Interference of state in the editorial policy of mass-media is a threat to democracy – European expert

One of mass-media’s duties is to criticize the government and the interference of state in mass-media’s editorial activity will diminish the trust of the population, Christian Nissen, Audiovisual expert of the Council of Europe from Denmark states. He made this declaration at the seminar organized by the Electronic Press Association APEL, with the support of the Media Unit of the Council of Europe “Radiobroadcast public service: to ensure the editorial policy independence and institutional independence”, seminar held on Tuesday, June 20, in Chisinau. According to Nissen, the radio and TV public service has the role of a “watchdog”, and this is the reason why this service must follow the interest of its public. The Danish expert declared that there is no unique model for ensuring editorial independence of public institutions, but a solution which works in several European states is applying a control mechanism over the institution. According to Nissen, its duties would include elaborating strategies and settling editorial principles, appointing chairmen etc, without being able to use its authority over the staff inferior to the board, over the daily operations. The expert mentioned that the members of this instrument must not be appointed by the Government or Parliament, or at least not totally. In case they will be politically influenced, the public mass-media will lose its credibility, the expert explained. Eugen Cibotaru, the representative of the Media Unit of the Council of Europe, declared within the same event, that the present seminar is an expected continuation of the seminar organized in September 2005 entitled “Equilibrium and impartiality in the informative and political programs within the public broadcasting service”. According to Cibotaru, the Council of Europe monitors attentively the transformation process of “Teleradio-Moldova” Company into a public institution, encouraging the Republic of Moldova to offer all the necessary conditions for such a transformation. The main condition for eliminating the control over the Company is political, the quoted source ended. Constantin Vulpe, the deputy Chairman of „Radio Moldova” station, communicated for the press that in the last period certain evolutions can be remarked regarding the editorial freedom, but in order to ensure some substantial progresses it is necessary to change both the mentality of the employees and of the politicians and public. „Only by changing the legislation or by other separate activities we will not be able to reach the planned results”, Vulpe declared. The seminar “Public radiobroadcast service: to ensure independence of editorial policy and institutional autonomy” will continue its works on June 21.