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Moscow hosts conference â€œSecuring the future of journalism in Eastern Europeâ€ - PHOTO

Moscow hosts conference â€œSecuring the future of journalism in Eastern Europeâ€ - <font color=red>PHOTO</font>

09 December 2010 11:11 (UTC +04:00)

Moscow. Nurshan Guliyev â€“ APA. Conference on the theme â€œSecuring the future of journalism in Eastern Europeâ€ is being held in Moscow, the capital of Russia. APAâ€™s correspondent reports from Moscow that the conference is organized by the International Federation of Journalists, Russian Union of Journalists and Journalism Network. Representatives from Russia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Moldova, Georgia and Armenia, civil society, human rights defenders are attending the conference that started on December 8.

Richard Tynen, Programme Director of the Thomson Foundation, Alexander Gorbenko, Moscow deputy mayor for mass media, sports and tourism and Vsevolod Bogdanov, head of Russian Union of Journalists greeted the participants of the conference and expressed their hope that the conference will be effective.

Touching on the present state of the Russian media Gorbenko said the situation is indeed difficult. He said the level of the freedom of media should not be linked to its independence from economic aspect.
â€œI do not agree with those who consider that the economically independent media is free. I think that media can be free in the atmosphere of political competition. Media should not work on order. But now it is quite to the contrary. Some media outlets are even in worse condition than the government structures,â€ he said.

Gorbenko said the new Moscow government called on media to cooperation.
â€œThe new government of Moscow supports cooperation with the mass media,â€ he said.

Aidan White, Secretary General Secretary of the International Federation of Journalists addressed the conference in capacity of the main reporter. In his report on the theme â€œCampaign for the future of the journalism in Eastern Europeâ€ Aidan White underlined the importance of approaching the future journalism globally. He said journalists all over the world face crises.
â€œThe economic crisis should be noted first of all. The financial crisis has also had a negative influence on mass media. The next crisis that the journalism faces appears in connection with the structural changes. Structural changes make it necessary to establish new relations and this creates problems for the people to get information. Another important factor that causes crisis is professionalism,â€ he said.

Speaking about internet journalism, he noted that it has both positive and negative aspects: â€œLetâ€™s have a look at reports of â€œWikileaksâ€. â€œWikileaksâ€ showed weak sides of internet. It was proved again that Internet releases information but does not comment on it. Some problems appear as the issues are not clarified.

White said that he didnâ€™t agree with those, who consider press as a guarantee for democracy. He said that there are many problems in Eastern Europe in the area of journalism: â€œCulture of political tolerance is a new factor in the countries of this region. Journalists become the victims of impunity, they are frightened and pressured. Their rights are not ensured in a necessary level by judicial authorities. Let me note only one fact that about 200 facts of threatening against journalists was registered in Russia within a year. Impunity environment in Russia regularly results with pressures against journalists. One should solve this problem asap. The fact of journalistsâ€™ beatings creates anxiety. Russian President Dmitri Medvedev also condemned the fact of journalistsâ€™ beatings and pressure on them. We appreciate it. But, unfortunately, the word is not enough. The government should take measures in order to prevent such cases. Some journalists work in hard conditions.

Chief of International Federation of Journalists said that he was very concerned about the events taken place over the last two decades: â€œSometimes there occur problems which depress a man. We have lost these 20 years. We have not achieved serious progress concerning democracy. We have not established real independent journalism.

He emphasized that itâ€™s high time to get rid of past stereotypes: â€œIf we donâ€™t take such step, we will not have a future. We must think of new approaches, new strategies, we should conclude an alliance with public representatives, contact and work with them. We should develop journalism as a public value. If we protect certain values, we will win publicâ€™s confidenceâ€

The event participants exchanged their views on â€œBringing power structures to responsibilityâ€, â€œThe journalistsâ€™ safety. Struggle against impunityâ€, â€œStruggle against limitation of rights and censorshipâ€.

The conference will end today.