A former press secretary to the Premier has backed the idea of an independently regulated media council — but chastised the industry for not yet setting one up.

Glenn Jones, who was spokesman for Premier Ewart Brown between 2007 and 2009, told The Royal Gazette yesterday that the Government's controversial draft media council bill was "flawed".

But he added: "I strongly believe the public would be better served if the local media industry had an apparatus that policed itself — a body that looked out for strong ethics, standards and a degree of accountability.

"Media bodies like this exist all over the world, yet Bermuda does not have one. We need one. The public deserves one. Preferably it would be independently regulated, consisting of a body of respected media professionals."

Government is proposing in the Media Council Act 2010 to have a legislated body, made up of a majority of members appointed after consultation with the Premier.

The council would establish a code of practice for the media and deal with complaints, as well as having the power to order apologies and retractions and ban publication or broadcast of material.

Global press freedom groups and local critics have condemned the draft legislation, claiming the council, first promised in the 2008 Throne Speech, would be politically biased and could infringe freedom of expression.

Mr. Jones, who was a broadcast journalist in the US as well as a former reporter at The Royal Gazette, said: "I think there's one sidebar to the media council story that is going under told.

"I also think the leadership of the local media has to take some responsibility for the draft bill it says it does not like. Months ago, media professionals were approached and told legislation was on the horizon.

"So why didn't newsroom managers move to regulate [their] own industry? They had the chance, ample time. It would appear local media professionals either could not agree on its own approach or were flat out incapable of organising; either way, they dropped the ball."

He claimed: "Local media leadership has been absent thus far. At every opportunity to show the public a collective commitment to ethics, standards and accountability the local media leadership has dropped the ball.

"If they really cared about these things — as they should — a media council, in some form or another, would already exist and the Government would have no right or need to create one legislatively."

Mr. Jones, who now writes for Bermuda.com and presents the news on Hott 107.5 and Magic 102.7, added: "Although the current draft bill is flawed — as most drafts are — I'm relieved someone is showing leadership on this issue. I just wish the leadership had come from within the industry."

Bill Zuill, this newspaper's editor, admitted last week that it could be suggested "with some justice" that the media should have already formed an independent council.

"All I can say to that is that we are all busy people whose main preoccupation has been the survival of our operations; the threat of legislation, which now exists, certainly focuses the mind."

Premier Ewart Brown — the Minister responsible for the bill — has said nothing about it publicly since tabling it in the House of Assembly on May 7. His spokesman repeated yesterday that a statement would be delivered "in due course".

Political sources say they do not now expect the bill to get debated tomorrow in the House.

Meanwhile, it was reported yesterday that Cayman Islands Premier McKeeva Bush has threatened the press with criminal fines and jail if they don't pay new $100,000 "business fees".

Cayman Net News asked in an editorial if it was a "coincidence or conspiracy" that the threat came soon after Dr. Brown presented his media council bill in Bermuda.

"Is this really a coincidence or is there a secret agreement between the two Overseas Territories' leaders of government, neither of whom is noted for his media friendliness, to act in concert to promote the repression of freedom of speech and thus the press?"