Proposed Media Complaints Council a concern for MAJ

The Media Association of Jamaica (MAJ) continues to express concern about the proposed establishment of a Media Complaints Council.

The argument for an independent council has again resurfaced, following the recent incident involving Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller and a TVJ journalist. 

Gary Allen, Managing Director of the RJR Communications Group and former head of  the MAJ, contends that the council, as proposed, needs more "teeth" to deal with those who act unethically.

Speaking on RJR's Beyond the Headlines, on Wednesday, he argued that , as proposed, membership would be voluntary, so the decisions may not be legally binding. 

There is also a concern that the Council could be used to further political or mischievous purposes.

Mr. Allen argued that strong internal ethical codes, tied into employment contracts for media workers, would constitute a powerful mechanism to prevent unethical behaviour by journalists.
He said he was not opposed to an independent body, but stressed that the proposed framework must be changed.

“I’m not saying we would never get to an independent body, but I don’t want to get to the independent body when, at the moment, as media managers and those that are media owners, we have no ability to hold the people who would be causing us to get to that independent body accountable to the codes that they are proposing, that we should subscribe to,” said Mr. Allen.