There have been significant failures in Press Ethics since the beginning of 2016. This is placing more pressure on editors and publishers to improve their journalists' knowledge of Media Law at a time when retrenchments have reduced the number of experienced staff.
As the signs of state action against media houses grows with government officials building a case for a Media Tribunal, frayintermedia has responded by building a South African first aimed at helping reverse the drift in accuracy and ethics.
We have created an e-learning system focusing on the all-important Press Code with the blessing of the Press Council. This is in beta-stage testing and will be ready to roll out later in March.
It's a ten module course which covers the basics of the Code as well as advanced concepts.
The course includes:
Module 1: Self-regulation
Self-regulation, the proposed media appeals tribunal and how the Press Council works
Module 2: Hate speech and defamation
The first of two media-law refresher modules (related section of the Press Code:5)
Module 3: Privacy and public interest
The second media-law refresher module (related sections of the Press Code:3 & 8)
Module 4: Guiding principles
Guiding principles for ethical decision-making and an accuracy checklist (related section of the Press Code: preamble and Section 2 and 4)
Module 5: Gathering and reporting of news
Section 1 of the Press Code
Module 6: Advocacy and comment
Section 6 and 7 of the Press Code
Module 7: Headlines, violence and graphic content
Section 9 and 10 of the Press Code
Module 8: Anonymous sources and payment for information
Section 11 and 12 of the Press Code
Module 9: Assignment
Module 10: Final quiz
The Modular system means you can work at your own pace and all learners are manged through Adobe's fantastic Learner Management System. This provides both real-time logging of actions by the learner, and instant reports for the administrator.
Each module breaks down into a portion to be read, then a case study of some sort related to the topic, a video or audio clip for background and some detail, and a quiz which has to be passed before the next module can be started.
Media houses can run this system through their own websites, and can be setup as administrators for their own staff, or they can use frayintermedia's proactive learner management services.
To click here view a video on how the training works
