Today an online meeting was held with the media workers from the region of Pelagonija on the topic of Media Reporting in COVID-19 Circumstances – CMEM Experiences.
‘Sensationalistic informing, insufficient data verification and lack of distance from the political entities while reporting are the main challenges that the media encountered during the COVID-19 circumstances’, highlighted the Director of CMEM, Ms. Marina Tuneva. Additionally, CMEM as a self-regulatory body had to act out of the standard framework of action beyond its role of reviewing any complaints lodged and organize debates, trainings and engage the local media as its partners.
‘Most of the complaints are filed by citizens and civil society organizations and mainly refer to media contents related to reporting on the COVID crisis. Last year we received a total of 140 complaints out of which 109 decisions were resolved, 18 complaints were classified as unjustified whereas 13 complaints were resolved by virtue of mediation, i.e. reconciliation between the parties. As for 2021, up to present date, 95 complaints have been received and this is an increase of 30% compared to the same time period last year’, stated Mr. Daniel Dimitrieski, the Program and Complaints Coordinator of CMEM.
The journalists from the Pelagonija region stated that an initial distinction is to be made between professional and unprofessional media in the first place in order to discuss a higher level of professionalism in media. Furthermore, they underlined the inaccessibility of data on the part of certain public institutions especially at the time of onset of the pandemic that led to creation of a vast number of issues with reference to timely and efficient informing of the public from these local areas.
Moreover, the participants highlighted the necessity of direct engagement of the business sector in the acquisition and upgrading of their knowledge as regards the concept of self-regulation, and in particular in terms of building their capacities for recognition of professional and credible media.
This event is within the framework of the Project Support to Freedom of Expression in the Media in North Macedonia implemented by CMEM with the support of the EU Delegation to the Republic of North Macedonia.