“This initiative stems from the need of jointly mobilizing and harnessing the media power in aspirations to achieve independence in journalism. No government, or political party, should not decide on behalf of the media when it comes to objectivity”, said MarinaTuneva, Director of CMEM.
The text of the Charter is based on the most important and universal principles of the profession, which are equally applicable in all situations, including elections. “We, as CMEM, tried to call upon and go back to the basic journalism, to its essence – accuracy, balance, ethics” said Dragan Antonovski, member of the Steering Committee of the Council.
According to the President of the Complaints Commission of CMEM, Mirce Adamcevski, the document is based on the current practice of receiving a large number of complaints for unprofessionalism and unethical work in the media.
The document includes the principles of truthfulness, objectivity, balance, fairness and neutrality, professional solidarity, editorial independence and professional integrity, respect and tolerance, the principles of freedom and responsibility, and the principle of a clear distinction between information and comments.
The official signing event of the Charter by the media, will be organized on February 12, at the EU InfoCentre in Skopje.