Bahrain Journalists Association (BJA) has drawn up a draft of its own code of ethics as part of a drive to stamp out media bias and corruption.

BJA president Isa Al Shaiji said he hoped the code, outlines six basic tenets that members of the Press should adopt, would help stamp out problems including journalists accepting bribes.

"We want this code because there are so many problems in Bahrain's newspapers, especially with people getting money under the table and others that have political partners - it is biased reporting," said Al Shaiji.

"We want to make journalists accountable and raise the standard of reporting,” he added.

The six basic tenets of the code of ethics state that journalists and news organisations should: seek the truth and report it; be fair and impartial in their reporting and writing; avoid the appearance and reality of a conflict of interest; make independent news judgements; encourage transparency as a way to foster public trust; and advance ethical journalism and foster equal opportunity in the profession.

The draft was drawn up during a two-day Bahrain Code of Ethics for Journalists workshop, which concluded at the Crowne Plaza yesterday (June 29).

Journalists and members of the media participated in the event, organised by the BJA and the International Research and Exchanges Board (Irex).

The workshop was part of a regional media development project sponsored by the Middle East Partnership Initiative programme and managed by Irex.

It was led by Irex Middle East and North Africa project director Matthew Shelley, Al Shaiji and David McCraw, a former journalist and now vice-president and assistant general counsel of the New York Times Company and leading attorney for the New York Times.

McCraw will use recommendations put forward during the workshop to develop the code of ethics.

The updated draft will then be referred back to the BJA, which will develop the code based on feedback from journalists and other interested parties. A final draft is expected to be ready within the next few months.

McCraw, however, said the code was not mandatory, but a series of recommendations that journalists should adopt voluntarily.

"We will publish this draft in the newspapers and get comments from journalists," said Al Shaiji.

"We will set up a committee which will obtain these comments and send them to David and I think this code will be ready in about one month."

Al Shaiji said once the final code had been drawn up journalists would be invited to sign it. The BJA also plans to set up a watchdog made up of judges, lawyers, journalists and chief editors. – TradeArabia News Service