Newsroom
Kosovo media representatives to establish press council
PRISTINA 17 September 2003
PRISTINA, 17 September 2003 - Journalists from throughout Kosovo have agreed during a two-day media rights conference to establish a self-regulatory body and to draw up a code of conduct for the print media.
The conference, which ended today in Pristina, was organized by the OSCE Mission in Kosovo. It was attended by major media executives and representatives from throughout Kosovo.
"Free and responsible media is one of the most fundamental components of a democratic society," said Friedhelm Frischenschlager, Director of the OSCE Mission's Democratization Department. "The active participation of the journalists in discussions and their constructive comments should provide some movement by the media to actively help protecting their freedoms."
The participants, who included the heads of all three Kosovo journalist associations, agreed to work on the establishment of a press council, which will act as a self-regulatory body for the media. The OSCE Mission representatives offered its assistance to the new council, once established.
It was also recommended that a trade union for journalists be set up. Both the Mission and the Temporary Media Commissioner will also facilitate the process to set up a trade union for journalists as well as the first meeting of a working group, which is scheduled for October.
During the meeting, representatives from both Albanian and Serbian language media agreed to improve their co-operation, and to help each other in increasing freedom of movement for journalists throughout Kosovo. "This step aims at increasing mutual trust and confidence and contributes to the quality and reliability of their reporting", said Dardan Gashi, the OSCE's Media Advisor in Kosovo.
The leading international media non-governmental organizations, the International Federation of Journalists and Article 19, fully endorsed the conclusions of the conference and also expressed their willingness to offer their assistance and experience.
The conference, which ended today in Pristina, was organized by the OSCE Mission in Kosovo. It was attended by major media executives and representatives from throughout Kosovo.
"Free and responsible media is one of the most fundamental components of a democratic society," said Friedhelm Frischenschlager, Director of the OSCE Mission's Democratization Department. "The active participation of the journalists in discussions and their constructive comments should provide some movement by the media to actively help protecting their freedoms."
The participants, who included the heads of all three Kosovo journalist associations, agreed to work on the establishment of a press council, which will act as a self-regulatory body for the media. The OSCE Mission representatives offered its assistance to the new council, once established.
It was also recommended that a trade union for journalists be set up. Both the Mission and the Temporary Media Commissioner will also facilitate the process to set up a trade union for journalists as well as the first meeting of a working group, which is scheduled for October.
During the meeting, representatives from both Albanian and Serbian language media agreed to improve their co-operation, and to help each other in increasing freedom of movement for journalists throughout Kosovo. "This step aims at increasing mutual trust and confidence and contributes to the quality and reliability of their reporting", said Dardan Gashi, the OSCE's Media Advisor in Kosovo.
The leading international media non-governmental organizations, the International Federation of Journalists and Article 19, fully endorsed the conclusions of the conference and also expressed their willingness to offer their assistance and experience.