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Code of ethics being drawn up for journalists in Bahrain

Bahrain Journalists Association (BJA) has teamed up with David McCraw, vice-president and assistant general counsel of the New York Times Company and leading attorney , to draft a tentative code of ethics for journalists in Bahrain.

  • By Habib Toumi, Bahrain Bureau chief
  • Published: 17:40 June 28, 2009
  • Gulf News

Manama: Bahrain Journalists Association (BJA) has teamed up with David McCraw, vice-president and assistant general counsel of the New York Times Company and leading attorney , to draft a tentative code of ethics for journalists in Bahrain.

McCraw in a two-day workshop co-organised by the BJA and the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX) will use examples from other Arab countries and the West to help the association draft its own code.

"The workshop will discuss the status of journalism in Bahrain and will review the best possible options for the code of ethics elements, implementation and enforcement. The discussion will focus on prioritising what should go into a draft code of ethics for Bahrain journalists," Matt Shelly, IREX Middle East and North Africa project director, said at the opening of the workshop on Sunday. The workshop is part of a regional media development project sponsored by the Middle East Partnership Initiative Programme (MEPI).

McCraw will on Monday present a preliminary draft code of ethics based on the discussions between the participants.

The BJA, an umbrella for around 350 Bahrain-based journalists, has been pushing for the adoption of a code of ethics for journalists amid concerns of growing sectarianism and unethical practices.

The association last year launched "Journalists Against Sectarianism", to help defuse the political and social tension that gripped the country in the aftermath of political developments in the region.

This month, the association co-hosted with the Brussels-based International Federation of Journalists a two-day conference to promote ethical journalism and encourage the local newspapers to work together to upgrade professional standards.

Bahrain Transparency Society, on Saturday, said that it was planning to launch a campaign "Journalists Against Corruption" to help promote transparency and help in the fight against all forms of corruption.

However, some journalists insist that the moves by the journalists and the international organisation should be sustained and genuinely geared towards promoting media standards and practices.

"We warmly welcome moves to improve media levels in Bahrain and in the region. However, there are deep concerns that efforts could turn into some kind of a fashion that organizers, journalists and participants attend for the sake of showing off," said Reem Khalifa, a leading political journalist.

"What Bahrain needs in terms of ethics right now is full commitment to honest and unbiased journalism and doing away with any form of discrimination based on gender, sect or social status," she said.

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