International Council for Press and Broadcasting

The International Council for Press and Broadcasting was established by the Next Century Foundation in 2007. It incorporates the International Media Council (founded 2000) of the Next Century Foundation and the International Institute for Media Ethics (founded 2005). It works in cooperation with the International Communications Forum and the St Brides Forum. It was established to eliminate confusion caused following the establishment of a second International Media Council by the Davos World Economic Forum organisation in 2006.

The subsidiary body, the International Media Council of the Next Century Foundation deals primarilly with Mid East media issues and runs annual media awards at the House of Lords in London. It also takes press delegations to the Middle East as well as running an annual conference on Zenophobia and Dissinformation.

Media Ethics Code

The following is the Media Ethics Code of the International Media Council

1. Write the facts as you see them
2. A story without a source is a source of trouble
3. A source is not a source when the story is based on rumour
4. When in doubt, cut it out
5. Prejudge no one
6. Be objective
7. Divorce comment from news and label it as such
8. Commentators are not exempt from the duty to be accurate
9. Never incite racial or religious division
10. Enlighten, lest we fail to understand one another

Media Awards

The International Media Council Awards of the Next Century Foundation

The International Media Council Awards of the Next Century Foundation were presented at a ceremony in March 2007. The Main Prize was awarded for an outstanding contribution to better understanding both in and towards the Middle East. The Cutting Edge Prize is awarded young or upcoming journalists in the same field.

Nominations were in the following categories:

The International Media Council Prize:

1. Western Journalist - Mr David Gardner - The Financial Times (Proposer Abigail Fielding-Smith, IB Tauris Books)
2. Israeli Journalist - Mr Rafik Halabi - Channel 2 (Proposer June Jacobs, The International Council of Jewish Women)
3. Western Journalist - Mr Michael Binyon - The Times(proposer Adel Darwish of the Daily Mail)

The Cutting Edge Prize for an outstanding Newcomer to Journalism:

4. Arab Journalist - Mr Sami Abdul Shafi - The Independent (Proposer Turi Munthe, Rusi)
5. Jewish Journalist - Mr Jack Hugi - Maariv, Israel (Proposer Rafik Halabi, Israel)
6. Western Journalist - Ms Louisa Brooke, The BBC (Proposer Mike Wooldridge, BBC)

The Patrons Award - a special honorary award for lifetime achievement nominated and chosen by the Patrons and awarded this time to:

7. Mr Hassan Soussi, Arab News Network Satellite TV (Proposer Ribal al Assad, Syria)

The awards were hosted by Lord Stone of Blackheath and presented in the House of Lords.

Award winners in 2006 were:

Mr Jihad al Khazen, Editor at Large, Al Hayat Newspaper, for his significant contributions to informed and enlightened debate in the Arab media throughout a long and distinguished career.

Mr Danny Levi Rubinstein, Haaretz Newspaper, in recognition of his passionate engagement with Arab issues, and uncompromising editorial contributions.

Mr Peter David, Foreign Editor, The Economist, in recognition of the consistently original, well-sourced, informative Middle East coverage of the Economist.

Ms Caroline Hawley, BBC Television, in recognition of her sober, balanced and informative reporting from Iraq, and her sensitivity to local culture and concerns.

Mr Salah Ali Sindi, Editor In Chief, Istithmar Al Arabia Magazine, in recognition of the consistently progressive and enlightened editorial policy of his increasingly influential publication.

In addition to the main prizes, awards were given to up-and-coming journalists as investment in the future of quality reporting on the Middle East. The prize-winners of the Cutting Edge Awards presented for distinguished contribution to the coverage and consideration of developments concerning the Middle East were:

Mr Mohamed Chebaro, Al ArabiehMr Yoav Stern, Columnist on Palestinian Affairs, Haaretz Newspaper Mr Martin Asser, BBC News Website CorrespondentMs Mona Eltahawy, Freelance journalist, Sharq al Awsat columnistMs Jane Kinninmont, Middle East Editor, Business Monitor International

The present Chairman is William Morris (Next Century Foundation). Patrons are Mrs Dalia Salaam Rishani of Hood Hood Books; The Lord Stone of Blackheath; Mr Felix Posen of The Posen Foundation; Mr Ribal Al Assad of ANN Satellite TV; Mr John Porter of the Porter Foundation.

External links

International Media Council Blogsites

* [http://mideastmedia.blogspot.com/ Disinformation and Xenophobia in Mid East Media]
* [http://westernmedia.blogspot.com/ Disinformation and Xenophobia in Western Media]
* [http://journalistissues.blogspot.com/ Issues raised by journalists]

References

* [http://ncfmedia.blogspot.com/2007/06/middle-east-and-media-conference.html#links The Middle East and the Media Conference 2007]
* [http://ncfmedia.blogspot.com/2007/08/media-ethics-code-in-arabic.html#links Media Ethics Code in Arabic]
* [http://www.arabmediawatch.com/amw/Articles/PressReleases/tabid/77/newsid391/3094/AMW-chairman-keynote-speaker-at-conference-on-xenophobia--disinformation-in-the-media/Default.aspx Arab Media Watch involvement]
* [http://www.ncfpeace.org/ Next Century Foundation homepage]