspaper been against what has been referred to as the ‘freedom of the wild ass’ in issues related to media practice. Freedom of expression is an inalienable human right and this right has to be always dourly defended but this fundamental right should not be abused and this is where the question of media accountability comes in. Media freedom should be constantly balanced against the need for responsible media practice. For instance, all sections of the mass media, including web sites, are free to express their opinions on the issues of the day but they cannot under any circumstances resort to vilifying or defaming persons.

Unfortunately, these principles have been observed more in the breach in some websites. The problem is compounded by the fact that very many of these websites were not registered with the media authorities. Accordingly, in the case of errant websites, which defamed persons, for instance, it was not possible for the aggrieved party to take legal measures against the erring websites because the latter had not registered themselves with the media authorities, and thereby enabled the aggrieved party to trace the names of the owners and other particulars of the websites in question. Consequently, the defamed were denied justice on account of the websites not being registered.

Comments in the media should be aired in a responsible manner. While the principle of the freedom of expression should be respected and upheld, this inviolable norm should not be seen as providing a license to defame persons and entities. Worse still, it should not be done under cover of anonymity. In Sri Lanka over the past few months just this has been happening. Some unregistered websites were defaming persons and were getting away with it because their origins were unknown. Consequently, those defamed were denied their fundamental right of seeking justice against the offending website.

With the registering of websites this irregularity could be overcome because the identity and other relevant details of the offending sites would be known and the aggrieved afforded an opportunity of seeking justice against the offender and of clearing their names and reputations. These requirements are basic to a responsible media culture and the state is doing right by clearly underscoring ethical norms of this kind which should be scrupulously followed by the media.

There is a price to be paid for irresponsibility and this needs to be taken cognizance of. However, those sections of the media which are prepared to conduct their practice in accordance with ethical principles need not balk at any registration requirements. Their acceptance of value-based media practices would only help in enhancing the quality of local journalism.

Websites are part of the global mainstream media and this fact imposes on them the obligation of being highly responsible in their practice. Besides, it should be considered that it is only journalism of a constructive nature that would prove invaluable to the public.