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Рy04 December 2014
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Interview with Jerzy Pomianowski, Executive Director of the European Endowment for Democracy
BNS: Your organization actively supports independent mass media. What risks for the development of mass media do you see in Moldova?
Jerzy Pomianowski: Moldova, unlike Belarus or Azerbaijan, has freedom of speech. People have access to information through the press, and journalists can write on topics of public interest. It is an extremely valuable thing that must be maintained. The greatest danger for Moldova in terms of freedom of the press is the risk to repeat Ukraine’s experience, where mass media have undergone oligarchisation and the main sources of information are concentrated in the hands of 5-6 richest people of the country. You should maintain small but active outlets that provide independent information. They are barriers to oligarchisation of the press – some of the factors that can stop commercialization and oligarchisation of the press. I think it is the greatest danger for Moldovan mass media.
Jerzy Pomianowski: Moldova, unlike Belarus or Azerbaijan, has freedom of speech. People have access to information through the press, and journalists can write on topics of public interest. It is an extremely valuable thing that must be maintained. The greatest danger for Moldova in terms of freedom of the press is the risk to repeat Ukraine’s experience, where mass media have undergone oligarchisation and the main sources of information are concentrated in the hands of 5-6 richest people of the country. You should maintain small but active outlets that provide independent information. They are barriers to oligarchisation of the press – some of the factors that can stop commercialization and oligarchisation of the press. I think it is the greatest danger for Moldovan mass media.
BNS: There are cases when we know that a certain person owns a certain media outlet. How can we obtain the documents proving this fact, if real owners often hide in offshore zones or companies are controlled by straw persons?
Jerzy Pomianowski: Ownership transparency must be ensured in mass media like in any other business. Transparent business is a first step towards combating corruption. After finding out the owners and their interests and analyzing the content, it becomes much clearer why a television criticizes only a certain politician or businessman: because they are enemies or main rivals.
Jerzy Pomianowski: Ownership transparency must be ensured in mass media like in any other business. Transparent business is a first step towards combating corruption. After finding out the owners and their interests and analyzing the content, it becomes much clearer why a television criticizes only a certain politician or businessman: because they are enemies or main rivals.
BNS: How were the problems of transparency solved in other countries?
Jerzy Pomianowski: Every country solves the problem of ownership transparency and freedom of expression differently. Some countries chose the following solution: the owner and editor-in-chief are completely independent from each other. The editor-in-chief works under a contract that clearly stipulates rights and responsibilities, which makes them de facto owners of media outlets. Thus, the law expressly provides that the owner has no right to interfere with editorial policy, and the editor-in-chief is free to make decisions in the editorial office. Sure, the owner can terminate contracts with journalists, but it entails some complications. If a businessman wants to hire a good journalist, they will have to accept compromises, and will not allow themselves tell others what to do and what not to do. This is the way towards building independent journalism, even if the owner is of a different opinion.
Jerzy Pomianowski: Every country solves the problem of ownership transparency and freedom of expression differently. Some countries chose the following solution: the owner and editor-in-chief are completely independent from each other. The editor-in-chief works under a contract that clearly stipulates rights and responsibilities, which makes them de facto owners of media outlets. Thus, the law expressly provides that the owner has no right to interfere with editorial policy, and the editor-in-chief is free to make decisions in the editorial office. Sure, the owner can terminate contracts with journalists, but it entails some complications. If a businessman wants to hire a good journalist, they will have to accept compromises, and will not allow themselves tell others what to do and what not to do. This is the way towards building independent journalism, even if the owner is of a different opinion.
BNS: During an electoral campaign it is often difficult to write about certain persons without being accused of bias. What is your opinion about that?
Jerzy Pomianowski: It will always be so, regardless of whether we are in an electoral campaign or not. The subject of a journalistic investigation will always say that if the media write about their being corrupt or involved in dubious affairs, they do so on the order of enemies or political opponents. A solution would be for the press to write about all persons involved in such matters.
Jerzy Pomianowski: It will always be so, regardless of whether we are in an electoral campaign or not. The subject of a journalistic investigation will always say that if the media write about their being corrupt or involved in dubious affairs, they do so on the order of enemies or political opponents. A solution would be for the press to write about all persons involved in such matters.
European Endowment for Democracy (EED) is an independent institution of the European Union, which supports, by means of grants for development, local actors of democratic changes in the countries of the European Neighborhood Policy, including mass media in Moldova. This organization is an example of unprecedented support that the European Union offers directly to beneficiaries by implementing a flexible funding mechanism adjusted to the applicants’ needs. Business News Service SRL is one of the beneficiaries of direct assistance from the European Union.
This material appears as part of the IJC project Advocacy for Media Ownership Transparency, Access to Information, Promotion of Values and European Integration, which is, in its turn, part of the Moldova Partnerships for Sustainable Civil Society project, implemented by FHI 360.
The production of this material became possible due to the generous support of the American people, offered through the US Agency for International Development (USAID). The authors’ opinions do not necessarily reflect the position of the USAID or the US Government.
This material appears as part of the IJC project Advocacy for Media Ownership Transparency, Access to Information, Promotion of Values and European Integration, which is, in its turn, part of the Moldova Partnerships for Sustainable Civil Society project, implemented by FHI 360.
The production of this material became possible due to the generous support of the American people, offered through the US Agency for International Development (USAID). The authors’ opinions do not necessarily reflect the position of the USAID or the US Government.
Source: mold-street.com
