The 2023 “Trust in News in Aotearoa New Zealand” report finds that general trust in the news and news brands continues to erode. The report, compiled by the AUT Research Centre for Journalism, Media and Democracy, reveals general trust in news declined from 45% to 42%, continuing a downward trend that was already evident in 2020 when the survey was first conducted.
However, in 2023, trust in the news people consume rose slightly, from 52% to 53%. In 2023, all the major New Zealand news brands suffered a considerable decline in trust. Trust in RNZ fell 14.5%, Whakaata Māori, 14.3% and Newstalk ZB, 14%. Smaller brands such as interest.co.nz, BusinessDesk and Crux News were less affected.
There are a number of possible reasons for this – the rise in alternative methods of news and information consumption, the appalling optics that accompanied the Public Interest Journalism Fund which, coupled with some of the conditions of a PIJF grant, led to the perception on the part of some of media bias.
Greg Treadwell, co-author of the AUT report, says, “Newsrooms must put regaining trust among their audiences at the top of their agenda for the sake of our democracy.”
This is essential. A properly functioning Fourth Estate in which rests public trust and confidence is a critical element in the structure of democratic institutions. The Fourth Estate provides reliable information. It also speaks truth to power.
One of the ways in which the Fourth Estate is regulated is by the New Zealand Media Council. Unlike the Broadcasting Standards Authority, which is set up by statute, the NZMC is a private, voluntary organisation, funded by fees paid by those who submit to its jurisdiction.
The NZMC started life as the New Zealand Press Council. It was established to promote high standards of journalism and to provide a mechanism for handling complaints about the conduct of the media. It serves as an independent body that works to ensure newspapers, magazines, and now online publications maintain ethical and professional standards in their reporting. It plays a crucial role in upholding principles such as accuracy, fairness and balance in journalism.
The explicit motivation behind its establishment in 1972 was to avert rumoured Labour Party plans to establish a statutory Press Council if it became the government.
The establishment of the council reflects a commitment to media accountability and the recognition of the media’s significant influence on public opinion. By having an independent body overseeing the conduct of the press, it fosters public trust in the media and maintains the integrity of journalism in New Zealand.
The availability of a complaints system and an impartial review of content can give the public the confidence that media standards are being maintained. This level of scrutiny is not present in online publications that are not members of the NZMC.
It is virtually impossible to regulate and monitor all the various information websites that are available on the internet. However, an effort has been made by Netsafe and major online platforms to develop the Aotearoa New Zealand Code of Practice for Online Safety and Harms. This, like the NZMC, is an industry-driven, voluntary, light-handed regulatory model.
The alternative is a government-developed model as proposed by the Department of Internal Affairs with its “Safer Online Services and Media Platforms” discussion proposals.
But do we need a statutory body regulating the internet, with the attendant issues of interference with freedom of expression? The press avoided that in 1972.
The NZMC has adequately demonstrated that an industry-based, independent regulatory model works successfully and is preferable to government interference.
David Harvey is a retired district court judge.
