The Education and Cultural Affairs Committee of the House of Councillors approved, on Monday evening, Article 5 of the draft law concerning the National Press Council. This article had been the subject of political and professional debate due to its provisions regarding the composition of the council.
The approval came after the Minister of Youth, Culture, and Communication, Mehdi Bensaid, rejected various amendments proposed by opposition groups, which aimed to reconsider the formation of the council, ultimately maintaining the same text previously approved by the House of Representatives.
According to Article 5, the National Press Council consists of nineteen (19) members, divided into three main categories.
Category of Professional Journalists’ Representatives
This category includes seven members, including at least three professional female journalists, elected by the electorate of professional journalists, following the procedures outlined in Section 2 of Chapter 4 of the law.
Category of Publishers’ Representatives
This category is made up of seven members appointed by professional organizations, as stated in Section 3 of Chapter 4 of the law. Additionally, it includes two “wise publishers” with expertise and competence, who have made significant contributions to the publishing sector, appointed by the professional organization mentioned in Article 49 of the law.
Category of Institutions and Bodies
This category encompasses three members who are appointed, including a judge appointed by the Supreme Judicial Council, a member appointed by the National Human Rights Council, and a member appointed by the Economic, Social, and Environmental Council.
The approval by the Education Committee opens the way for the completion of the approval process for the remaining articles of the project, amidst ongoing discussions regarding the future of self-regulation in the journalism profession and the balance between professional and institutional representation within the council.
