"Some people said the proposal won't work. I will ask them then: 'what's your alternatrve? Liu said. "Is it because we cannot find an effective way and therefore should keep our hands off and do nothing?"
Kenneth Leung Wai-yin, Associate Professor of Journalism and Communication at the Chinese University, said a watchdog without the participation of the media industry would find it difficult to succeed. He said media involvement should include frontline reporters as well as senior staff who make editorial decisions.
Professor Leung stressed that the watchdog should be given statutory power similar to that enjoyed by the Consumer Council.
"'We don't want to go that far (resorting to legislation), but to set a minimum (ethical) requirement amid the diversity."
A statutory media council can be assured of getting the necessary financial support and power needed to handle complaints by carrying out investigations.
"If it is completely toothless, it is likely to fail," he said.
But he stressed that it was equally important to ensure that the watchdog's teeth would not bite off a chunk of press freedom. (7)
Not long ago, the primary concern about the Hong Kong media was whether press freedom would be in jeopardy after the handover.
But after the handover the focus of attention has shifted to whether a watchdog association is needed in view of media excesses.
This led to public dissatisfaction with the media's performance because of the apparent abuse of press freedom through sensationalism. Some say the watchdog idea was aimed at deflecting concern over crimped press freedom.
In turn, this gave rise to a spontaneous campaign launched by the Society for Truth and Light, which called for a boycott of segments of the media, which resorted to unethical coverage. Such was the depth of public disgust that the campaign easily drew the support of more than 2,300 people.
The move to set up a Media Council to curb abuses of press freedom gained some momentum, particularly after Director of Broadcasting Cheung Man-Yee publicly endorsed the idea early in November 1998.
Diverse views, however, have emerged from a series of public discussions, which began with a consensus that government involvement must be prohibited.
For one, the Hong Kong Journalists Association has proposed the establishment of a media ethics forum completely independent from the industry. The HKJA came up with the proposal after an internal survey found that most of its members believed the media's performance is worse off today than a year ago.
