HuffPost Australia, Daily Mail Australia and The Monthly Chronicle join Australian Press Council
The newest international entrant to the local online publishing space The Huffington Post has joined the Australian Press Council, alongside rival international online publisher Daily Mail Australia and community newspaper The Monthly Chronicle.
The Press Council has been looking to boost its numbers of online members to better reflect the changing nature of news distribution, with the Daily Mail joining sister site NineMSN in the council.
Council chair David Weisbrot said in a statement: “These latest members of the Council reflect both the increasing globalisation of the media as well as the continuing importance of local newspapers serving their communities.
“I’m really encouraged by the fact that publishers continue to value the importance of Press Council membership and of making a public commitment to excellence and social responsibility. They clearly see the benefits of the Council’s complaints system and of being part of our self-regulation, standards-setting and advocacy processes.”
Janz
HuffPost Australia CEO Chris Janz said joining the Press Council “affirms our commitment to the high stands of quality journalism and freedom of expression through media that the Press Council works tirelessly to maintain.”
HuffPost Australia went live last Tuesday, a day earlier then expected, before naming Today Show co-host Lisa Wilkinson as editor-at-large.
Earlier this month Weisbrot made a pledge to fight for press freedom and an overhaul of the current defamation laws following Treasurer Joe Hockey’s lawsuit with Fairfax Media.
Daily Mail Australia managing director Peter Holder said he had been “impressed by the Council’s recent advocacy for press freedom as well as its new educational initiatives that not only help maintain standards but keep journalists informed on myriad and emerging media law issues.”
The editor of The Monthly Chronicle Anthony Brewster said smaller publications have just as much to contribute to the work of the council as the larger players.
“Local and regional news in Australia is of vital importance to the communities they serve because the local stories they tell are often not provided by larger media outlets,” said Brewster.
“Membership in the Press Council and adherence to its guidelines provides a layer of editorial rigour to assist in the delivery of credible and accurate local storytelling.”
The Press Council has also launched a push targeting Chinese newspapers to broaden its membership base in an effort to better reflect multicultural Australia. Mumbrella understands there has been some expressions of interest from some Chinese publications to join the Council however none have signed up officially.
Miranda Ward
Disclaimer: Mumbrella is a member of the Australian Press Council
Miranda Ward worked for Mumbrella from 2013 to 2017, eventually becoming deputy editor. Miranda joined Mumbrella in September 2013 from Sky News.
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