Accountability systems
The professional ethics committee created within Comissão da Carteira Profissional do Jornalista, an organisation headed by a judge and where journalists and entrepreneurs are represented, contributes to enforce compliance with professional ethical principles, admonishing or punishing journalists in case of misconduct.
In turn, the Conselho Deontológico dos Jornalistas (Journalists’ Professional Ethics Council) addresses recommendations based on the principles of the Journalists’ Ethical Code, a document approved by the journalists in May 1993.
Created for the first time in Portugal in 1997, the ombudsman nowadays exists only in public television (viewer ombudsman) and radio (listener ombudsman).
The issues related to the content of advertising and consumer rights and protection are decided by the Direção-Geral do Consumidor (General Directorate of Consumer).