Media Complaints Council Mission Statement / Washington News Council

"To help maintain public trust and confidence in the news media by promoting fairness, courtesy and balance and by creating a forum where the public and the news media can engage each other in examining standards of journalistic fairness."

This is the reason for the existence of media complaints councils; that, and the opportunity they provide to hold the media accountable without going to court.

History of Local Media Complaints Council.

The MCC came into being in 1997 after the then Government tried to have passed in Parliament the infamous Green Paper on Media. In May 1997, the government published a report entitled "Toward a Free and Responsible Media," which proposed the adoption of statutes requiring journalists to report with "due accuracy and impartiality." The so-called "green paper" also called for the creation of a code of ethics mandating that journalists promote national unity, and economic and social progress. The plan was shelved in response to public outcry.

The owners and CEO's of media companies that then comprised the TTPBA saw the need to establish an independent body charged with enforcing a Code of Practice that was adopted by the media. Since that time the MCC has been funded and supported by the TTPBA.

The MCC is made up of people who can be expected to render sound decisions. The Council comprises:

Michael Williams - Chairman
Robert Henry - PRO/Deputy Chairman
Patricia Harracksingh - Attorney-at-law - Member
Ruth Marcus - Human Resource Manager - member

(The late George John also served on the Council.)

Performance

The Media Complaints Council, in the recent past, has adjudicated on several matters throughout the course of one year. While members of the TTPBA do have running advertisements advising the public that they can lodge complaints with the MCC, the TTPBA recognizes that the use of the MCC by the public can be increased. In this regard, having met with the TTPBA in the last quarter of 2007, the TTPBA has undertaken to assist the MCC with mounting a simple awareness campaign on radio, television and in the press, letting the public know, in simple terms, of the existence and role of the MCC. The copy has already been written and some of the production complete, and members have given their commitment to air and/or publish these ads.

Additionally, the MCC now has an 800 number for the MCC (800-4MCC) where the public can call, leave a name and number and will receive a return call by an officer of the MCC within 36 hours at which time they can lodge their complaint.

Regulatory Body - TATT

With the advent of the Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad & Tobago (TATT) in 2005 as the legal, regulatory body governing telecommunications, including broadcasting, the TTPBA did have to examine the role of the MCC to determine whether or not there was still need for such a body. It is for the very reason that the Telecommunication Authority is a state-appointed regulatory agency that it was felt that there was a need for some measure of independence in adjudication of media complainant matters.

The question could be asked, "Why should a complainant have to go anywhere else but to TATT?" and the reason is given above.

The TTPBA feels that there continues to be a need for an independent body which can, as a final point of arbitration, present an unbiased opinion and which opinion may be able to influence, in some way, TATT's decisions and rulings. The TTPBA has been able to develop, over the years, a good rapport with the Telecommunications Authority and has been able to influence their thinking on several matters that affect the industry. A similar role is envisioned for the MCC.

The MCC often serves to offer some redress to complainants who may not wish to take legal action but who simply would like to right a perceived wrong. At its optimum, this path may well protect publishers and broadcasters from legal action and assist TATT by being the recipient of the more 'minor' complaints.