The committee said it heard of numerous instances that question the success of the self-regulation by the information and communications industries, including breaches in the privacy, display of undesirable images, broadcasting of undesirable content and news broadcasts that are influenced by commercial arrangements.
Improvements could be made to self-regulation, including: better and more proactive enforcement of the self-regulatory codes of practice; an increased awareness of and ability to complain about breaches of codes of practice by the information and communications industries; increased guidance on the self-regulatory codes of practice that protect an individual’s right to privacy.
The committee recommends the establishment of an independent statutory body, the Media Complaints Commission (MCC), which will be a one-stop-shop for all complaints and will assist to enforce standards established by self-regulation.
The current models for self-regulation will continue to operate unchanged. Codes of practice and complaints-handling procedures will continue to be largely developed and administered by information and communications industries. Further, the industry member will in each case continue to be the principal body that will deal with the complaint. However, a Media Complaints Commission Adjudication Committee will provide a last resort for unresolved complaints.
The MCC would provide a single reference point for all complaints, regardless of which information or communications industry is involved. As a one-stop-shop, the MCC would also assist individuals with the complaints process.
It would function as a final adjudicatory body for complaints. In this capacity, it would be able to impose non-pecuniary sanctions in addition to those that currently exist.
The MCC’s annual report to Parliament would show how it has contributed to the better and more proactive enforcement of the self-regulatory codes and include comprehensive data about the complaints that it has recorded throughout the year and the way in which they have been resolved.