Annual Report 2017–2018 Annual Report 2017–2018 ANNUAL REPORT NO 42 Year ending 30 June 2018 The Australian Press Council Level 6, 53 Berry Street North Sydney 2060 02 9261 1930 1800 025 712 [email protected] www.presscouncil.org.au ISSN: 0156-1308 Design: SavvyGraphics.com.au Photography: Rick Stevens, Michael Rose, AAP The Press Council is responsible for promoting good standards of media practice, community access to information of public interest and freedom of expression through the media. It also sets standards and responds to complaints about material in Australian newspapers and magazines, as well as a growing number of online-only publications. Contents Foreword from the Chair 5 Executive Director’s Report 7 Key Numbers for the Year 8 The Year in Review 11 Complaints Handling 14 Case Studies 16 Complaints and Complainants 20 Council Membership and Staff 22 Finances 25 Member Publications 29 Summaries of Adjudications 37 Full Adjudications 39 4 The months immediately prior to my taking on the role of Chair were exceptionally challenging ones for the Press Foreword Council, in light of the unexpected resignation of my predecessor, Professor David Weisbrot. I would like to pay tribute to the Vice-Chairs for having from the Chair steered the Council through this difficult time. It also placed increased pressure on the Executive Director and the staff and, again, I would like to recognise their work 2017–2018 was far from an easy year during this period. An early priority was to ensure that the Council was for the Press Council, but, in my view, independent and seen to be independent. The subsequent the Council is well placed to continue decisions and actions in this regard are outlined elsewhere in this Annual Report. its important work and to respond to My other early priority was to meet with Council members emerging challenges. and publishers to help me to get across the many issues facing the organisation and the Australian media industry. I made clear in those meetings, and at every other opportunity in recent months, that my aim as Chair is to ensure that the Press Council is a respected and independent self-regulatory body, which has the confidence of publishers and the community, contributes to a strong and free press – particularly in this digital world – and values and promotes quality journalism. To that end, I saw it as extremely important, for example, that the Press Council prepare a thorough and thoughtful submission to the ACCC Inquiry into the impact of digital platforms on the supply of news and journalistic content and the implications of this for media content creators, advertisers and consumers. Similarly, we made a submission to the South Australian government on its proposals to amend shield laws to protect journalists in that State. I have also made it clear that the Press Council must continue to refine, improve and speed up its complaints handling and standards-setting processes, to make them ever more relevant and responsive to journalists and citizens in a time of rapid change. The Press Council must have efficient and effective standards of practice and complaints handling that take into account the realities of the digital age. 2017–2018 was far from an easy year for the Press Council, but, in my view, the Council is well placed to continue its important work and to respond to emerging challenges. Neville Stevens AO 5 6 Executive Director’s Report Although the news industry continued to of the community to gain a valuable shared awareness of the complex issues that can arise in the day-to-day undergo significant change during the year, practice of media reporting. the Press Council’s work of promoting Advocating for press freedom, free speech and responsible journalism – the third strategic goal – has freedom of speech and responsible also never been more important. Without these our journalism continued. society will be less able to address its problems. The Vice-Chairs of the Council, the Hon John Doyle AC and Julie Kinross, who were appointed Acting Chairs following the resignation of the former Chair Professor David Weisbrot in mid-2017, led the Press Council’s Given the ease with which disinformation and work for the first half of the year. In addition to leading misinformation can spread, the Press Council, and the broad work on the strategic goals, they steered efforts responsible journalism to which its publisher members to improve the Council’s corporate governance through aspire, has never been more important. development of the Conflict of Interest Policy and the Public Member Policy, which encapsulated practices The Council’s strategic goal of ensuring effective around potential conflicts and the important role of complaints handling is important for publishers, public members. They also furthered a process of the community and other stakeholders. While the constitutional review, which had been initiated due to complaints-handling process is undoubtedly valuable legislative changes, and successfully led the process for to publishers by promoting reader trust and loyalty, recruiting a new Chair. it is no small thing that in times when the industry is undergoing substantial change the publishers have On 20 January 2018 the Secretariat welcomed Neville continued their financial support of the Council and Stevens AO to the role of Chair. It is entirely appropriate continue to cooperate as quickly as possible with its that one of his first achievements was finalisation of processes. Importantly, sometimes the arguments reform of the Constitution and the comprehensive raised during the complaints-handling process mirror review of potential conflicts of interest. debates within society, something which no complaints- I would like to express my deep appreciation to the Vice- handling process can resolve. Chairs and the Chair for their enormous contribution Another strategic goal – developing and refining and thank all Council and Adjudication Panel members standards, guidelines and industry education – is for their effective work. Most of all, I would like to also important in an age where disinformation and express my appreciation to Secretariat staff past and misinformation can be readily spread. Standards present for their outstanding work during a challenging establish a balance for Press Council members between period. It has been a privilege to work collaboratively valuable but contradictory factors such as perfect with every one of them. accuracy and delivering news in a timely way, or an John Pender individual’s expectation of privacy and the benefits of certain information to the broader community. The Press Council’s Advisory Guidelines can provide an opportunity for journalists, publishers and members 7 959COMPLAINANTS IN 2017–2018 “My objective is to ensure that the Press Council is a respected and independent self-regulatory body, which has the confidence of publishers and the community, contributes to a strong and free press and promotes quality journalism.” PRESS COUNCIL CHAIR / NEVILLE STEVENS 8 COMPLAINTS FORMAL ADJUDICATIONS 554 30 83% 10 COMPLAINTS UPHELD OR PARTIALLY STAFF WORKING AT THE 959 UPHELD BY THE ADJUDICATION PANEL COUNCIL SECRETARIAT 9 10 Guideline on Reporting Elections, which was finalised in the following year. There are a number of other areas where The Year work in updating or developing Advisory Guidelines would have been valuable and the Council will progress those projects in the period ahead. in Review During the year the federal government established a Regional and Small Publishers Innovation Fund, which allows publishing companies with an annual turnover of less than $30 million to apply for grants of up to $1 million. The Press Council made some submissions in relation to the grants and provided support in other ways. The Key Australian Press Council activities Australian Communications and Media Authority, which is The purpose of the Press Council is to promote freedom of responsible for administering the grants program, asked speech and responsible journalism and, as identified in its the Press Council to nominate a representative to sit on an Strategic Plan 2016-2020, it does so by: Advisory Panel and independent journalist member Anna • ensuring effective complaints handling Reynolds was nominated to do so. • developing and refining standards, guidelines and Significantly, one of the criteria for applying for a grant is industry education; and that the publication in question must be a member of the • advocating for press freedom, free speech and Press Council or demonstrate that it has a similarly robust responsible journalism. complaints-handling system. At least partly as a result of The 2017–2018 reporting year was one of transition for this, inquiries from smaller publications about joining the the Press Council. The Vice-Chairs, the Hon John Doyle Press Council began to increase significantly during the and Julie Kinross, acted as Chairs of the Council until 20 reporting period. January 2018, when the appointment of Neville Stevens as Once again the Press Council awarded prizes to Chair took effect. outstanding students in partnership with the Journalism Education and Research Association of Australia (JERAA). Ensure effective complaints handling These are part of an existing program, known as the Ossie The Press Council continued to respond in accordance Awards, organised by JERAA to recognise outstanding with its process to complaints about material in Australian achievement by students in university journalism schools newspapers and magazines, as well as a growing number in Australia, New Zealand and Fiji. This year, more than of online-only publications. There were 554 complaints 170 entries were submitted to the Ossie awards across 18 in 2017–2018 from 959 complainants. A discussion of categories, with 21 universities in Australia, New Zealand the complaints process, case studies of a number of and Fiji eligible to take part. complaints, and detailed complaint statistics for the year The winner of the Australian Press Council 2017 Prize for are set out in other sections of this Annual Report.