Media-Society.org FAQ...
To
what extent does the ISAS BC 9001 and ISAS P 9001 certification influence the quality of content?
Are such
procedures necessary for journalists?
Have you already tested the ISAS BC and P standards? With whom?
Is the standard adapted to both public and private broadcasters?
How long does it take
to reach the level of the standard and to get certified?
Is the certification adapted to small
organisations and structures?
Isn’t it a bureaucratic exercice?
We are
hesitating between the BSC Model and ISAS BC 9001 and ISAS P 9001 Certification. What are the comparative benefits of each
model?
Can governments use ISAS BC 9001 and ISAS P 9001 to control content?
Are ISAS BC 9001 and ISAS P 9001 standards supported and encouraged by professional organizations?
To what extent does the ISAS BC 9001 and ISAS P 9001
certification influence the quality of content?
Like ISO 9001, the ISAS BC 9001 and ISAS P 9001 standards encourage
media companies to improve their internal organization and processes.
This approach has a major impact on quality even if it is not directly
linked with contents as such. By streamlining processes, clarifying
responsibilities, identifying shortcomings, listening to readers,
listeners or viewers and stakeholders, the ISAS BC 9001 and ISAS P 9001 certification process
creates the conditions for improved performance, more ethical behavior and better content.
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Are such procedures necessary for journalists?
Claude
Monnier (Swiss columnist and author, Board member of the Media and Society Foundation):
"As a print journalist for more than 30 years, I’ve always been
reluctant to accept constraints in my job, including certification.
That said, based on my years of experience, I also believe that the
implementation of quality procedures is absolutely necessary in our
profession. They are particularly useful for new journalists."
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Have you already tested the ISAS BC and P standards? With whom?
Several media organizations (See: List of media organizations that have tested the quality management system developed by the Media and Society Foundation) have gone through quality management evaluations according to the ISAS BC or P 9001 standards. None has been certified yet – ISAS BC 9001 was introduced in December 2003 and ISAS P 9001 two years later -, but several are very close and DNV will probably issue the first certificates of conformity before the end of 2007.
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Is the standard adapted to both public and private
broadcasters?
The standard definitely applies to both public and private broadcasters. Some requirements of the
ISAS BC 9001 standard are specific to the public service broadcasting (PSB) and appear as such in the text. This being said,
it should be stressed that both standards are applicable only to media who enjoy editorial independence. Consequently, they
don’t apply to state media, unless in transition towards a PSB status. Moreover, electronic and print media who specialize in
content that cannot meet the general aim of the standard, such as pornography or hate propaganda, are also excluded.
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How long does it take to reach the level of the
standard and to get certified?
It depends on the nature and history of the organisation, its size, and the
complexity of its processes. In general, it takes from 9 to 18 months to comply with the standard’s requirements and to be
certified.
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Is the certification adapted
to small organisations and structures?
Yes the certification exercise is adapted to small organisations and
structures, just as it is for ISO 9001. Because the standard gathers
best management practices, small and medium size organizations can
benefit from the experience of larger ones.
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Isn’t it a bureaucratic exercice?
It can be if the company decides to document too many unnecessary
activities. Our recommendation is to concentrate on critical
activities, i.e. those which can damage content quality and/or
undermine the company’s image if they are not handled properly.
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We are hesitating between the BSC Model and ISAS BC 9001 and ISAS P
9001 Certification. What are the comparative benefits of each model?
The Balanced Score Card Model is totally integrated into the ISAS BC
9001 and ISAS P 9001 certification scheme. The two models are NOT in
competition but complementary. The BSC Model is very effective for
reporting the performance of the company through appropriate indicators
and "dash-boards". It brings a useful response to several, though not
all, requirements of the ISAS BC 9001 and ISAS P 9001 certification.
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Can governments use ISAS BC 9001 and ISAS P 9001
to control content?
No, there is no danger of governments using ISAS BC 9001 and ISAS P
9001 as an instrument of control. On the contrary. The independent
professional audit which is essential to the certification process
should make sure that the relation between the media company and the
government is transparent. In the case of a public service broadcaster,
he should provide the evidence that the editorial independence is
safeguarded.
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Are ISAS BC 9001 and ISAS P 9001 standards supported and encouraged by professional organizations?
Yes, the International Federation of Journalists, the World Radio and Television Council and the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development support ISAS BC and P 9001 standards. Other leading organizations such as the European Broadcasting Union, the World Association of Newspapers, the Inter American Press Association, the International Press Institute, and the South East Asia Press Association, have expressed a keen interest in the project. The World Federation of Advertisers also joins the universal professional consensus reached around the standards’ guidelines.
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