There are no active press councils in United States.
Below are organisations that either do not deal with corrections or that have closed.
Newspaper Association of America
Donna Barrett (Chairman)
4401 Wilson Blvd., Ste 900
Arlington, VA
22203
Tel: +1 571 366 1000
Web: http://www.naa.org/
NAA is a nonprofit organization representing nearly 2,000 newspapers and their multiplatform businesses in the United States and Canada. NAA members include daily newspapers, as well as non-dailies, other print publications and online products.
Headquartered near Washington, D.C., in Arlington, Va., the association focuses on the major issues that affect today's newspaper industry: public policy/legal matters, advertising revenue growth and audience development across the medium's broad portfolio of products and digital platforms.
NAA serves the newspaper industry by:
- Advocating and communicating industry views to Congress, governmental agencies, and third-party standards and measurement bodies
- Serving as a catalyst for industry growth by identifying and disseminating examples of industry innovation, providing tools and forums for the exchange of information and ideas, and connecting members with thought leaders inside and outside the industry
- Communicating the vitality of newspaper media to external constituencies, including the advertising community, news media and Wall Street.
American Press Institute
4401 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 900
Arlington, VA 22203
Phone: +1 571 366 1200
Email: hello@pressinstitute.org
Web: https://www.americanpressinstitute.org/
The American Press Institute conducts research, training, convenes thought leaders and creates tools to help chart a path ahead for journalism in the 21st century.
API is an educational non-advocacy 501(c)3 nonprofit organization affiliated with the Newspaper Association of America. It aims to help the news media, especially local publishers and newspaper media, advance in the digital age.
Founded in 1946, its mission was to help the news industry fulfill the purpose of the First Amendment – to sustain a free press in the public interest. That mission continues in the modern era.
API initially was located at Columbia University’s Journalism School before moving in 1974 to Reston, Va. In early 2012 API merged with the NAA Foundation, which was established in 1963. The new organization has expanded its mission of training through research, convening, digital education, workshops and more.
US Press Association
PO Box 2217
Jenkintown, PA 19046
Tel: +1-800-989-5123
Web: http://uspressassociation.org/
Dedicated To Supporting & Encouraging The Growth Of Freelance Journalists, Professional Journalists & New Media
Established in 1999, The US Press Association was founded on the belief that freelance journalists, (bloggers, photographers, podcasters, videographers, writers, and those associated with radio and other publications) should be entitled to the same rights, privileges and treatment as our counterparts that work in "mainstream media".
The US Press Association helps freelance journalist leverage themselves against larger corporate media structures. Our objective is to become a community that will support one another and work to progress our common cause of seeking, describing, capturing and reporting stories and events that are of interest to their respective audiences. We strive to do this in an objective way.
Updated: 03/04/2016
NOTE: The last press council in the US closed in 2014. The US media is not regulated by press councils due to its long history of freedom of the press. The FCC (Federal Communication Commission) provides liscenses and regulates content that is profane or obscene.
Honolulu Community-Media Council (Regional council)
P.O. Box 22415
Honolulu, Hawaii 96823-2415 USA
Tel: 1 (808) 381 3732; 1 (808) 545 1075
Email: info@mediacouncil.org
Web: http://mediacouncil.org/wp/
Established in 1970, the Honolulu Community-Media Council is the oldest of three volunteer media councils in the USA. The Council — composed of individuals from the media and the community — is a nonpartisan, non-governmental, nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c) (3) organization. ??It seeks to promote accurate and fair journalism in Hawaii, broaden public understanding of the role of the media, foster discussion of media issues, strengthen public support for First Amendment rights and freedoms, and improve public access to information. Membership is open to anyone who subscribes to the Council's mission.
One of the Council's primary functions is to receive and address people's complaints of unfair treatment by the media. The Council also addresses the media's complaints against public officials for their handling of public information. For cases handled by the PC, see its website. ??The Council annually celebrates Freedom of Information Day by sponsoring a lunch or dinner with a keynote speaker. On that occasion, it bestows the "Fletcher Knebel Award for Journalism Excellence."
The membership elects a Chair, Chair-Elect, Vice Chair, Secretary and Treasurer to serve as Council officers. Chair nominates, with approval of the Executive Committee, members to chair standing committee. The exception is the Hearings Committee, whose members are elected.
Program Committee: Develops programs, special forums or meetings to explore issues of interest to the Council, and the Freedom of Information Day program.
Fundraising Committee: Raises funds through gifts, grants and other appropriate means to support Council programs and activities.
Publicity and Newsletter Committee: Publicizes the Council_s concerns and activities, prepares and distributes the Council's newsletters, and develops, monitors and updates the Council's web site.
Government Watch Committee: Monitors federal, state or local legislation and regulation that affect press freedom, information practices and other issues of concern.
Membership Committee: Promotes membership in the Council.
Complaint Committee: Investigates complaints submitted to the Council.
Hearing Committee: Conducts hearings on and decides the outcome of complaints. Committee members are elected at a regular or special Council meeting. The committee shall be composed of not less than seven nor more than nine Council members. No more than half of the committee members shall be active members of the news media.
For the genesis of the Honolulu council, see Chapter 10 (pp. 159-171) of "An Arsenal For Democracy: Media Accountability Systems", Cresskill (NJ), Hampton Press, 2003.
Minnesota News Council (Regional council) CLOSED
Sarah Bauer (Executive Director)
12 South 6th Street - Suite 927 (from 15/9/04)
Minneapolis, MN 55402 USA
Tel: 1 (612) 341 9357
Fax: 1 (612) 341 9358
Email: info@news-council.org; gary@news-council.org
Web: www.news-council.org
The mission of the Minnesota News Council is to promote fair, vigorous and trusted journalism by creating a forum where the public and the news media can engage each other in examining standards of fairness. We accomplish our mission by:
- convening a council to hear complaints from citizens about news coverage;
- providing educational opportunities for the public and the media to listen to and learn from each other;
- empowering the public to expect and demand high journalistic standards;
- serving as a resource on fairness issues for both the public and journalists.
We believe that:
- a healthy democracy requires a fair, vigorous and trusted media;
- the public benefits when news outlets help them hold societal institutions accountable;
- the news media benefit from being held accountable;
- interaction between the public and the news media demystifies journalistic practices, creates mutual understanding and promotes trust;
- public discussion addresses and promotes media fairness more effectively than do the courts.
We believe that in order for the News Council to maintain its impartiality, the Council must remain independent of government and must seek and sustain broad-based financial support. ??The Minnesota News Council, now in its 28th year, is unique for its endurance. Its role has been expanding in recent years to reach out to the media and the public to create awareness that will reduce the reasons for complaints.
The News Council began holding public hearings on complaints in 1971 and has issued determinations in over 100 cases, upholding half of them. About 8% of complaints filed ultimately go to a hearing. Many are dropped by the complainant, some are settled before a hearing, and others are not accepted for hearing because the complaint lacks focus.
The first step in the complaint-handling process is to help a complainant connect with the right manager at a news outlet to see if they can settle their differences and avoid a hearing. They may meet, talk by phone, or correspond.
A news outlet may satisfy a complainant in a number of ways:
- by apologizing and running a correction or a retraction;
- by publishing another article amplifying the first to include the complainant's point of view;
- by running a letter to the editor or a commentary piece written by the complainant.
If the media outlet refuses to take an action to satisfy the complainant, or the complainant feels that the action taken was inadequate, and the complainant can choose to bring the complaint to a public hearing (after the complaint waives the right to sue on the issue) or participate in professional mediation. The news outlet may decline to attend, but the hearing will proceed anyway. No-shows have been rare. ??[Source: The MNC website]
Washington News Council (Regional council) CLOSED 2014
Suzie Burke (Chair); John Hamer (President)
1201 First Ave. South # 331
Seattle, WA 98134
P.O. Box 3672
Seattle, WA 98124-3672
Tel: (206) 262 9793
Fax: (206) 464 7902
Email: info@wanewscouncil.org
Web: wanewscouncil.org
The Washington News Council is an independent, nonprofit, statewide organization whose members share a common belief that fair, accurate and balanced news media are vital to our democracy. We have been called an "Outside Ombudsman" or even "Better Business Bureau" for the news media in Washington state.
We believe that a free press helps keep America strong, but with First Amendment rights come great responsibilities. We hold the news media publicly accountable for their performance, just as the media hold other institutions in our society publicly accountable. We also encourage open public dialogue among citizens and journalists regarding news media standards and ethics.
Our members perform dual roles. They participate in formal hearings and vote on the validity of citizen complaints against the news media. They also serve as our board of directors, overseeing the organization's operations and finances. Media and Public members represent a wide range of backgrounds, professions and viewpoints.
If readers, viewers or listeners feel personally damaged by stories written or broadcast about them (or their organization), they may file a formal complaint with the Council. Complaints must address serious questions of journalistic fairness, accuracy or balance. The Council process is an alternative to litigation. Complainants must agree not to sue the media outlet for libel or other damages. We first urge complainants to seek a resolution with the media outlet — a correction, clarification, letter to the editor, op-ed piece, or a meeting with reporters, editors or managers.
If no resolution is possible, the Council may convene a formal complaint hearing, where both sides are invited to make their case in an open public setting. Council members vote on whether to uphold the complaint and publicize their decision to media statewide, which are also urged to cover the proceeding. Complaint hearings are videotaped and copies are available to the press and public.
The News Council is not a government agency. It has no legal authority to regulate, control or penalize the media. It’s an independent, objective, nonpartisan organization formed by a group of concerned citizens. Half of the Council members are current or former media professionals. Participation in the council’s review process is entirely voluntary. But the media have a strong incentive to participate because being more accountable to the public will make people more trustful of the media.
Public-opinion surveys have shown that a strong majority of citizens believe a news council can help improve their local news media. Significantly, support is highest among those who believe their local media already do a good job of covering important issues, presenting facts accurately, and reporting news in a fair and balanced way.
Last Update - Aug 2006
