Press Council and Journalists’ Union in Moldova will organize round tables in Chisinau, Balti and Cahul regarding the update of deontological code for journalists. The project is sponsored by the EU and the Council of Europe, Info-prim Neo reports.

Dumitru Lazur, program coordinator within the Council of Europe and European Union Joint Programme on Democracy Support, has announced the project would be presented for debates to representatives of the press and of the civil society. 

After the Code is elaborated, information campaigns regarding document’s contents will be initiated for both citizens and journalists. The updated deontology will be promoted through brochures and info spots. “We hope that representatives of various press associations will finally reach an agreement regarding the document, a complete deontological code for Moldovan journalists, adjusted to the latest media realities”, Lazur said. 

Tallinn, 13 September 2010 – The members of the Moldovan Press Council are studying the experience of the Estonian Press Council in the field of media self-regulation during a study visit, organised in the framework of the Joint Programme between the European Union and the Council of Europe entitled “Democracy Support Programme in Moldova’ (сomponent - Support to the development of a pluralist media).

The event started today with presentation of the activity of the Estonian Press Council. The chairman of Estonian Press Council Mr. Sulev Valner shared with his colleagues from the Republic of Moldova some tips for examination of complains against the media in connection with articles in breach with the Code of Ethics.

Mrs. Ludmila Andronic, the charwomen of the Moldovan Press Council, declared during the opening session that she is sure that the study visit to Estonia will be very useful for the future development of Moldovan Press Council as a media self-regulatory mechanism.

The Press Council from Republic of Moldova calls upon all mass-media institutions from the country to hinder the spreading of defamatory messages contained in comments posted by visitors on websites and in sms texts sent during live shows.

After examining similar cases during the sitting from May 6th this year, the Press Council issued a common appeal to all mass-media institutions from the country, urging mass-media to take additional measures for moderating messages (sms and comments to articles from websites) which contain direct attack upon the person, xenophobe statements, licentious language, other discriminatory and defamatory texts. In such a way, potential cases of blaming for defamation by means of mass-media shall be avoided, and press institutions shall prove their accountability towards the public.

The Press Council from Republic of Moldova would like to make an appeal to journalists and mass-media institutions with the request to observe copyrights and avoid plagiarism in their journalistic activity.

The Press Council recommends the modality employed by several European Union members regarding the free-of-charge taking-over of materials, consisting of borrowing utmost 500 characters, without exceeding half of the article or news item. In such cases, it is compulsory to quote the source and author of information, and present the direct link to the source. The integral taking-over of articles or news items can be done only basing on an agreement concluded with owner of the copyright.

Ludmila Andronic, editor-in-chief of „Business class” magazine, was appointed as Chairwoman of Press Council from Republic of Moldova during the first sitting of the Council dated with Friday, January 22nd, 2010.

During the sitting, Press Council members examined the Regulation on Council’s activity, including the operation mechanism, criteria of acceptance and ways of settling disputes arisen between publications and media consumers. 

Press Council members voted unanimously for the appointment of Mrs. Ludmila Andronic as Chairwoman of the Council, the lady being the editor-in-chief of economic magazine „Business class”. The Chairwoman expressed her gratitude for the trust and urged all Council members to develop a strong cooperation to the benefit of press and media consumers from Moldova.

Also during the same sitting, the members approved the decision on the adherence of Press Council from R. Moldova to the European Alliance of Independent Press Councils.