MEDIAWATCH: What do we replace the BSA with? The JSA!
The Government’s decision to scrap the Broadcasting Standards Authority is reigniting a much bigger argument than just broadcasting rules — what happens to journalism, accountability and democracy when misinformation spreads faster than facts?
Broadcasting Standards Authority to be scrapped
The Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA) will be scrapped in favour of having the media self-regulate, the media and communications minister has confirmed.
Paul Goldsmith says New Zealand’s media landscape has changed dramatically but “regulatory settings have not kept up” and the current framework can create inconsistencies and “unfair outcomes”.
“If you’ve got a panel discussion on a podcast that’s on demand, that’s not covered, but if you’ve got a panel discussion on RNZ, it does, and there’s no sort of logic for that,” he told Midday Report.
“And so, you know, we could try and extend the brief of BSA far into sort of social media, or we could say, well, actually, why don’t we just rely on the self-regulation that works fine for print journalism and set the sector free.”
Does scrapping the BSA weaken media accountability?
The BSA told RNZ in a statement it has said for more than 15 years the current Broadcasting Act “is no longer fit for purpose”.
“Our primary interest has been to ensure the public continue to have access to accurate, reliable media content, and a regulator they can turn to if they think public standards are breached,” its chief executive said.
Wednesday’s announcement came after the BSA faced backlash from government ministers following a decision to begin regulating podcasts and online media.
A complaint sent by the BSA to The Platform was published on the online Platform’s website, outlining concerns raised about allegedly “unacceptable racist comments”.
Surprise, surprise, it’s back to the old Wild West with no standards.
Whether or not we should dump the BSA was never really the issue, it was always what would replace it.
The pearl clutching from Sean Plunket was always more dramatics than real threat to free speech.
The means for which normal everyday citizens could complain about Broadcasting Standards will be choked off as some sort of victory for shrugging as Government policy.
Hilariously a large chunk of complaints were from white people complaining about Te Reo or Māori Political Aspiration, so much so that they had to make a formal statement they would no longer take complaints about Te Reo in 2021 because they were swamped by angry whites incandescent with rage that their comprehension of the weather was delayed by almost three whole seconds by the use of Māori.
‘Broadcasting standards’ was always a pretty grab all for whatever society of the day wished to be offended by.
I’ve always been far less interested in ‘Broadcasting standards’ and far more focused on ‘Journalistic Standards’, and that is what we should be turning the BSA into.
In an age of disinformation and misinformation, we need all platforms to agree to Journalistic Standards which are fundamental to the fourth estate.
Look, put simply, this is too important to let Paul Goldsmith f**k up.
We now live in a media landscape polluted by misinformation and disinformation driven by social media hate algorithms.
A democracy is only as strong as its citizens awareness.
If you have citizens fed hateful bullshit, your democracy becomes hateful bullshit.
Right now we need more regulation of journalistic standards, not less!
What should replace the Broadcasting Standards Authority?
The BSA should be reformed into enhancing journalistic standards, backed by E Tu, the union of Journalists.
- Whistleblower protections
- Journalistic privilege as a legal right
- Right of reply
- Accurate quotes
- Independence
- Verification and evidence
- Minimising harm to individuals
- Protection of sources
- No fabrication or plagiarism
- Clear separation of news, opinion and advertising
- Protection of free speech
- No promotion of violence
- No defamation
- Truth always
These are what the JSA should be looking at and demanding from our Fourth Estate.
There were limitations to the BSA because it was written decades ago, I’m not opposed to folding it into the Media Council, but that requires a new set of rules with the focus on demanding the highest standards of Fourth Estate Journalism.
That’s not what the Right want.
The Right want an environment with no rules so that their hate messaging can rule the roost.
That’s why the Right are attacking the BSA, not to promote strong standards for journalism, but to remove any regulations so that their racist, homophobic, gleefully ignorant commentary can gain cultural acceptance.
This is far too important an issue to be left in Paul Goldsmith’s hands.
So let me get this straight.
Only a month ago Murky Mitchell had a tanty online about standards of balance over TVNZs coverage of the CoC’s bullshit crime stats.
But couldn’t be bothered to lodge a BSA complaint (which would have failed because he doesn’t understand journalistic balance) and went the corrupt bully “don’t you know who I am” route instead.
According to Goldsmith the fuckwit should have just “switched it off”.
And this is the same Government that celebrated their declaration on anti-semitism last week. Maybe they should just tell Jews to “switch it off” as the CoC believe in one law for all, no special treatment for any race or faith.
As Martyn asserts, this is designed to remove avenues of redress from anyone who isn’t rich and/or connected.
Because when this Government talk about responsibility and accountability they mean you, the little people, not themselves and their friends.
Time to call into The Platform and drop horrendous anti-semitism and racism on air. Will Plunker, the booze addled confused sundodger, blanche at the word Kike?