The Mouvement Réformateur expresses concern about what it considers to be failings by RTBF's editorial team in handling a matter concerning a party staff member. Inaccurate information was broadcast and, despite requests for correction, remained online. Yet Article 6 of the code of ethics requires editorial teams to correct any factual error without delay. For the Mouvement Réformateur, these failings breach the rules of journalistic ethics set out by the Journalistic Ethics Council.
Furthermore, the MR regrets that RTBF recorded and broadcast a recording of the President of the Mouvement Réformateur without his knowledge, a practice that raises both ethical and legal questions.
As a public service broadcaster funded by all citizens, RTBF bears a particular responsibility: to guarantee the reliability of information and public trust.
It is particularly regrettable that RTBF's management has not publicly acknowledged what the Mouvement Réformateur considers to be failings. For a month now, everyone has agreed that several journalistic errors were made. No official statement has been issued, even though numerous unofficial comments have been made, all of which avoided the question of RTBF's responsibility.
RTBF, like all media outlets, must comply with the rules of journalistic ethics.
The Mouvement Réformateur wishes for a clear position from RTBF. Failing this before the next board meeting, scheduled for 19 September, the Mouvement Réformateur reserves the right to no longer respond to requests from RTBF's editorial team. A persistent breakdown of trust will not allow for calm cooperation. The quality and accuracy of the information broadcast must be guaranteed.
Press freedom is an essential pillar of our democracy. However, it entails a reciprocal requirement: journalists, like political leaders, have a duty to respect ethical rules and preserve public trust in the quality of democratic debate.
The journalistic code of ethics
All journalists, and particularly those working in public service broadcasting, are required to apply rigorous methods and strict rules:
- Respect for truth and systematic verification of information, even under time pressure (Art. 1 and 4);
- Respect for statements made: journalists must not distort any information or omit anything essential (Art. 3);
- A clear distinction between facts, analysis and opinion (Art. 5);
- Before publishing or broadcasting serious accusations that could harm a person's reputation or honour, journalists must give the accused the opportunity to present their point of view (Art. 22);
- Respect for embargoes, anonymity and off-the-record statements (Art. 23).
The obligation to correct and the recommendations of the Journalistic Ethics Council
Under Article 6 of the journalistic code of ethics, editorial teams must explicitly and promptly correct erroneous facts they have broadcast. The Journalistic Ethics Council insists:
- The correction must be prompt: as soon as the error is known, it must be corrected without delay;
- The correction must be explicit: it must be clearly announced and recognisable to the public, identifying the error and its correction; simply deleting the article or the error is not sufficient;
- The obligation to correct remains, even if several media outlets have made the same error;
- A correction is not an update: a correction fixes an error, whereas an update simply provides clarifications or additions without calling the original accuracy into question; the two must not be confused, and editorial teams treat them differently;
- When persons carrying out an information-related activity distribute information via a digital medium intended for an undefined and unlimited audience, they must be considered to be carrying out a journalistic activity. They are therefore required to respect professional ethics in doing so.