Journalistic Ethics December 2005 Constantin PÂRţAC Personality of the Journalist, a Modern Issue in Our Area No matter how often people write about other programs on the “Moldova ” channel on a regular basis transforming the State Company “Teleradio- you can guess who the authors of reports are by looking at the Moldova” into a public institution, every time topics and approaches. For example, who will interview Mr. the following impediments are mentioned: the Popuşoi from “Moldsilva” on a hillside of Soroca, who will film interference of authorities, obedience of managers, in Porumbeni or at the railway station, or who will make public imperfect legislation, and the incompetence of a spree of journalists, etc? Because of plentiful reports of this some members of the Broadcasting Coordinating kind and occasional guests, our television cannot overcome Council or of the Observers Council of the Public the state of being a provincial institution, and has become the company “TRM”. I do not know why, but they never hostage of the mercantile interests of telejournalists and of the mention the professional ethics of journalists, their TRM management’s servility towards the political authorities. behavior, competences, and personalities. Broadcasts are often forms of exchange or thank you gestures for the services from which some employees benefit. In other words those who write about TRM never go down If a make-up artist or hair stylist has been invited to the show, to the floors of journalists’ domain, where this phenomenon it is almost sure the presenter or the stage-director uses his really takes place. But namely here exist the main obstacles or her services for hairdressing or make-up. It is the same in ewhich impede the mass media of Moldova from becoming the case of high schools or kindergartens that appear on TV- really independent and objective. Revenge tactics, obedient screens. At one of the internal meetings, a former president servicing, and nepotism as an editorial policy have marked of the Company made a joke: he knew about the stage of out mass media in the Republic of Moldova, giving it an old- construction of the journalist’s house from the enterprise fashioned appearance, with an Asian shade called simply profiles he was reporting on. This sad joke was true. “provincialism”. The journalist’s inconsistence, vulnerability and lack of Today it is much easier to criticize the Presidency and Mr. resistance to some material goods, often of a ridiculous value, Voronin, the Government and Mr. Tarlev, or the deputies from has been recognized and taken advantage of by officials, the factions we dislike than to do so with the medium and low businessmen, and people who play games with the public level functionaries, who have the impertinence and dexterity to opinion. The undersigned organized a meeting with journalists deceive, to make small gifts that journalists can’t refuse. Some from ten Balkan states about six years ago. The former mayor journalists do not analyze thoroughly the authorities’ activities, general of Chisinau, who was also present, mentioned in yet claim their “criticism” is an act of herosim, although it is the context of some protests against the location of certain not like that in Moldova. Today it has become a courageous shops, terraces, and schools in the districts of the city, that deed to objectively and critically evaluate the evolution of our journalists cooperate with those fighting to exclude journalism, a domain where you know all the people, where competitors in exchange for a bottle of champagne, a box of you have friends. chocolate or a bottle of perfume. Some former heads of radio and television from Eastern Do not think that reporters from other television channels and Central Europe and international experts have mentioned in Moldova, who proclaim themselves independent or pro- that since the laws on broadcasting and public institution were European, are more “catholic”. Some time ago I was in the adopted, the biggest obstacle in the process of transformation “Dinamo” market in the district I live in, when everybody was has been the personnel, who tackle the new reality with an old saying a filming team from an independent television channel way of thinking and stale principles. Such a journalist goes to a was arriving. I was surprised by the scene that followed. A man production only if he is invited and after the show he waits for started to teach the saleswomen what to say – one in Romanian, small gifts from the person he dedicated his program to. the other one in Russian, a lady called her friends from home, so Talking about the servility and conformity of telejournalists they played the buyers. The purpose of the reports was to prevent (and not only them), we need to mention their local pattern. It the municipal administration from implementing a decision is not about political attachment, a notion that is widely spread to liquidate the market. It is strange that this reporter, called in our area; it is about the attachment to people, enterprises, independent, did not notice that all the advertising in this market government offices and ministries. Watching the news or was in a foreign language, that a significant part of merchandise analytical bulletin Journalistic Ethics December 2005 came from smuggling, that the prices were not marked, that the domains or localities where they have obligations, friends, products sold did not have a certificate of origin or explanation relatives and where they could not be objective and judicial. in the official language and that cash registers with memories Editors and producers should know their subordinates of financial transactions were not used. The reporters from this well, their strengths and weaknesses, and shield them from “independent” channel manipulated public opinion in a similar compromising situations. Administrators should transfer way for a few months, sustaining the street salespeople from the personnel horizontally every 5-6 years, which is good for central market and giving the impression that they incited the journalists. latter to organize street demonstrations. Many TV channels solve these issues of personnel and When a journalist with a European way of thinking writes editorial policy by developing and enforcing a code of ethics. A about services (including drivers or salespeople), he or she places morality Talmud is currently being prepared at the Moldovan fiscal discipline and consumer protection first. When you defend Television TRM, but it is a little too extensive to be remembered employment, but you do not notice that dairy products, cleansing and applied. agents, fruit and lingerie are sold at the same table in the street, When I visited the public channel “ZDF” in Germany, an that scales are not accurate, that there are no booths to try on employee told me their Board of Directors is a precise copy of clothes, and that the salesperson does not give you a business card the Parliament, but this fact does not compromise the channel’s in case you need to complain – all these indicate that the reporters independence and the journalists’ objectivity, because no one are executing somebody’s order, playing somebody’s game… accepts a conclusion or a viewpoint being imposed. How can Moldovan journalists overcome this sickness of It is true that our Broadcasting Coordinating Council, servility? the Observers Council and the administration of “Teleradio- First of all, and this has already been written about, Moldova” were created and will depend on the authorities, journalists should be better paid, in order to make them less although they could have implemented the directions coming vulnerable to influence and external pressures. from the authorities in a more difficult way, if there were more Secondly, this professional aspect, specific for our area, journalists with stamina and personality. It seldom happens that a should be studied at the University, debated in editorial journalist resigns, defending his/her moral beliefs and principles. meetings, at different seminars and courses. Journalists and It will be a long time until objectivity, a sense of decency, reporters need to be aware of the danger of servility, nepotism principles and firmness become the doctrine of every journalist and lack of personality. They should avoid making reports in in Moldova. Igor GUZUN, Senior Lecturer, Department of Journalism and Communications, State University of Moldova, Editor of „The UN in Moldova”. Patterns of Quality Journalism Journalism is an Occupation that Sometimes Makes One our media and linguistic circles as well, when some reporters really Starve to Death and Sometimes Annoys or Bores Others. starve to death – and this is not a metaphor . If they do not starve, then they die because of excessive drinking. Others have to quit When the young man Gabriel Garcia Marquez told his their job or become dishonest or change their profession in order mother he decided to become a journalist, she watched him to earn their living. Furthermore, there are still people who value with a mixture of reproach and indulgence and said: “There the status and the definition of journalism nowadays, suggested are other better occupations for you to starve to death”. But by a short sentence on the written strip of an advertising spot that he did not starve. He was first of all a good reporter for “El celebrates, at the end of 005, ten years of ProTV – a president Spectador”, and is an exceptional writer (Nobel Prize for apologized to donkeys for comparing them with journalists. Literature, 98). He probably lives today in a beautiful house Despite the ironies, accusations and disregard for mass-media made of pink brick, with doves on the roof – symbols of and the people who create it, I strongly believe journalism is the welfare.