World Press Freedom Day: UNESCO launches new accountable journalism project
Ahead of World Press Freedom Day on May 3, UNESCO launched its new Building Trust in media in South East Europe and Turkey project at an event in Helsinki on Monday with the Ethical Journalism Network and other partners. The project seeks to strengthen freedom of expression, access to information, free, independent and pluralistic media in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey.
The announcement comes just days after Europe’s leading media human rights campaigner, Dunja Mijatović, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe representative for media freedom, told journalists’ leaders in Sarajevo that solidarity in defence of ethics and self-regulation were key to building public trust in media.
Read more here: Solidarity and Self-regulation Vital for Independent Journalism in Europe
The Ethical Journalism Network’s communications officer, Tom Law, met with UNESCO representatives Adeline Hulin and Marius Lukosiunas on Monday to discuss the project with Ljiljana Zurovac, Executive Director of the Bosnia Herzegovina Press Council and Blendi Salaj from the newly established Albanian Media Council.
The Albanian Media Council was founded two months ago and is run by professional journalists on a voluntary basis. The council is especially concerned with ethical issues, such as the media’s treatment and naming of victims of crimes, especially rape victims and the rights of children. A code of ethics has already been adopted and a website created to enable citizens to submit complaints or corrections.
Read more about the project here: Building Trust in Media in South East Europe and Turkey