» Media self-regulation in focus in Hungary

Media self-regulation in focus in Hungary

2011. 07. 12. | News, News: Media self-regulation

The international conference “Media self-regulation: ethics and quality” was organized by the Center for Independent Journalism on 23 June, 2011 to discuss the future role and regulatory environment of a future industry-based media self-regulatory system in Hungary. Speakers of this conference summed up the results of several year-long consultations among major stakeholders of media on the establishment of such an organization. International experts from the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) shared experiences with already existing self-regulatory mechanisms with Hungarian colleagues.

The history of media self-regulation goes back to 2001 when the first self-regulatory organization – the Association of Content Providers in Hungary (www.mte.hu) was established. In 2007 the Center for Independent Journalism launched an initiative with leading journalists and numerous major news organizations to adopt ethical guidelines and based on this agreement to establish a national media self-regulatory body for all media in Hungary. Since then workshops, expert meetings and numerous in-depth consultations with key stakeholders were held about the possible working models of the self-regulation association.

After the adopting of the new media law by the Parliament in 2010, the Center for Independent Journalism – re-launched regular negotiations with media companies, lawyers, editors-in-chief in January 2011 to finalize the documents elaborated in 2007-2009 as a result of media self-regulatory efforts. Most of the negotiators have been convinced about good chances of a final agreement to set up a media self-regulatory association in Hungary.

As a consequence of the new media legislation, there have been important changes in the regulatory framework in Hungary which have raised additional questions about the distinctive scopes of regulation, emerging co-regulation and self-regulation in media. The international conference gathered more than 60 participants – mostly journalists and industry leaders. Presentations from international and Hungarian speakers focused on key issues of media self-regulation: benefits of self-regulation for media organizations and consumers, good practices of media self-regulation in Western Europe and in Hungary and also, how the latest changes in the regulatory system may impact self-regulation.

The program of the conference:

Media self-regulation: ethics and quality –

international conference, 23 June, 2011 – Budapest

Venue: Kossuth Klub (1088 Budapest, Múzeum utca 7)

9:00-9:30 – Registration

9:30 – 9:40 – Opening remarks – Ilona Móricz director, Center for Independent Journalism

9:40 – 10:00 The Hungarian initiative of media self-regulation

Balázs Weyer editor-in-chief, origo.hu
10:00-11:30 – Media self-regulation in Europe – good practices and models

Moderator: János Horvát, president of the Board, Center for Independent Journalism

After more than 50 years of self-regulation in Germany – what is the impact of the Presserat on media, what are the challenges today?

Manfred Protze, German Press Council

Towards a more simple complaints procedure and new services

Daphne Koene, the Netherlands Press Council

Accountability and quality – what do media gain from self-regulation?

Prof. Robert Pinker, Press Complaints Commission, UK

Q & A

11:30 – 11:45 Coffee break
11:45-12:30 – Self-regulation’s impact on the media system

Moderator: Dr. Zsuzsa Szilágyi, media lawyer

Benefits of media self-regulation for press freedom
Adeline Hulin, OSCE – Office of the representative of Freedom of the Media

Self- and co-regulation – complementary components of the media system

Tibor Kovács, president of the Hungarian Publishers Association and Péter Nádori, president of the Association of Content Providers in Hungary

Specific experiences with existing self-regulatory mechanisms in Hungary

and dr. Ildikó Fazekas, Self-regulatory Advertising Council

12:30 – 13:30 – What do we expect from media self-regulation in Hungary? – roundtable discussion of editors-in-chief

Moderator: János Horvát, president of the Board, Center for Independent Journalism

Guest speakers: Gábor Borókai (Heti Válasz), Bence György (TV2), Péter Vass (HVG), András Radetzky (Katolikus Rádió), István Győrffy (Pannon Lapok Társasága)

13:30 – Wrap-up, closing

14:00-15:00 – Reception

Sponsors:

Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Embassy of the Royal Netherlands

Further information: ilona.moricz@cij.hu

» Media self-regulation in focus in Hungary

Media self-regulation in focus in Hungary

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