Charter process moves forward

By SHENAGH GLEESON

The New Zealand Herald is moving into the second stage of developing a Readers' Charter.

Over the past three months, we have been inviting you to help us draw up a charter that spells out the principles that govern the way we gather and publish news.

Today we publish a selection of excerpts from the submissions we have received from readers.

Foremost among readers' concerns is the complex issue of privacy versus the public's right to know.

This includes the way we should cover tragedy and grief.

The next most often-mentioned issue is balance: the avoidance of bias and sensationalism and the inclusion of a full range of views and perspectives.

Some submissions deal with the scope of our overall coverage. Readers call for less bad and more positive news.

Other issues raised in the submissions include the need to distinguish between news and opinion, the selection and editing of letters to the editor and the need to adhere to rules relating to matters before the courts.

Over the next month a group of journalists representing all sections of the paper will be looking at these issues and others before putting together a draft charter. We are also forming a readers' panel to contribute.

We will then publish the draft and ask you for further comments, before finalising it.

Once in place, the charter will become the basis of our operation and a tool for you to monitor our performance.