Further Deterioration of Media Freedoms and Freedom of Expression
Monitoring of Media in Republic of Macedonia REPORT No. 1 - 2013 MEDIA MIRROR FURTHER DETERIORATION OF MEDIA FREEDOMS AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION FEBRUARY 2013 “Media Mirror” Program is implemented with financial support from Foundation Open Sociey-Macedonia. 1. Introduction and Methodology The NGO Info-centre, with financial support from the Foundation Open Society Macedonia (FOSM), under the auspices of its "Media Mirror" programme, implements monitoring of media reporting on issues and topics related to media freedoms and freedom of expression. This report covers the period from January 1 to February 6, 2013. The monitoring included the following media: seven daily newspapers ("Utrinski vesnik”, “Dnevnik”, “Vest”, “Večer“, "Nova Makedonija”, “Fokus” and “Den”), the central news programmes aired by seven television stations that broadcast nationally or over the satellite (24 Vesti TV, Kanal 5 TV, Sitel TV, Telma TV, MTV1, Alfa TV and AlsatM TV), and six internet news portals (Sky.mk, MKD.mk, Libertas.mk, Plusinfo.mk, Kurir.mk and A1on.mk). The monitoring was conducted daily, depending on the actual coverage of events and topics related to media freedoms and freedom of expression in the media. The monitoring applied contents analysis of published journalistic articles and broadcast stories and reports. 2. Key Findings The events that transpired in January and the first week of February of this year, related to the media scene in the Republic of Macedonia, as well as the analysis of the contents of media coverage of those events and developments, indicate a continued deterioration of media freedoms and freedom of expression in the country. Pressures, Threats and Harangues Directed at Critical Media and Journalists The types, scope and frequency of events during the short period of time covered by this analysis indicate that: The media and journalists critical of the Government are under constant pressure of the Government; the censorship is gaining in intensity while self- censorship becomes an everyday occurrence and a regular practice.
[Show full text]