Media professionalism declined in 2011, experts

[Info-Prim Neo article form the series “2011: the way it was and was not”] New mass media institutions appeared in 2011, which brought more diversity. Surprisingly, even some newspapers appeared alongside the audiovisual. Unfortunately however, many journalists favored sensationalism over professional ethics. Corina Fusu, deputy head of the parliamentary commission on culture, education, research, youth, sports and mass media, told Info-Prim Neo that mass media’s biggest achievement is more freedom of expression. “Journalists have access to all information. The bad part is the decline in professionalism. Because of the pressure of time and competition, journalists are less rigorous in their work”, said Corina Fusu. Lately, less and less investigative reports are done. “It’s obvious the media searches for shocking events and makes no effort to produce materials or shows about values like love, decency, correctness or human rights. I want our journalists to improve because media is the link between society and all other domains. The journalist’s role is highly important and they should become a power in the state”, she added. Petru Macovei, executive director of the Independent Press Association (API), has seen both good and bad things in 2011. “I was surprised by the birth of new mass media institutions not only in the domain of audiovisual, but some newspapers as well, even though newspapers aren’t considered a profitable business anymore. In time, we’ll see whether these are projects of persons who want to provide the people with quality information or of persons with political interests. An election campaign will definitely show that”, said the API director. Petru Macovei recalled that one important event in 2011 was the new version of the Journalist’s Ethics Code. “It’s for the first time the Code has been signed by 70% of the mass media institutions in the country, which committed to respect it. The bad part is that the Code’s stipulations aren’t actually fully respected. The experience showed that some of the institutions that signed the Code sometimes give up journalistic ethics in favor of shocking subjects that boost their rating”, admitted the API director. The expert said that tools of measuring mass media institutions’ share of the market became more efficient. Advertising agencies can see the real statistics, not some puffed up figures. The API director added that the political sphere put much pressure on the mass media. “It’s not like before 2009, when the government’s interference in the editorial policy of mass media was obvious. Now, politicians have understood they need tools to manipulate public opinion and more or less legally obtained ownership of media institutions”, said Petru Macovei. According to him, the public is sick of politics: the election or non-election of the president, politicians’ quarreling. This is all irrelevant to the ordinary citizen. Of course politics affect everyone and deserve attention, but there are 1001 important subjects ignored by the media. “This speaks about the quality of journalism in Moldova. Many reporters simply attend conferences and listen how some politicians accuse other politicians, but they never go to ask the opinion of the accused. Journalism has become a means of broadcasting the opinion of some people about other people, while the important topics fail to make the news. I admit there are some journalists who do their job well, but the kind of journalism which reacts to political statements today is exaggeratedly practiced”, said Macovei. Petru Macovei is confident the media will progress. “It depends a lot on the information consumers and we see the people are being more critical of the media product. A proof is the large number of complaints received by the Press Council. When the amount of criticism will grow, editors will have to reconsider the quality of their materials”, thinks the expert. Petru Macovei sees a positive dynamics and is optimistic that the most media institutions, especially the popular ones, will practice professional journalism in the year to come. According to the Independent Press Association, there are 150 active media institutions in Moldova. [Mariana Galben, Info-Prim Neo]