Journalists must compare dignitaries’ activity with their promises – EU expert

“Not every trip by the President or Prime Minister deserves a spot in the news”, said Dr. Stephen Whittle, CoE expert of Great Britain, at a seminar themed “Media and Elections”, held in Chisinau on April 17 and 18. When asked to comment how media institutions should behave while covering the activity of a state dignitary who is engaged in an election campaign, Whittle said that journalists have to make a professional choice and decide which event deserves media coverage and which does not. In his words, sometimes this is very difficult, particularly in Moldova, but it has to be made a clear distinction between a real and a feigned event. As the expert says, sometimes vapid events are staged only for the camera. The expert mentioned that the journalist’s role is to compare the real activity with the promises. The reporter must not only present some pompous images of certain state functionaries, but remind the public about the promises made by them when they were running for the respective position and say what they have achieved during their activity, the British expert asserts. The “Media and Elections” seminar is organised in cooperation with the Information Office of the Council of Europe in Moldova.