PARLIAMENT AND DEMOCRACY - Inter-Parliamentary Union

52 I PARLIAMENT AND DEMOCRACY IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY
The CPA Study Group (see above) cites examples from both Europe and
Africa to this effect:
In 2001, the Council of Europe adopted a recommendation on the independence
and functions of broadcasting regulatory authorities, aimed
at protecting them against interference by political forces or economic
interests……Particular emphasis is laid on transparent procedures for
appointing members of these bodies, on precise rules to prevent them
from holding interests in businesses or other media organisations, and
on protecting the members from dismissal through political pressure.
In South Africa……the constitutional court has ruled that independence
of the media regulatory authority lies in the appointment and dismissal
mechanisms, the funding mechanisms and the actual functioning
of the body. At the Authority’s creation, the South African
Parliament’s Media Committee advertised for members and interviewed
the candidates. The recommendations it presented in a report
were debated and adopted by the National Assembly, before the Head
of State was advised on the appointments.
As to the regulation of content, opinions differ as to whether this should
also be governed by an independent broadcasting authority, or left to a selfregulating
body under the control of the industry itself. Many broadcasting
authorities set broad parameters for content in licensing agreements, such as
minimum news and current affairs coverage, standards of advertising or the
timing of ‘adult’ programmes. At the same time, the CPA Study Group takes
the view that ‘it is the responsibility of the media, not parliament, to set and
supervise their highest professional and ethical standards’. The limitation of
self-regulation, however, is often found in the inadequacy of sanctions or
effective public redress in the event of false or tendentious presentation.
An interesting example of non-regulatory involvement by parliamentarians
in broadcasting standards is provided by Brazil. Here, in the absence of any
code of ethics for TV programmes, members of the Human Rights Committee
of the Chamber of Deputies have collaborated with civil society organisations
to establish a nation-wide monitoring system for programme standards.
Viewers are encouraged to send in complaints on programmes they find offensive,
and a ‘shame list’ is drawn up of the persistent offenders which is then
discussed in regular meetings with TV programmers. The guiding principle of
the campaign is the equal dignity of all citizens:
The Campaign ‘Those Who Encourage Low Quality are against
Citizenship’ is an initiative of the Commission for Human Rights of the