Pere Masip , Jaume Suau , Carlos Ruiz
Blanquerna School of Communication and International Relations - University Ramon Llull
This report presents the results of a research project aimed to ask the opinion of journalists and other relevant stakeholders about how media councils could adapt to the challenges of the digital age.
The results obtained are based on two survey conducted between August and November 2020 among journalists and members of the board of media councils from nine countries More specifically, survey to journalists was distributed among network of contacts of the European Federation of Journalists and affiliated journalists' unions in selected countries Austria, Belgium (Wallonia and Flanders), Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Poland, and Spain Finally, 454 valid questionnaires were received Number of questionnaires received by country was very irregular and non valid comparative analysis was possible to carry out.
Survey to members of the board of the media councils was distributed by the research team among the members of boards of the media councils from the same countries except Poland and Italy Members of the board from Austria, Belgium (Flanders and Wallonia), Finland, Germany, Ireland, and Spain (includes media councils from Spain, Catalonia, and Andalusia) answered the questionnaire 61 valid questionnaires were received
A third survey was also distributed among media companies and editors in chief from the same targeted countries Research team selected the three main in terms of audience print newspapers, radio stations, TV stations and online news media from each country Although the questionnaire was distributed in three different waves in order to obtain as much answers as possible, the number of responses obtained was very low, preventing a valid analysis of the results Despite the difficulty to interpret the lack of collaboration of media companies, it could be a sign of lack of interest on media councils, at least in some countries The overall situation with covid 19 outbreak might have also affected the low response level in some of the surveys.
The objective of the research was to analyse how journalists see the job of media councils and self regulatory bodies, how these bodies are affected by the digital age, and how can they adapt to the new ethical challenges.