Fianna Fail has called on the media to open up their decision-making process and become more accountable.
The Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs, Mr Ahern, said that while the media examined society, there was no watchdog to examine the media.
"Other countries have press councils, often criticised because they have no real powers or teeth. Here, in common with other countries which protect the reputation of individuals, we have the libel laws," Mr Ahern said at Fianna Fail's Dublin Forum last night.
He said the media were scrutinised only by media organs such as Phoenix magazine, while RTE Radio's media programme Soundbyte, which had provided a forum for debate, was no longer on air.
He suggested the summerschool model to examine the role of the media and to help the public understand why particular decisions were made. " Why would a newspaper run a particular photo, a particular story, carry the comments of a particular columnist?" he asked.
Mr Ahern said such a summer school should be open to the public and funded by the media to explore and consider the future of the industry.
The selection of news and the line between what was of public interest and what was of interest to the public should also be examined, Mr Ahern said.
While the press had an essential role to play in a democratic society, standards could be strained in the race for readers, listeners and viewers, "in the pursuit of profit, rather than the public service", Mr Ahern warned.
"The media both watch and are watched, but in a time when editorials demand more openness and transparency in how society works, perhaps the last to be seen to be tardy in opening their doors and dusting off the cobwebs should be the media themselves," he said.
