Since the early eighties, companies and other institutions around the world have sought independent recognition of the quality of their management systems. The objective was twofold: (1) to benefit from unbiased, external reviews of their activities, (2) to create an ongoing process making sure that the highest standards of quality continue to be pursued.
The Geneva-based Media & Society Foundation (MSF) is a Swiss not-for-profit organization whose mission is to encourage the development of quality standards in broadcasting and the press. The Foundation’’s initial funding was provided by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. MSF created the BC 9001 standard for broadcasting in 2003 and is the main impetus behind the creation of the P 9001 standard for the press in 2005. Its ongoing role consists of maintaining the standards and promoting the related certification systems worldwide.
Based on the feedbacks gathered from the field over the last seven years, the decision was made by the Board of the Foundation and the Technical Committee in charge of maintaining the standards to merge the two existing standards into one covering broadcasters, the press and new media under the reference ISAS BCP 9001:2010.
The adoption of a quality-management system by a media organization (radio, TV, newspaper, magazine, online or other) is strictly voluntary. It should be a strategic decision taken by senior management with the support of staff.
The aim of such a system is to make sure that a media organization is managed in such a way as to meet the highest quality standards in the following areas:
- Service to its users (audience / readership) and the general public;
- Service to the society in which it operates, notably by promoting the open flow of information essential in a democracy;
- Service to other important stakeholders, including: Staff; Advertisers*; Subcontractors; Shareholders; Civil society* associations; Journalists’’ unions; Public authorities*.
