Public Service Media in Western Balkans – Ensuring editorial independence and credibility
The regional workshop on developing code of conduct/editorial guidelines for Public Service Media in Western Balkans has started today, 18 October, in Hotel 88 Rooms, Belgrade.
The workshop brings together the program directors and editors-in-chief from the six PSM (RTSh Albania, BHRT Bosnia and Herzegovina, RTK Kosovo, MRTV Macedonia, RTCG Montenegro and PSB Serbia) to discuss, examine and assess code of conducts and editorial guidelines with European experts in the field. How to ensure independence, how to be accurate & relevant, connected & accountable as well as fair & respectful are the challenges for all journalists and media; for public service media these are the core requirements to gain and keep public support. Therefore, this regional workshop is crucial in providing a platform for all relevant stakeholders to openly talk about current practices in their own media organizations regarding editorial policy and the challenges they face.
A group of around ten broadcasting experts (BREG) working in PSM from across Europe (ORF Austria, France Television, YLE Finland, WDR Germany, RAI Italy, NRK Norway and BBC UK) within the network of the European Federation of Journalists has joined the meeting to share their national practices and experiences on code of conducts and editorial guidelines. They will also discuss with participants the importance of making the code of conduct and editorial guidelines known in each newsroom, as well as of providing regular training to ensure professional implementation of editorial statutes.
The workshop is a part of the activities implemented within the Programme of Assistance to Public Service Media in the Western Balkans, which aims to contribute to the media reform and professional development of PSM in the region and strengthen their ability to produce increasingly pluralistic, independent and accountable content. The beneficiaries of the project are the six Public Service Media in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, FYR Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. The project is implemented in the period from February 1, 2018 to July 31, 2020. The Service Contract of the European Commission has been awarded to the consortium led by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) together with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), the Austrian Public Broadcaster (ORF), the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) and the Eurovision News Exchange for South-East Europe (ERNO).
For additional information please contact:
Dr Željka-Lekić-Subašić
Head of ERNO Coordination Office
Senior Media Expert/Deputy Team Leader
Assistance to Public Service Media in the Western Balkans
E-mail: Zeljka.Lekic-Subasic@PSMWB.com
Cell phone: +38761216799
Office phone: +38733461526
