Media community urged to raise ethical standards

(File)

Media community urged to raise ethical standards

VIENNA -- The OSCE representative on media freedom welcomed the readiness of the media community in Montenegro to launch a process to improve media self-regulation.

Dunja Mijatović also welcomed their readiness to start the process of confidence-building between media actors.

"I am glad that there is an agreement on an urgent need to rebuild trust in the media community of Montenegro by reaching an agreement on common professional interests, respect for ethical standards and basic journalistic principles," said Mijatović.

She added that self-regulation is the best way to protect editorial independence, to reduce political influence, promote professional responsibility by journalists and the media, and to help safeguard the credibility of the media in society.

"My office will work with the media community, non-governmental sector and experts to develop a model of self-regulation that best suits the media landscape in the country," said Mijatović after a series of meeting with owners, managers and editors from local media outlets: the Pobjeda, Dan, Vijesti and Dnevne Novine newspapers; the Monitor weekly; the portals Analitika, Cafemontenegro and PCNEN, as well as the Secretary General of the Media Council for Self-regulation.

This initiative is a direct follow-up to her official visit to Montenegro on 2 July 2014. It was agreed that the next meeting to discuss the principles of self-regulation and the action plan will take place in autumn in the office of the Representative in Vienna.

Mijatović also welcomed yesterday's arrest of two suspects over the attempted murder of journalist Tufik Softić in 2007.

"It is very good...

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