World Press Freedom
NARRATION
Free media =
is
the key to a free society. Every year across the world, on 3 May we celebr=
ate
the fundamental principles of press freedom. The slogan of this year=92s W=
orld
Press Freedom Day is =93Let Journalism Thrive!=94 and one of its themes is=
=93better
reporting=94.
Creating an
environment where quality journalism can thrive depends on various factors=
=96
such as good working conditions for journalists, professional standards of
reporting, independence from political pressure and a plurality of media o=
wnership.
In Kosovo, some of these conditions are still not being met. The Head of
Association of Kosovo Journalists, Zekirja Shabani, says:
SOUNDBITE
Zekirja Shabani =96 Head of Association of Kosovo
Journalists
Initially, the labor law needs to be implemented,=
since
many journalists are working in very difficult working conditions, they wo=
rk
without contracts, with very low salaries. Their labor rights are violated
every day, labor inspectorate does not do their duty. Journalists are thre=
atened,
blackmailed, insulted and attacked. While we have reported cases and their
cases remain in the police and prosecution shelves and we don=92t have a
conclusion what happened to these cases.
NARRATION
Financial pressures on the media also have an imp=
act
on the quality of their reporting, as Imer Mushkolaj of the Head of the Bo=
ard
of the Kosovo Press Council explains:
SOUNDBITE
Imer Mushkolaj, Head of the Board of Kosovo Press
Council
01:15 =93Unfortunately, we are in a very bad situ=
ation,
we have print media that barely survive and on other hand we have media th=
at have
financial sustainability. However, this does not mean that these media can
continue in this way. Of course the working environment of journalists and=
the
media is not favorable at all, here I have in mind that all the media - si=
nce we
are talking about print media I will be focusing on them - are subject to =
many
pressures, which are not necessarily political pressures, but they are also
economic pressures that are connected with politics.=94
NARRATION
The Press Council of Kosovo and the Independent M=
edia
Commission were established about ten years ago. Chairman of Independent M=
edia
Commission, Adnan Merovci, says that as an independent constitutional regu=
lator
of the audio =96visual media they have drafted legislation concerning aspe=
cts of
self-regulation of the media, as a way of raising standards.
SOUNDBITE <= o:p>
Adnan Merovci: Chairman of IMC
=A0=93We =
are more or
less guardians of implementation of the law, which allows for free media to
exist, but it does not necessarily happen. This legislation and this custo=
dy of
legislation is a guarantee for free media. Also, the media itself should b=
e the
ones who need to exercise the freedom of press.=94
The Head of
Association of Kosovo Journalists, Zekirja Shabani, says that a better
education system is also necessary for the advancement of the media in Kos=
ovo,
to ensure journalists are properly trained.
SOUNDBITE
Also the
education system is one of the factors that could influence in the profess=
ional
advancement of the media, while often we should be self-critical, but the
origin of that professional weakness is maybe in the University or at scho=
ol,
that is a burden of institutions to invest more in raising of education
capacities, to produce better journalists, more professional journalists, =
but
these good journalists should work in professional media, which, unfortuna=
tely
have a lack of investments and often because of this lack of investments t=
hey
grow along certain group of interest dependable from the need of investmen=
ts.
NARRATION
As the UN Secretary General, the Director General of UNE=
SCO
and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said in a joint statement f=
or
World Press Freedom Day: =93Quality journalism enables citizens to make in=
formed
decisions about their society=92s development. It also works to expose inj=
ustice,
corruption, and the abuse of power.=93