Press Council warns several media organizations over ethical violations

Several media channels fell under the radar of the Press Council (CP) due to violations to the Journalist’s Deontological Code when editing their materials, reports Info-Prim Neo. The first item on CP’s agenda at its meeting on Monday referred to the posting of a footage by several media organizations that contained images of physical aggression towards a teenager from the Floresti district by his ex-girlfriend, also a minor, who was seek revenge for “infidelity”. The Press Council took action after the Jurnal.md news website posted the name of the aggressed minor, and his unprotected image, both violations of the Deontological Code, which obligates journalists to protect the identity of minors involved in events with negative connotations. The same happened at several television channels, who covered the face of the minor during their news reports, but failed to do so on their websites, where the entire aggression scene was available. Attending the Press Council meeting, Corneliu Durnescu, head of Jurnal TV’s news department, said that media institutions often display similar images that come from the police, as official information, thus the responsibility falls upon the police, not on the television channels’ websites. In reply, CP secretary Petru Macovei said that regardless whether the information is from the police or any other public institution the media channel has the deontological obligation to protect the identity of underage victims or witnesses to such events. CP president Ludmila Andronic said that in conflict situations, rapes, suicides, or other negative events involving minors, it would be advisable to ask for specialists’ opinions, who could give certain recommendations to aid the victims, as well as to prevent similar cases. Another subject of discussion referred to the examination of former diplomat Constantin Ciobanu’s complaint against the television channel Pro TV Chisinau. He complained about the video depicting him taking a blood alcohol contest test, at the request of the Traffic Police, although the police had confirmed that he was not driving under influence. The plaintiff considers that the use of his image in the context of several drivers with DUIs will prejudice him. The Press Council will ask the TV channel to stop using the archived video that depicts the plaintiff in the context of police raids against drunken drivers. The meeting also examined a complaint regarding the “Ciocana Mobster shot at dawn”, published by the “Timpul de dimineata” daily. The complaint was submitted by the dead man’s sister, Valentina Ciobanu, who claimed that her brother had been unjustifiably accused. After examining the article and the letter submitted by the article’s author, in which she gives her opinion regarding the plaintiff requests, the members of the Press Council concluded that the journalist’s point of view, whilst writing the feature, was biased, and that she did not request the opinions of all relevant parties involved in the matter, as required by the Journalist’s Deontological Code. The Press Council will ask the newspaper to offer the right to a reply in this case.