No need for press council:Journalists’ Federation

The revision of the press laws ‘should go back to the industry itself and focus on self-regulation’, International Federation of Journalists project manager, Serenade Woo, said

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is worried over the proposed creation of a statutory press council in Macau, as well as an accreditation system for media workers. The institution believes “there is no pressing need” for either changes.
Media freedom in the territory is “increasingly under threat,” according to the report ‘China’s New Clampdown: Press Freedom in China 2011’.
The overview, released by the IFJ last week, says local media is “facing a tremendous challenge” with the proposed establishment of a press council, “a proposal met with opposition by many local journalists”.
“We understand there is the liberty of the government to establish bodies to monitor certain issues,” the author of the report, Serenade Woo, told Macau Daily Times. “But when we are talking about press freedom, one of the fundamental rights, we have to be very cautious,” she added.
And the IFJ believes the revision of the press and broadcasting laws “pose a serious threat to press freedom”.
“Many journalists remain deeply worried such a formalized system could place pressure on some of the more vocal journalists. Some journalists fear the government could place pressure on the press council to discredit certain journalists,” the report stresses.
“This issue should go back to the industry itself and focus on self-regulation,” Woo urged. The IFJ project manager is particularly worried over the composition of the proposed press council. “We have to keep an eye on it,” she said.
The Government Information Bureau (GCS) director, Victor Chan Chi Ping, said he hopes the press council can be a self-regulated body. “However, there remain many journalists and legislators who doubt the sincerity of these claims,” the IFJ report says.

Unfriendly block

Given that Chinese and Portuguese-language media receive a government subsidy, “there is a fear that they [authorities] could have strong leverage to influence the proposed press council,” the overview warns.
Local journalists are also worried over the introduction of a press card accreditation system. “There are negative sides to it,” Woo said.
“There is a similar system in mainland China, where it became a tool for the government to block unfriendly media,” she explained. “Even if you get that card, if you publish a negative news report, you will face some problem when you are asking for the card’s renewal.”
Macau journalists are concerned similar pressure could come about in the territory. “And, after it [a press accreditation system] is established, it’s very difficult to abolish it,” Woo warned.
Last month Victor Chan said a proposal to revise the GCS organic law had already been sent to the Executive Council, removing the bureau’s power to issue credentials for media staff, after such a process was first frozen in late 2006.
“In Macau there was a press accreditation system but it was abolished because media felt there was no need for it. Society accepts that media is doing their job and their duty properly,” Woo said.
The first Macau Journalists’ Congress, which gathered local Portuguese and English-language journalists last month, approved a motion pledging “to increase the awareness of local authorities on the need for” professional accreditation.
“Why is there such a need? We really don’t understand,” Woo conceded. “Let the media itself have the chance to talk about this, rather than have the government implement it,” said the Hong Kong-based journalist who was a speaker at the congress.