A Law Commission review proposes a super watchdog for the news industry, to police the "wild west of the internet".

The proposal would involve a single regulator for print, broadcasting and online media, independent of the government and the industry and part-funded by the taxpayer. It would publish different codes for each medium.

At present, broadcast media are held legally accountable through the Broadcasting Act. Print media are subject to industry self-regulation through the Press Council, membership of which is voluntary.

However, the advent of the internet means that media companies are producing different forms of content on their websites. Bloggers and online publishers are exempt from regulation, but are also excluded from special privileges afforded to mainstream media.

The commission says neither existing watchdog "is well suited to respond to the rapidly evolving" new media.

Privileges should be extended to online media such as public affairs bloggers if they adhere to journalistic standards, be subject to a complaints process and publish regularly, it says.

David Farrar, publisher of Kiwiblog, welcomed the report and said bloggers should develop their own code. "Some sort of code for accuracy is not a bad thing. What will be interesting is if you need a formal complaints process as opposed to what I call the online trust method. If someone gets its horribly wrong, they get a bad reputation ... that is actually reasonably effective."

Cameron Slater, of the Whaleoil blog, who has been prosecuted for breaching suppression orders, said he would be happy to abide by the same codes as journalists. "I applied to join the Press Council ... and I couldn't ... When you make that choice your credibility goes up. If you choose not to belong, then your opinion is rated as something akin to blogs on knitting patterns."

Fairfax Media group executive editor Paul Thompson said he was pleased the report affirmed the importance of a diverse, responsible and independent news media free from state interference.

"We are firm supporters of the current Press Council, which works independently and offers an effective complaints procedure for those who feel wronged by coverage.

"It is pleasing to see that the regulatory body proposed by the Law Commission would mirror key elements of the Press Council, including the adoption of strong codes of ethics."

He said Fairfax Media welcomed any debate that would help lift journalism standards and public confidence in the mainstream and new media. "We understand freedom of speech is not absolute and goes hand in hand with high levels of responsibility. We should be accountable, just as we hold others to account."

- Fairfax NZ

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