Activity Details (ID# 5248)

Activity Synopsis

The key objectives were:
• to discuss the local and national practice with respect to corruption and the local press, both in the community and within the newspaper itself;
• to start a dialogue with local authorities about the relationship between the press and the government and to present successful practices from other countries.
 

The participants, who were mostly veterans of several years of trying to keep an independent press alive in the towns and villages of Romania, described both the successes and frustrations they had witnessed in recent years.

Another key topic was avoiding “reader fatigue” by making sure newspapers did not overload readers or leave them behind in these efforts. Suggestions included maintaining a transparent professionalism in the handling of the stories, avoiding the blackmailing of sources and offering readers a chance to have their own say about such matters on the pages of the newspaper.

Otilian Neagoe, Prefect for the Transylvania region, noted that Romania was rife with corruption. He emphasised the key role of the press to try to promote a transparent and honest relationship with the public, and especially with young people, whom he saw as the hope for a less corrupt future.

Participants discussed the conclusions from a similar meeting organised in Ukraine by the Council of Europe and the European Commission, noting that the problems were very similar.

Cornelius Popa, who defends journalists regularly on a pro-bono basis, provided an update on the activities of COM, which included proposals to create a press council, work towards a more reasonable VAT level for the press and work towards a definition of journalist. Dr McMane strongly cautioned against setting legal requirements on who can or cannot be a journalist as highly limiting to press freedom and a move that could backfire. The group was to meet later in October to consider corruption and the press on a national level.
A key result of this event was the realisation for the participants that they were not alone, that colleagues all over the country were fighting the same fight despite set-backs - and with some successes. They also realised that mutual support is a key function of any newspaper association, especially for newspapers outside the capital city who are otherwise very isolated.
The round-table discussion also provided important background information for the representative who would attend the meeting of the Convention of Media Organisations in Romania the following week.

 

The publishers and editors made suggestions for follow-up action including the use of self-regulation to combat corruption within newspapers, providing legal protection for journalists and better informing readers about what the public can do to fight corruption.

 

Editors and publishers of Romanian local newspapers 

Aralynn McMane, Director of Development and Education, World Association of Newspapers (WAN)
Jerzy Jurecki, Editor and Publisher of Tyrodnik Podhanske Weekly, Poland
Cornelius Popa, Representative of the local press to the Romanian Convention of Media Organisations (COM)
Otilian Neagoe, Prefect for the Transylvania Region