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Blogger and media consultant Chris Gibbons, a former sports editor of the Mid-Ocean News and founding editor of RG Magazine, said: "The bill... does not really address the growing number of local online news sources, blogs and social media that are rapidly changing the media landscape.

"They are all effectively 'publishers' and 'broadcasters' and any code of practice must also surely extend to them and they should have representation on the council. In fact, I would like to see six media representatives — two each from print, TV/radio and online."

Ms Dalglish questioned Government's true motives for tabling the bill, beyond Dr. Brown's insistence that the media council would "offer a form of objective redress for the public, thereby restoring public confidence in the media".

She said: "In my experience, stupid regulations like this come about after somebody with a lot of power has been embarrassed in the press. Is that what happened here?"

Lindsay Ross, former director of the Commonwealth Press Union and now consultant to the CPU Media Trust, said: "I feel absolutely certain that you are being manipulated by the Government so they can 'control' the media.

"We are totally anti any kind of statutory body to control the media. Self-regulation has always been the best solution in terms of maintaining a free media but, of course, governments rarely see it that way!"

The bill is expected to be debated this Friday (May 21) — after the Island has had just two weeks to digest its contents. Compare that to the far lengthier public consultations on issues including gaming, energy and even public access to information.

Ms Ross concluded: "It would be very sad to see Bermuda's long-standing independent press trammelled into a state of statutory censorship by a somewhat desperate government."

In just a few days, we will find out if that is to be the case.

• Read The Royal Gazette's own code of practice at www.royalgazette.bm.

• Share your views with us on the Media Council Act 2010 by e-mailing news@royalgazette.bm.