(MENAFN- Palestine News Network) PNN/ Ramallah/Palestinian media outlets approved a code of conduct document to counter hate speech in the Palestinian media as part of the project, which was implemented by the Palestinian center for development and media freedoms - MADA with the support of the International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC) and UNESCO.MADA Center arranged a consultation meeting with the Palestinian media outlets to discuss the adoption of this document of ethical code of conduct to counter hate speech in the Palestinian local media, to abide by the principles of professional journalism and its ethics and to avoid incitement, hatred, distinction, and partisan, religious or geographical racism, which are the basic meaning of non-hatred environment. The document was finalized after several discussions with the local Media outlets who fully agreed and signed upon the content.The purpose of this document is to limit hate speech that may be transmitted or disseminated by the media and to ensure its commitment to objectivity in the journalistic work and non-bias towards one party against another, adopting values of tolerance, acceptance of opinion, not defaming or inciting hatred and violence against any person or institution or an official or an informal body in Palestine on the basis of sex, religion, race or political affiliation, publishing news and information in an objective and professional manner without provoking sedition or sectarianism, and taking into account the scrutiny and review of news and speeches before publishing to ensure that it does not contain a hate speech.
MADA Center carried out several activities within the project 'countering hate speech in Palestine', including training workshops for a group of professional journalists in the West Bank and Gaza Strip to raise awareness about hate speech and the distinction between it and freedom of opinion and expression. The Center also carried out a media campaign through social media and media outlets to introduce the hate speech and its negative effects on the media and society, in addition several radio episodes tackled topics related to countering the hate speech, highlighting the best practices through the guested, those episodes had a great impact on the audience which was measured through their involvement in calls and social discussions.
A tool kit was compiled and produced by the Center after the several contributions on hate speech, being the first of its kind in Palestine.
http://www.madacenter.org/media.php?lang=2 & id=807 & category_id=8
For more information on hate speech, see UNESCO's Anti-Hatred Speech (2015): http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0023/002332/233231a.pdf
Code of Conduct – Countering Hate Speech within the Palestinian Media OutletsWe, the media professionals, in our capacities as representatives of Palestinian media outlets, convinced of the media role in promoting freedom of opinion and expression, respect for diversity and the opinion of others, and based on the international conventions and Palestinian laws and legislation, confirm that the development of our profession and promoting its role requires us to enforce and abide by the principles of diversity, equality, integrity, transparency, countering violence, incitement and advocacy of hatred. Thus, we commit ourselves to:Objectivity in the professional work and avoid taking sides. To adopt the values of tolerance, accept others' opinions and respect different orientations. To avoid defamation or incitement to hatred and violence against any person or organization or official or non-official authorities on the basis of sex, religion, race or political affiliation. To transmit news and information objectively and professionally without sedition or rising sectarianism. To refrain from publishing any news involving, in content, incitement or hatred or discrimination or any form of racism. To take into account reviewing the news and speeches before being published to ensure they do not contain any hate speech. This may be done using the six-part threshold test adopted by international organizations to clarify whether the news or speech is a hate speech or not, which takes into consideration:
- Context and enormity of speech.
- The speaker in terms of power and influencing the audience.
- Intent or clear intention to be involved in a hate speech.
- Content of speech and whether it holds direct or indirect advocacy for discrimination or racism or violence or hostility.
- Extent of the speech and its intensity.
- Likelihood of causing harm.
Signatories to the Code of Conduct on Countering Hate Speech within the Palestinian Media Outlets:
Ma'an News Agency Raya FM Nissa FM 24FM WATAN News Agency/WATAN TV Bethlehem 2000 Radio Quds News Network Palestine News Network A'lam Radio Alhadath electronic Newspaper Nativity TV Safa Palestinian Press Agency Madar News Agency Alestqlal NewspaperPalestine Today TVPalestine Today AgencySAWA AgencyWatan RadioQuds RadioAlbalad FMOroba Radio 939fm MENAFN0408201902050000ID1098842456
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