Should parliamentary reporting be limited to straight news reporting?

Public affairs reporting refer to the coverage of government activities-federal, state, local government officials (elected officials and others) and agencies, Politics, Police and crime. It also includes the reporting of criminal and civil court cases, public safety issues, accidents, community news, schools and education.

As far as public affairs reportage is concerned, parliamentary reporting is an activity in line with public affairs reporting.

Building an informed society and encouraging an exchange of ideas is essential for good governance and development. Part of building an informed society includes informing the public about parliamentary proceedings; broadcasting parliament can convey more fully the substance and flavor of how parliament works.

It can also take many different forms, whether it is a simultaneous broadcast or edited footage that can be used by the media to report on parliamentary business. Broadcasting parliament could also be a feature. Whichever way, parliamentary reporting assist the media in providing coverage of newsworthy issues and legislation on which parliament is deliberating.

Journalists as representative of the media, and citizens, are entitled to reasonable access to parliament. However, the media are in a special position in that they are also representatives of all those citizens who are unable to attend parliament, but who wish to be informed about what occurs in parliament. Accordingly, the media act as citizens’ eyes and ears to parliament.

Straight news unlike a feature presents stories just as it is without the reporter infusing their opinion. It states the facts as it and credit information to a source. Straight news affords the reporter to escape contempt of parliament. But with a feature story, the tendency of a reporter committing contempt of parliament is high. Parliamentary reporting is therefore best limited to straight news reporting. However it could be human interest considering the sort of heckling that usually goes on in the house and in this case the reporter could add their opinion and play the devil’s advocate. But where it is to inform the public about proceedings and debates, straight news is preferable.

A good reporter is open-minded and determined to give fair treatment to all the arguments they witness.  A bad reporter lets his or her own views interfere. This is particularly true in reporting political controversy.  It is not for the parliamentary reporter to decide which argument is the strongest.  Instead, the good reporter lays out all the arguments, fairly and accurately, and lets the audience decide for itself.

Parliament is a sovereign institution and that it’s right of access does not justify poor behavior or activity that breaches parliamentary privilege. Therefore whichever way a reporter chooses to report news from parliament must not cause any breach to parliamentary privilege. Meanwhile parliament must be prepared to deal with situations where journalists report on information that is leaked from people attending closed committee deliberations. The reporting of the information from closed committee deliberations may constitute contempt of parliament. However, parliaments should only take disciplinary action against journalists if what has been reported is false or incorrect.