The conscience of journalism? Concepts of press ombudsman institution in American media

Wojciech Adamczyk

The article discusses the origins and the development of press ombudsman institution in the United States. In 1913, Ralph Pulitzer (the son of a famous American publisher) established the Bureau of Accuracy and Fair Play. The author presents the reasons for the creation, in late 1960s, of the position of press ombudsmen in American press and later on, also in some electronic media. Additionally, he points out the diverse character of various ombudsmen’s activity; as a channel of reader complaints against bureaucratic institutions, as intermediaries in the reception and research of complaints from recipients and as relatively autonomous in-house critics of journalist and editorial offices’ activity.

KEYWORDS

press, ombudsman, ONO