Privacy and media self regulation

I also have a piece in Crikey today-subscriber only but a free trial available-on a lesser known recommendation in the ALRC 2008 privacy report, that the media lift its game on self regulation measures to ensure adequate protection of privacy. Those arrangements form the basis for the exemption media organisations enjoy from the Privacy Act for journalistic activities. There have been plenty of other criticisms that go further than the ALRC by experienced media hands and academics and former prime minister Paul Keating in this speech last year. Neither the government nor the media industry has said much about this in recent times although chairman of the Australian Press Council Julian Disney on ABC Lateline last week expressed concern about some local media practices suggesting conduct in the print media, radio and television industries needed examination. He also questioned the sectoral approach that underpins current self regulatory (for print) and co-regulatory (for broadcast, television etc) arrangements, indicating a preference for an industry wide approach that would better reflect the convergence that is blurring distinctions between print and online publication.