Better Journalism in the Digital Age Blair Jenkins AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY Blair Jenkins OBE is a Fellow of the Carnegie UK Trust and one of the most experienced figures in Scottish media. He has been Director of Broadcasting at Scottish Television and Head of News and Current Affairs at both STV and BBC Scotland. From 1998 to 2003 he was Chairman of BAFTA in Scotland and he has also been a member of the Royal Television Society’s steering group on current affairs. Blair started his career at the Evening Express in Aberdeen and was Young Journalist of the Year in the Scottish Press Awards before joining BBC News in London in 1980. He moved to Scottish Television in 1986 and became Head of News and Current Affairs in 1990. Four years later he joined the main board of STV as Director of Broadcasting and he was also a member of the Broadcasting Board of the ITV network. He was Head of News and Current Affairs at BBC Scotland from 2000 to 2006. In 2008 he chaired the independent Scottish Broadcasting Commission set up by the Scottish Government to make recommendations on the future of the industry, and from September 2010 to January 2011 he chaired the Scottish Digital Network Panel which examined funding models for the proposed new Scottish public service broadcaster. In 2010 Blair was appointed an OBE for services to broadcasting. He is Visiting Professor of Journalism at Strathclyde University and a Governor of Glasgow School of Art. AUTHOR ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My thanks to everyone who helped with this publication, but in particular to Douglas White and Jennifer Wallace at Carnegie UK Trust who offered intelligence, improvement and insight in a most generous manner. The text of this work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution- ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ Designed and printed by Falconbury Design by-sa/3.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, 444 Castro Street, Suite 900, Mountain View, California, 94041, USA. This report is printed on paper that is FSC certified. i Contents Foreword Executive Summary Chapter 1 – Restoring Trust Chapter 2 – A New Code of Conduct Chapter 3 – Industry Regulation Chapter 4 – Public Service Interventions Chapter 5 – New Models for News Chapter 6 – Journalism Education Chapter 7 – Extending Access Chapter 8 – Looking to the Future: a Profession based on Trust ii BETTER JOURNALISM IN THE DIGITAL AGE 1 Foreword In February 2010 the Carnegie UK Trust appointed This belief formed an important strand in our Blair Jenkins as a ‘Carnegie Fellow’ to investigate how 2010 report on the future of civil society in the UK better news media can be delivered in the digital age. and Ireland, Making Good Society. That report argued for greater engagement by civil society When we began this work, we thought that one of organisations and citizens more generally with the our first tasks would be to persuade a wide array of conduct and content of news media. Meanwhile, politicians, policy makers, practitioners and civil society in September 2011 we published a new discussion organisations that this was a major public policy issue, paper on the future regulation of the press – worthy of serious attention and consideration. examining the key questions and options and However, the phone hacking crisis and the encouraging citizens and civil society organisations subsequent Leveson Inquiry have placed the to make an informed and substantial contribution debates about the future of news media in the to the debate. UK firmly in the public and political spotlight. It The Trust wishes to have a positive influence is important to make the voicemail interception on the policy outcomes during the consultation scandal a turning point for journalism in the UK. period leading up to the new Communications Act The task is to convert a low point for the industry later in this UK Parliament. An additional – and into an opportunity for improvement and reform. just as important – objective is to help develop There has been a significant loss of public trust in new approaches to high-quality journalism in the news organisations, which is why a new culture of digital age. The Trust is interested in building a integrity and transparency within the media and a broad coalition around this work and in acquiring restoration of that trust are so important. knowledge and insight from others. We will The Carnegie UK Trust believes there are a range of be undertaking further work on this agenda important issues to be addressed in the provision throughout 2012. and consumption of good journalism around the As part of the preparation for this latest UK. These issues relate to funding, training and publication, Better Journalism in the Digital Age, ethics, as well as the regulatory issues primarily we have held seminars in Edinburgh, Cardiff and being considered by Lord Justice Leveson. We wish Dublin and listened to the ideas and concerns of to encourage wider and deeper public engagement many journalists, academics and members of the with these matters and this paper is intended to set public. We wish to thank all of those who have out some basic principles and to provoke further contributed to our thinking in this area. discussion and debate. The Trust is convinced that robust and reliable news media are essential for an Martyn Evans informed democracy and healthy society. Chief Executive, Carnegie UK Trust February 2012 2 BETTER JOURNALISM IN THE DIGITAL AGE Executive Summary Journalism is a profession based on eliminating various forms of bad behaviour, trust. People need to know that the whereas the public interest also requires positive actions in support of good journalism. Tougher news they are viewing, or listening regulation on its own is not enough. to, or reading is fair and accurate and honest. In the end, journalists The work of regulation is largely that of have to be proud and protective of eliminating various forms of bad behaviour, their ethical and editorial standards, whereas the public interest also requires built on the secure foundations of positive actions in support of good integrity and experience. journalism. Tougher regulation on its own is not enough. The purpose of this paper is to examine some of the challenges and opportunities facing serious There is no question that there is a lot of really journalism in the UK and to make suggestions good journalism around today. In recent years, about actions and initiatives that will strengthen we have seen some exceptional reporting of the supply of high-quality news. challenging stories from difficult parts of the The establishment of the public judicial inquiry world, stories told with honesty and conviction. under Lord Justice Leveson has triggered a great This kind of journalism is expensive and proving deal of speculation and reflection on possible difficult to sustain. As is now well known inside or desirable changes to the UK system of press and outside the industry, the business models of regulation. It is understandable that this should traditional news media have looked increasingly be the focus of public attention in the wake of vulnerable in recent years due to the growth of the phone-hacking scandal, but it is important internet content and advertising. that the many issues concerning the future of The quality of our national debate and discourse journalism on all platforms should not simply be is directly related to the quality of our news media reduced to a new regulatory imperative for the services. Journalism is part of the necessary printed press. checks and balances in a healthy society. News media accountability is of great importance The key argument to the effect that there is a and the Carnegie UK Trust has proposals in this strong public interest in high-quality news media paper on how it might be strengthened and is based on the belief that a well-informed society improved. But news quality and news availability has a better chance of being well-governed. are just as significant. There is more than one With transparency comes accountability, and priority in this debate. with proper accountability come better policy Stronger or smarter regulation is only one of a and legislation and, indeed, the consent of the number of levers that will have to be applied if governed. Vigilant media help to prevent the we are to secure better journalism in the digital erosion of civil liberties and provide significant age. The work of regulation is largely that of benefits for wider society. 3 There is, therefore, a collective interest in providing good news media and in the public thereby having an informed sense of engagement There is a need to restore public trust in society. It is hard to underestimate the and confidence in the press. importance of this to our democracy. We need to know about the key decisions that are being The approach of the Carnegie UK Trust is to made – the ones that really do shape our lives, look for ways of encouraging and supporting the ones that are sometimes hidden from us. better news media in the digital age and we are We need to know the facts that underpin the recommending a number of related actions: decision-making process. • The adoption of a new industry-wide code While all news media are facing budgetary and of conduct by all journalists and news editorial challenges in the digital age, it is evident organisations to give much clearer guidance that there are particular concerns about how on the higher ethical and editorial standards some parts of the press operate in the UK: expected – standards which ought to be • Newspaper owners and editors are perceived universal and transferable between all bona as having too much power and influence, fide press, broadcast and online news services.