The Press Council announced that voting for the 2017 National Award in journalistic ethics and deontology is open on the online platform www.mediaforum.md. The award was inaugurated in 2015 and the winner is chosen in a contest with the participation of mass media consumers, experts and members of the Press Council, IPN reports.

According to a press release of the Press Council, this year eight institutions proposed by consumers and Council members have been accepted in the contest: Agora.md, news portal, Diez.md, news portal, IPN, press agency, Newsmaker.md, news portal, Radio Chisinau, radio station, Rise.md, investigation-focused portal, SP, regional newspaper from Balti, and Ziarul de Gardă, investigation-focused weekly.

According to the Contest Regulation, the candidates will be evaluated by the public on the website MediaForum.md, until November 15, 2017. Users can rate their favorites, but cannot give more than 10 points from the same computer per week. Afterwards, the professional behavior of candidates will be assessed by experts and the members of the Press Council, in accordance with the Journalist’s Deontological Code in Moldova. Finally, the amassed score will be calculated and validated according to the Contest Regulation. The final decision will be taken by the Press Council in December 2017. As organizer, the Council can decide to withhold the award if it decides that none of the candidates deserve it this year.

National Award in journalistic ethics and deontology was created to promote quality journalism and good journalistic practices. The previous winners are Radio Free Europe in Chisinau (2015) and the portal Anticoruptie.md (2016).

In order to vote, users must click on the banner “Voteaza online!” on www.mediaforum.md, or go directly to http://mediaforum.md/ro/lista_candidatilor.