AA15CR24ADD2

AS (2015) CR 24
Addendum 2

2015 ORDINARY SESSION

________________________

(Third part)

REPORT

Twenty-fourth sitting

Wednesday 24 June 2015 at 3.30 p.m.

Joint Debate:

Increasing transparency of media ownership
Media responsibility and ethics in a changing media environment

The following texts were submitted for inclusion in the official report by members who were present in the Chamber but were prevented by lack of time from delivering them.

Ms SOTNYK (Ukraine) – I welcome the fact that the Assembly is addressing the burning issue of media responsibility, ethics and the transparency of media ownership. I particularly thank Ms Bilgehan and Mr Ariev, who prepared the reports on the aforesaid problems, and stress the importance we attach to this issue.

Thomas Carlyle cited Edmund Burke’s assertion during a 1787 parliamentary debate that the media are a fourth estate. I definitely agree with this statement because the press in a democratic, free country should hold the political establishment to account. I stress that the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe is not the only institution concerned with the transparency of media ownership. Last week, a law on “Transparency of media ownership” passed its first reading in the Ukrainian Parliament, which shows that Ukraine has already taken steps to match international and European standards.

I totally agree with Mr Ariev’s view that it is now extremely necessary to remind parliaments and governments in Europe of the need to give the media freedom to organise their own professional ethics. Journalists should be responsible for drafting ethics standards. The quality of the media is defined by certain components – accuracy, fairness, impartiality, honesty – that place responsibility for drafting a code of ethics in the hands of the professionals who contribute to its production. However, no global code has been adopted by most major journalism associations and news organisations. If there is no global code or conception of ethics, how can we deal with the following burning issues: news manipulation in the media; public interest versus the right to information; privacy and media; conflict with the law in respect of matters such as the protection of confidential news sources; and isolation from media society for violation of ethics? When there are no legal boundaries and rules in the media, it can lead to the dissemination of hard propaganda and lies.

In democracies, journalists enjoy protected rights and privileges that ensure the freedom to establish diverse media outlets, to move in public to collect facts and views, to disseminate news, and to demand accountability. In turn, journalists must act responsibly. They must operate with a clear conscience and transparent objectives. The media are a tool and, in the wrong hands, they can cause damage. Therefore we should support and encourage the fair players in the media.