A nationwide campaign to promote the assumption of the Journalist’s Deontological Code by media professionals and graduates of national faculties of journalism was launched in connection with the Press Freedom Days. As part of the campaign, all the editorial offices of the media outlets that didn’t do this until now and also journalists and graduate students of faculties and schools of journalism are invited to publicly assume the professional deontology principles, IPN reports.
According to the Press Council, the campaign “We Sign the Journalist’s Deontological Code of the Republic of Moldova” was initiated by graduates of the International Training Program on Self-Regulation of Media of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and the Press Council of the Republic of Moldova.
Press Council president Viorica Zaharia said the observance of deontology means integrity, while integrity means liberty. The Press Council continues to stage different activities and campaigns by which it reminds the journalist of the necessity of obeying the deontological norms, which is a guarantee of high-quality journalism. “Year by year, new journalists enter the profession and the temptation to work for affiliated media outlets can be big for them. Our message is that one can be called journalist only if they meet the standards of the profession and gain public respect,” stated Viorica Zaharia.
Cornelia Cozonac, president of the Journalistic Investigations Center, said that it is very important that the future journalists be trained so that, when they enter the profession, they can make a correct choice, reject the compromises and are upright.
The deans of the faculties of journalism of the national universities supported the campaign and the students will be offered to sign the Journalist’s Deontological Code on graduation. Georgeta Stepanov, dean of the Faculty of Journalism and Communication Sciences of the State University of Moldova, said the assumption of the Journalist’s Deontological Code by the fresh graduates of faculties of journalism is aimed at shaping the professional integrity of these, while integrity is gained as any other skill.
Ombudsman Mihai Cotorobai welcomed the campaign, saying this is necessary and opportune. He addressed the problem of quality of journalism in the Report on the observance of human rights in the Republic of Moldova in 2019, underlining that correct and objective informing of people is crucial for the realization of the basic human rights.
The signatories of the Journalist’s Deontological Code are asked to place a symbol-image on their websites through which the public is informed about the undertaking of the Code. The symbol-image will be transmitted to signatories by the Press Council at request, in the format asked by the signatories. Requests can be submitted to the email address consiliuldepresa@gmail.com.
The Journalist’s Deontological Code can be signed on the website of the Press Council, while the list of signatories, both private individuals and legal entities, will be updated by the Council’s secretary.
