Regulatory Bodies

The United States has a good coverage of self-regulatory bodies: three Press Councils and nineteen Media Ombudsmen members of the ONO, plus several organization engaged on the protection of journalist and freedom of expression.

 

Press Councils

The Honolulu Community Media Council (HCMC)

“The Honolulu Community Media Council (HCMC) was established in 1970 and is the oldest of the five volunteer media councils that exist in the United States. The Council is composed of individuals from the community and the media and is a non-partisan, non-profit, non-governmental independent group, which seeks to improve public access to information, strengthen public support for First Amendment rights and freedoms, broaden public understanding of the role of the media, and promote accurate and fair journalism in Hawaii.”

The Honolulu Community Media Council is a member of the World Association of Press Councils (WAPC)

 

The Minnesota News Council

“The Minnesota News Council’s mission is to promote fairness in the news media by helping the public to hold news outlets accountable for the stories they produce. The tenets of fairness, balance and accuracy are considered essential to good journalism. But these standards are not always defined in the same way by journalists and by the public. The News Council exists to open a productive dialogue between the public and the media on the standards the media upholds. One way we do this is by holding public hearings on unresolved individual complaints about news coverage.”

 

The Washington News Council

“The Washington News Council is an independent, nonprofit, statewide organization whose members share a common belief that fair, accurate and balanced news media are vital to our democracy. We have been called an “Outside Ombudsman” or even “Better Business Bureau” for the news media in Washington state. We believe that a free press helps keep America strong, but with First Amendment rights come great responsibilities. We hold the news media publicly accountable for their performance, just as the media hold other institutions in our society publicly accountable. We encourage open public dialogue among citizens and journalists regarding news media standards and ethics. We also promote high standards of ethics and accuracy in citizen journalism and newly emerging forms of public communication.”

The Washington News Council is a member of the Alliance of Independent European Press Councils (AIPCE)

 

Media Ombudsmen

Organization of News Ombudsmen ONO

Formed in 1980, ONO is a nonprofit corporation with an international membership of active and associate members. It maintains contact with news ombudsmen worldwide, and organizes annual conferences, held in a member's city, for discussion of news practices and a wide range of issues connected with ombudsman work. In United States ONO has members covering great part of the territory at both, local and national level.

 

Alabama

 

Arizona

 

California

 

District of Columbia

 

Florida


Georgia


Iowa

 

Missouri

 

New York

  • Arthur S. Brisbane is the fourth New York Times Public Editor The public editor works outside of the reporting and editing structure of the newspaper and receives and answers questions or comments from readers and the public, principally about articles published in the paper. His opinions and conclusions are his own. His column appears on Sundays at least twice monthly.

 

Ohio


Puerto Rico

 

Rhode Island

 

Texas

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