BBC NI political editor Mark Devenport quotes DUP MLA Lord Morrow in the Northern Ireland Assembly quoting the National Union of Journalist’s code of conduct
It says that a journalist: “At all times upholds and defends the principle of media freedom, the right of freedom of expression and the right of the public to be informed”. It states that a journalist should differentiate between fact and opinion. The code of conduct also says that a journalist: “Protects the identity of sources who supply information in confidence and material gathered in the course of her/his work”. Those who have sought to legally challenge journalists to name their sources have made very little headway. It usually ends up with the reporter coming out a hero for standing his or her ground.”
So why, when our local political parties had plenty to say about an MLA refusing to revealing his source, do they seem to have had little to say in the current case of the police attempting to force a journalist to do the same? Or is that just another stupid question..
And while we’re on the legal system.. Some parties, of course, seem very keen to tell us what they’ll do if/when policing and justice powers are devolved. [Is it May yet? – Ed]
Just not how they’ll manage to do that..