Dissertation•
Perspectives et limites de l'autorégulation des médias en Europe : essai sur les conditions d'exercice de la liberté d'informer à l'ère du numérique
04 Dec 2013-
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explore the liens entre liberte and responsabilite des medias, and explore the conditions of the just equilibrium entre regulation and autoregulation.
Abstract: A l’heure ou le modele de l’autoregulation des medias connait un succes grandissant en Europe, avec la multiplication du nombre de conseils de presse, mais aussi une remise en question fondamentale, suite a l’affaire anglo-saxonne de News of the World, ce travail de recherche tente de definir les bienfaits et les limites du modele de l’autoregulation en matiere de liberte des medias. D’une maniere generale, cette recherche tente de montrer dans quelle mesure une responsabilisation collective des journalistes peut soutenir et promouvoir la liberte des journalistes. Pour le comprendre, cette recherche explore les liens entre liberte et responsabilite des medias. Elle montre que si l’Etat et les cours de justice, en tant que representants democratiques, peuvent etre les mieux attribues pour definir les responsabilites de journalistes idealement au service de l’interet public, d’autres considerent qu’il faut laisser aux journalistes le soin de definir leurs responsabilites eux-memes pour limiter tant que possible les tentations etatiques de mettre sous controle les “chiens de garde” du systeme democratique. Cette recherche nous enseigne que le juste equilibre entre regulation et autoregulation des medias depend alors de la nature du regime politique en place ainsi que des traditions et cultures journalistiques. Elle montre qu’une responsabilisation collective des journalistes par l’autoregulation peut promouvoir et defendre la liberte des medias, lorsque des garde-fous existent pour limiter l’instrumentalisation du systeme. Elle montre aussi que l’autoregulation ne peut en aucun cas creer les conditions de la liberte des medias. Cette recherche souligne enfin les avantages de l’autoregulation des medias a l’heure du numerique.
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TL;DR: In the wake of the British phone hacking scandal of the News of the World, which proved some limits to the model of media self-regulation, a growing number of experts have suggested a statutory recognition of this model by law to improve its performance as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: In the wake of the British phone hacking scandal of the News of the World, which proved some limits to the model of media self-regulation, a growing number of experts have suggested a statutory recognition of this model by law to improve its performance. At first sight a statutory recognition seems an oxymoron, as the model of media self-regulation – a voluntary system of media regulation independent from public authorities – was originally developed by media professionals themselves to limit state interference in the field of media. Hence, the article explores how statutory recognition is compatible with the concept of media self-regulation. After clarifying the relationships between media regulation, self-regulation and media freedom, the article investigates whether statutory recognition is beneficial or detrimental for media freedom. To answer it, this article draws a distinction between democratic countries and countries in democratic transition. It is argued that statutory media self-regulation in non-democratic countries is problematic because of the risks of transforming self-regulation into a compulsory system controlled by political interests. In democratic countries, statutory media self-regulation can make this voluntary system more effective, for instance by limiting the number of media outlets that decide to abstain from it. However, when statutory recognition is used by state authorities not as a reward but as a punishment for media, it leans towards a two-speed protection of media professionals according to their respect for professional standards or a lack thereof, which is not compatible with the universal nature of freedom of expression.
6 citations
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TL;DR: In the wake of the British phone hacking scandal of the News of the World, which proved some limits to the model of media self-regulation, a growing number of experts have suggested a statutory recognition of this model by law to improve its performance as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: In the wake of the British phone hacking scandal of the News of the World, which proved some limits to the model of media self-regulation, a growing number of experts have suggested a statutory recognition of this model by law to improve its performance. At first sight a statutory recognition seems an oxymoron, as the model of media self-regulation – a voluntary system of media regulation independent from public authorities – was originally developed by media professionals themselves to limit state interference in the field of media. Hence, the article explores how statutory recognition is compatible with the concept of media self-regulation. After clarifying the relationships between media regulation, self-regulation and media freedom, the article investigates whether statutory recognition is beneficial or detrimental for media freedom. To answer it, this article draws a distinction between democratic countries and countries in democratic transition. It is argued that statutory media self-regulation in non-democratic countries is problematic because of the risks of transforming self-regulation into a compulsory system controlled by political interests. In democratic countries, statutory media self-regulation can make this voluntary system more effective, for instance by limiting the number of media outlets that decide to abstain from it. However, when statutory recognition is used by state authorities not as a reward but as a punishment for media, it leans towards a two-speed protection of media professionals according to their respect for professional standards or a lack thereof, which is not compatible with the universal nature of freedom of expression.
6 citations