Georgia Republicans Seek to Regulate the Media

[TexasTowelie]

Six Georgia Republicans want to regulate the work of journalists and other media entities by creating an ethics board and instituting requirements for how interviews are conducted.

State representatives Andy Welch, Tim Barr, Rick Jasperse, Ron Stephens, Mike Cheokas, and Mark Newton filed House Bill 734 on Day 40 of the 2019 session.

The measure seeks create a 9-member Journalism Ethics Board responsible for:

Accrediting journalists and organizations
- Entire news organizations would only be accredited if every journalist in the organization was accredited

Investigating and sanctioning journalists after complaints are filed by the public
- Allows for public and private reprimand, probation, and revocation of accreditation

Accepting and managing grants, donations, gifts, and other monetary awards

Setting rules and standards to adhere to for ‘factual and ethical reporting.’

Additionally, the bill requires that media outlets turn over any video and audio recordings in unedited format as well as photographs taken during an interview at no charge upon request by the person interviewed. It sets a 60-day window from the date of the interview to request the files, sets a timeframe to fulfill the request, and allows for private action against the media outlet or journalist for failing to comply, assessing a $100 per day penalty.

Read more: http://evans.allongeorgia.com/1st-amendment/full-text-ga-republicans-seek-to-regulate-the-media/