South East Europe Media Conference participants call for urgent action to protect journalists and improve media freedom

“Many journalists continue to be harassed, threatened and attacked for their work, and crimes against journalists mostly remain unpunished. Impunity is unacceptable,” Désir said.The conference participants called for each attack and threat against a journalist to be fully and transparently investigated. “It is the responsibility of the state to ensure that all perpetrators are face the full extent of the law,” Désir stated.The conference also focused on working conditions of journalists, independence and sustainability of public service broadcasters, which has to be guaranteed, media self-regulation, improving professional standards, the impact of digitalization on media and the issue of “fake news” in the region.The participants highlighted the major problem of political interference in the media sphere in many countries, including through economic and administrative measures, and stressed the need to create more space for real pluralism and development of independent media.“Governments and policymakers have to foster and protect an independent and diverse press. There is a need for a clear understanding of the essential role of media in a democracy, this is why attacks on media freedom must be treated as an attack on society as a whole,” Desir said. “In light of so many challenges and threats, it is also necessary to strengthen solidarity among journalists.”Following the conference, conclusions and recommendations will be sent to the authorities of the different countries to help shape policies which support media freedom as a key element of democracy in the region.The South East Europe Media Conference (#SEEMC) was organized by the Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media in co-operation with the OSCE Mission to Skopje, and support from the OSCE Field Operations in South-Eastern Europe.

https://www.osce.org/representative-on-freedom-of-media/380941