Press Release by AZIR, the Romanian Section of AEJ

06.05.2014

World Press Freedom Day in Bucharest

The Association of Independent Journalists of Romania (AZIR) Romanian section of the Association of European Journalists (AEJ) held a critical public debate on the theme " Freedom of the press: What press? What freedom?”on Monday, May 5 2014, at the National Library in Bucharest on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day" . The event was moderated by Teodora Stanciu and Stelian Negrea, respectively the president and secretary of AZIR secretary. It was attended by journalists, leading Romanian cultural figures, students at the Faculty of Journalism, journalism professorsand others.

Speakers expressed strong dissatisfaction with the way the current mass-media landscape looks --dominated by television channels that do not comply with the code of ethics for journalists and owned bya few media moguls who are using these media outlets in their own interest and not in the public interest. ”It has been said that when evil is hardly noticedit can be fixed, and when it is easy to see it cannot be repaired”, said Dan Grigore,a former member of the National Audiovisual Council (CNA ).“This is the audio-visual situation inRomanian. I was for 12 years a member of the CNA and I tried to lead this battle ( ... ) In addition to the presence of the prevailing opinion and interpretation at the expense of information , which we observe even in the western television, we [in Romania] have added “mioritic” (n.r. as a romanian mark)the intellectual feeding (n.r. as fodder, foddering) of the masses because there are many who want that – they want to know what they should say , what to say “bon ton” "

Catalin- Theodore Dogaru of AZIR questioned whether the press longer serves the public interest. Doina Jela made a crucial distinction between the public interest and the interest of the public: media looked to exploit the momentary interests of the public, all of it induced by the media, manipulating it in one direction or another.

Journalism Professor Antonio Momoc argued that there is an increasingly lively local news alternative in the media market dominated by television. "We have an increasing number of journalists who left the big news media companies and formed alternative media, funded from various sources starting from donations and including NGOs. These journalists do not do this job for the money, but to serve the public interest. And here comes the question: do the traditional media still serve the public interest?”

Professor Sorin Alexandrescu of the University of Bucharest remarked: " When I heard the title of this debate , I felt that we had retreated to life in the 90s, when it appeared that with the fall of communism media and information would be completely free ( ... ) . This pessimism is not specific only to us the Romanians, but is present in the West; the essential problem is that television does not look at reality, but at other TVstations. If we conclude that the situation here is like in the West, then what we really want? Do we want a free press? We have it. Do we want a media to say whatever it wants? We have it. Then what displeases us? I think we lack a cause for which to fight, not freedom of the press or a lack of information".

Professor of Political Science, Radu Carp discussed the important role of the media in shaping the young generation: " For the younger generation to become, for example, a political scientist (not political analyst, as they are presented in the political talk-shows from various TV networks), the model is actually an amalgam of politician and journalist. They want this because they find it in the media, and this is the responsibility of the media: The media should present the right models for today's youth, so that they can be clearly guided about the profession".

Other interventions - Laura Ilinca, Adrian Sturdza, Mariana Bucovanu,and Dan Petre Popa - referred to independent investigative journalism, saying it is unfortunately unpaid,and blogs and bloggers have no stable means of support.

Young participants in the dialogue have proved that the press does have freedom of expression, but we have to understand the latter not only a right, but rather as a responsibility of the journalist to the public.

One of the conclusions of this extensive debate was that journalism means a constant battle for serving the public interest,and the CAN as an institution has the duty to observe any excesses in journalistic behavior andtreat them all equally regardless of the form or character of the media outlet.

Speakers in the debate included Dan Grigore, formerly of CAN; Gelu Trandafir, another ex-CAN member and a current member of the FreedomHouse; Radu Carp, Professor at the Faculty of Political Science , University of Bucharest; Antonio Momoc - Professor of journalism at the Faculty of Journalism and Communication , Livius Ciocarlie - literary critic , Sorin Alexandrescu - Professor at the Center of Excellence in image Study at the University of Bucharest, Ana Blandiana - chairman of the Civic Academy Foundation , Romulus Rusan - Director of the International Center for Studies of Communism , Tania Radu - journalist "Free Europe" , Mihaela Danga - Center for Independent Journalism, Sorin Lavric - cultural journalist , Peter Guran - historian, Ioana Boca - Executive Director Civic Academy, Petrişor Obae and Carmen Andronache from " paginademedia.ro " Andrei Moisoiu and Loredana Baciu from"DC News”, Dan Petre Popa - freelance journalist, Mariana Bucovanu - economist, Mugur Popovici - Ministry of Economy , Adrian Valentin Moise - united union employees in Radio Romania , Daniela Manute - Radio Romania News Geanina Vatcovici , Priestess Corina Mihai Alexandru Catalin Anca Arambaşu and Evelina albic - students at the Faculty of Journalism and Communication , Florentin Streche - National Library librarian were among the more than 70 participants , along with members of AZIR including Doina Jela, Catalin Teodor Dogaru, Florin Esanu, Adrian Sturdza , Laura Ilica , Oana - Georgiana Enăchescu .

Stelian Negrea

Secretary AZIR