Flap over PM’s construction material leads to calls to cut back on protection of journalistic sources

Second member of Council for Mass Media resigns

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The crisis within the Council for Mass Media in Finland (CMM), the professional watchdog for journalistic ethics, escalated on Friday, when a second member, Pekka Iivanainen, announced his resignation.
      Iivanainen joined the body’s Chairman Pekka Hyvärinen, who quit on Thursday to protest a decision by the council to exonerate the Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE) over a story in a current affairs television programme alleging that Centre Party leader and current Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen had improperly received a gift of construction material for his house.
      The programme alleged that a pile of free boards was given by a construction company that was vying for a contract for the youth housing foundation Nuorisosäätiö at a time when Vanhanen was serving as the foundation’s chairman.
     
Hyvärinen would have wanted to reprimand YLE for the story, but was outvoted. Deputy member Tuovi Orpana, who would also have wanted to reprimand YLE, is also considering resignation.
     
“It is not my resignation that is causing a crisis [in the CMM], but rather the view of the majority”, said Hyvärinen on Thursday.
      The decision could also have other consequences.
      Päivi Tiilikka, a researcher in communications law, believes that it will lead to demands to further weaken the principle of confidentiality of journalistic sources.
     
Under current rules, a journalist can be required to disclose his or her sources only in the case of very serious crimes. Last spring the working group proposed that a journalist should be required to disclose sources to the police already at the preliminary investigation stage, if the source of information is suspected of having violated a legal requirement of confidentiality.
      “If the council had given a reprimand, there would be less pressure now to change the law. The decision was not a very good thing from the point of view of protecting sources”, Tiilikka said.
      Hyvärinen, and Jacob Söderman, a previous chairman of the council, are both afraid that those yearning for changes in journalistic confidentiality rules will be emboldened by the case, which has been dubbed “board-pilegate”.
      However, Hyvärinen’s immediate predecessor Kalevi Kivistö sees that there is more pressure on the media to improve its working methods, rather than on any legislation.
     
The CMM meeting on Thursday took a dramatic turn, when Hyvärinen resigned during the item of business, put on his coat, and walked out. It is not the first time that he has disagreed with a council decision, so why the powerful reaction this time?
      “The decision was exceptionally important. There were great societal pressures there, and in addition, there was movement right in the core of journalism”, he said.
      “It would have been unreasonable for me to have to explain and justify to the people and the media something that I do not believe myself. The matter went too strongly against my journalistic views.”
      Hyvärinen said that one of the most serious weaknesses in the decision was that the council automatically accepted the explanations given by YLE. Hyvärinen also feels that in addition to its one anonymous source, YLE should have had at least one other source, such as corroborating documents to confirm the allegations.
     
Hyvärinen says that he has received very much feedback over his decision from both journalists and ordinary citizens, and that it has been “exclusively positive”.
      “It feels good when one’s own feelings are wistful.”
      The Council for Mass Media is looking for a new chairman as quickly as possible.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  No police investigation over Vanhanen’s boards (2.10.2009)
  YLE claims: PM Vanhanen received building materials from construction company free of charge (29.9.2009)
  Council for Mass Media exonerates YLE on Vanhanen board story - chairman Hyvärinen resigns (11.12.2009)
  PM Vanhanen accuses YLE of systematic attempt to topple him (12.10.2009)
  Ilta-Sanomat: Vanhanen’s house does not contain timber claimed in YLE programme (8.10.2009)

Links:
  Council for Mass Media in Finland

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