What the Clearinghouse for Public Statements Does

1. Role of the Clearinghouse

The Clearinghouse processes statements and/or manages the process of signing statements generated by others when they are principally concerned with issues relating to media/communications and where IAMCR members have substantive scientific expertise that provides a basis for seeking to influence discursive or material practice.

An indicative list of issues includes:

• Infrastructure and online services, including content and access,
• Corporate, governmental, and intergovernmental policies, regulations and broader issues of governance related to media and communication, including communication rights, freedom of expression, privacy protection, and protection from surveillance.
• Working conditions of media and communication scholars and media practitioners, including equality and diversity issues

The Clearinghouse's statements are guided by, and restricted to, the IAMCR remit.

No statements are authorized by the Clearinghouse without agreement by the IAMCR President.

2. The nature of the statements

The Clearinghouse endeavors to authorize single-voiced statements. Some issues may be so contentious or divisive that there is unlikely to be a consensus. In such instances, the Chair of the Clearinghouse may inform Clearinghouse members of the receipt of a request and decline to launch a debate with a view to formulating a response. Any statement proposed will take account of a wide range of arguments or positions before finalizing a proposed statement. Clearinghouse members acknowledge that in exceptional cases, members may wish to recommend a multi-voiced statement.

3. Origins of, and support for, the statements

Statements originate from the Clearinghouse, from IAMCR entities (Executive Board, International Council, Committees, Task Forces, Sections, or Working Groups), and from individual members. Statements are endorsed by IAMCR through the Clearinghouse, or distributed directly by IAMCR.

Statements endorsed and/or distributed by IAMCR have the support of the Clearinghouse, the Executive Board, the International Council, and as appropriate, the full membership of IAMCR.

4. Scope of the statements

Statements may be made proactively regarding important continuing issues or forthcoming events, or as responses to immediate events (reactive).

Global, regional and local issues are considered. Statements are considered by the Clearinghouse when they are of concern to IAMCR members and within the remit of the Clearinghouse.

19 January 2016. Updated 16 July 2021.

Also see the Clearinghouse's Working Procedures and Mandate.