HERE TO? Editor: Denis CENUŞĂ Ina GREJDEANU
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Summary: ETHICS AND PROFESSIONALISM The Independent Journalism Center Ion BUNDUCHI 1 Journalists’ Code of Ethics as an Indicator of Professional Maturity ISSN 1857-002X THE AUDIOVISUAL CODE Director: Nadine GOGU Eugen RÎBCA Published with the support of Delegation of the European Union through the 3 Moldova Faces an Important Obligation: To Ensure Loyal Competition in Broadcast Advertising Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights. LETTER OF THE LAW The opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Ion ŢURCANU the IJC and donors 6 The Labyrinth of the Public Broadcaster Contributers: PRINT MEDIA AND COMPETITION Ion BUNDUCHI, Eugen RÎBCA, Ion ŢURCANU, Ludmila BOGHEANU, Ina GREJDEANU, Ludmila BOGHEANU Susan COUGHTRIE, Nicolae SANDULEAC, Ludmila TOMAC, Aneta GONŢA 10 Print Media: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea Editor-in-Chief: Ion MAZUR MEDIA FOR CHILDREN. WHERE TO? Editor: Denis CENUŞĂ Ina GREJDEANU 13 Children’s Press in the “Hands” of Adults Translation: Liliana URSU OBSERVER Editing: Judy GOLDMAN Susan COUGHTRIE 17 A Foreign Journalist’s Reflections on the Mass Media in Moldova Cover: Journalists cover different events AUDIENCE STUDY Photos: Lucas FARCY Inside photos: The Independent Journalism Center 20 Audience Survey of Media Consumption in Moldova Layout: Alexei RACU MEDIA AS A BUSINESS Nicolae SANDULEAC Printing: “T-PAR” SRL 29 Better To Be the First than the Best Please send your opinions, suggestions, and contributions to the following address: EXPERIENCES Ludmila TOMAC The Independent Journalism Center 32 “Nobody Holds Us in Their Arms Nor Does Anyone Trip Us”. Interview with Ramona Ursu, editor- in-chief of Adevărul de Moldova” Str. Şciusev, 53, 2012, Chişinău, tel: (+373 22) 213652, 227539 fax: (+373 22) 226681 BOOK REVIEW Aneta GONŢA e-mail: [email protected] 34 One Hundred Fifty Experiments to Understand Media Manipulation by Sébastien Bohler http:www.ijc.md ANNEX 37 Memo on Press Freedom in Moldova 3 May 2010 – 3 May 2011 June 2011 Ethics and Professionalism Journalists’ Code of Ethics as an Indicator of Professional Maturity Local journalism is passing through a difficult process of The ideas included in the documents mentioned as well as professionalization. Professionalization in general comprises a those contained in the International Journalists’ Federation number of basic elements including a common body of “Declaration of the Conduct of Journalists” were the basis for knowledge, training institutions, codes of ethics, agencies to the development of the first “Journalists’ Code of Ethical supervise the observance of professional standards and Principles” in Moldova, approved at the 12th Extraordinary professional associations among others. Without denying the Congress of the Union of Journalists of Moldova in 1999 and importance of all these elements, we will focus on one: the ratified by 12 journalism organizations. The code comprised 22 professional code. points whose provisions included professional standards for journalists universally recognized and established in most The appearance of a professional code for journalists anywhere similar documents. For instance, point 4 of the code established in the world was a reaction to the authorities’ intentions to that “The basic principle behind each ethical judgment of the excessively regulate media activities through laws. One of the journalist is the clear distinction that must be made between first professional codes for journalism was developed in 1923 in information and opinion so that it is impossible to confuse the USA and was named “The Cannons of Journalism.” It was them.” adopted by the association of newspaper editors; its content indicates the influence of the libertarian theory on press The development of broadcast media in the country stimulated freedom. The essence of this theory was that freedom of speech concerns for separate professional standards for employees of and the human right to truthful information were supreme these outlets. The process of establishing a public broadcaster values for journalists. These values can be found in virtually all also included the development of two self-regulatory self-regulatory journalistic documents. For instance, one of the documents: “The Code of Principles, Standards and most well-known documents—the “Declaration of Journalists’ Recommendations for the Public Broadcaster Teleradio- Principles of Conduct” adopted in Bordeaux (France) in 1954 Moldova” and “Professional Standards and Ethical Principles of by the International Federation of Journalists and amended in Journalism in Programs of the Public Broadcaster Teleradio- 1986 at the 18th Congress of the Helsinki Federation Moldova.” (Finland)—establishes respect for the truth and society’s right to know the truth as the main obligations of a journalist. In 2007 in accordance with the requirements of the Broadcasters’ Code, a new specialized document was Journalists from European countries can use “Resolution 1003 developed—The Code of Conduct for Broadcasters. The (1993) of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe document contains five chapters and 41 articles and establishes on Journalistic Ethics” as a guide for developing professional from the outset that the main duty of broadcasters is, “…to standards. The document specifies, among others, that the report the truth regardless of the consequences it may have on rights the media own in relation to freedom of information them, an obligation that derives from the constitutional right of depend on citizens, and that citizens also have the right to the public to be informed justly, completely and adequately.” request that the information offered by journalists is truthful in While its content is laudable, it was nonetheless imposed by law the case of news and honest in the case of opinions. which constitutes the direct interference of the judiciary in the domain that should exclusively belong to journalists. The Council of Europe encourages the creation of self- regulatory bodies in the media and acknowledges that After 11 years, the Moldovan journalists went back to the legislative regulation may be necessary if self-regulation fails. In “Code of Ethical Principles” adopted in 1999. Using this code as a resolution adopted in 1994 at the Fourth Ministerial a basis, from September 2010 to February 2011, new provisions Conference of Media Policies, the Council of Europe requested were introduced and some of the initial ones were made more that authorities not regulate the media and instead admit that specific so that in the end the code took on a new form. This all those involved in the profession of journalism have the right revision was organized as part of the Council of Europe and to develop self-regulatory standards, e.g., in the form of a code European Union Joint Program on Democracy Support in the of ethics that establishes in addition to their responsibilities in Republic of Moldova in cooperation with the Union of what manner their rights and freedoms comply with the rights, Journalists of Moldova and the Press Council. In editing the freedoms and interests of society. document, the authors took account of new trends in media analytical magazine 1 Ethics and Professionalism June 2011 development and of the recommendations of international should in time logically lead to the appearance of responsible institutions on journalistic ethics. The draft code was discussed and quality media. There are, however, several obvious with journalists at round tables organized in Chişinău, Bălţi obstacles on the path to normal self-regulation including and Comrat in October 2010, and their suggestions were heterogeneity of the corporate journalistic environment, lack of included in the final text. On Press Freedom Day on 3 May an adequate understanding of the essence of democratic 2011 in a solemn ceremony, 84 media outlets and associations journalism, “migration” of ethical standards in legal texts and in Moldova committed to observing ethical and professional the lack of an adequate reaction both inside the profession and principles by signing the new Moldovan “Journalists’ Code of outside of it when ethical standards are violated. Ethics.” These obstacles explain the low degree of social responsibility The code is divided into seven sections and contains a in local journalism. To address this situation, a number of definition of a journalist, a wide range of ethical principles and timely actions are advisable including the following. answers to professional dilemmas. The section on general a) Conduct a campaign for instructing all journalism principles stresses that a journalist exercises his/her profession professionals in ethics. with a view to serving the public interest and further specifies b) Raise the awareness of the entire profession about the meaning of public interest.. The second section ensures the the need for ethical journalism and about the benefits it brings accuracy of information and prescribes that facts should be to professionals, to society and to democracy. verified and separated from opinions and that errors should be c) With the support of the entire profession, recognize corrected. Third section points out the need to protect the and financially support agencies that supervise adherence to identity of sources and especially to maintain correct relations professional standards to ensure their functionality These between journalists and their sources. The longest section— agencies must have a separate status and a