Principles: All news, editorial, and promotional content, must be presented with due accuracy, and with due impartiality and balance

Definitions: Due accuracy is defined as the presentation of all relevant facts, information, and opinions, especially when an issue is controversial. Due accuracy standards for drama and entertainment will be different from those for factual programmes

Due impartiality and balance are defined as not favouring a particular interest or viewpoint, but presenting a range of views and perspectives, within a framework of fundamental human and constitutional rights and democratic principles. However, it does not mean that an equal share of coverage must be offered to every point of view, nor that each campaign element should express all points of view, with balance assessed across the campaign as a whole

About the Code
The Code of Practice consists of six rules that must be followed by the campaign at all times. All rules should be applied in a way that acknowledges the editorial freedom of media organisations engaged by MKRF to produce content relevant to the campaign’s agreed objectives

MKRF is responsible for ensuring that the Code of Practice is followed at all times. Compliance with the rules will be assessed by an indepdent Board of Advisors and donor agencies on a quarterly basis, based on independent media monitoring. Feedback and complaints from stakeholders and the media will also be considered as part of this process, although it will be MKRF’s responsibility to respond directly to complaints. MKRF will provide a report summarising feedback and complaints on a quarterly basis

Rules

• All factual material should be gathered using first hand sources where possible, facts must be cross-checked, the authenticity of documentary evidence validated, and claims and allegations corroborated where possible. References should be available on request for factual material, within the constraint of the need to provide due protection to sources. Uncorroborated material should normally be attributed
• Criticism of institutions, or institutional office holders, must be relevant to professional responsibilities and objectives in the education sector; must be proportionate; and must be applied without any form of bias
• Alternative viewpoints must be adequately represented appropriately within each campaign element; while a broad range of views, viewpoints, subject matters, and geographic perspectives must be presented across the campaign as a whole. The campaign must take all reasonable precautions to avoid any perception that it favours, or is biased against, any political party, interest group, or geographic entity
• If allegations of wrongdoing or incompetence are made, or a strong and damaging critique of an individual or institution is presented, the offer of a fair right of reply should be provided. Any response should normally be presented at the same time as the original allegations, and with appropriate prominence
• Serious factual errors should be acknowledged quickly, clearly, and with prominence that is broadly equivalent to the original presentation
• The due impartiality of the campaign must not be compromised by the personal interests of a reporter or presenter, or the business interests of a media entity. At the very least, any interests must be made clear to the audience