#6534
#4
Gazeta
November 5, 2002
FREEDOM OF SPEECH WITH MIKHAIL LESIN
Journalists told to stay in their place
Media Ministry tells journalists how to cover terrorist attacks
Author: Yevgeny Kuzin
[from WPS Monitoring Agency, www.wps.ru/e_index.html]
DEBATES OVER THE ROLE OF THE MEDIA, ITS RESPONSIBILITY, AND THE POSSIBILITY OF CENSORSHIP IN EMERGENCIES BEGAN AS SOON AS HOSTAGES WERE RESCUED. THE MEDIA GUIDELINES FOR JOURNALISTS. THE RECOMMENDATIONS LEAVE NO DOUBTS - THE FREEDOM OF JOURNALISTS WILL BE RESTRICTED EVEN MORE.
The regime praised the media for how it covered the latest terrorist act in Moscow. Sergei Yastrzhembsky even thanked journalists. Meanwhile, the Media Ministry was having a friendly chat with some TV channels and drawing up some recommendations on how terrorism should be covered in future. Results of the ministry's week of work were revealed yesterday. They took the form of a document with the awkward title of "Methodical recommendations on how the media should cover emergencies endangering public safety".
Debates over the role of the media, its responsibility, and the possibility of censorship in emergencies began as soon as hostages were rescued. The Media Ministry declared its intention to organize monitoring of media coverage and come up with some legal and "ethical" evaluation of the performance of journalists. The recommendations it eventually published leave no doubts - the freedom of journalists will be restricted even more, at least during terrorist acts. Everyone expected the Media Ministry to explain in detail the future application of amendments to the anti-terror legislation adopted by the lower house of the parliament last Friday. TV channels do not dispute the necessity to follow standards of professional ethics, much less the necessity to implement the law. They only want a more detailed explanation of the fairly vague phrases used in the legislation.
Unfortunately, in its recommendations the Media Ministry merely repeated major provisions of the law, and did not answer a single question. For example, authors of the document do not allow journalists "to interview terrorists at their own initiative" but do not say a word about whose initiative it is permitted. TV channels are supposed to "be constantly ready to turn off direct coverage" - but who will give the order?
Journalists are supposed to "bear in mind that rescue is more important that the right of society to be informed" and are supposed as well "to announce that some information is not to be disclosed for security considerations." On the other hand, any information may be classified for security considerations, and no one knows who is supposed to regulate the degree of censorship.
Journalists are not permitted, or rather not recommended "to give the opportunity to go on the air without consultations with law enforcement agencies", "to try and get classified information possessed by secret services in charge of the operation", "to deliberately denounce and humiliate the terrorists with hostages", "use unreliable sources of information", or "assume the role of mediators."
The Media Ministry also indicates what kind of job society is expecting from the media. To be more exact, journalists are advised to remember their duty "to inform the public but not to spread panic; to keep an eye on the meaning of what is being said and on exactly how it is said", "not to impede the work of law enforcement agencies and medical and other services", "to avoid non-essential sensationalism or graphic coverage of cruelty and violence, to respect the ethics and religious beliefs of the audience."
Formally, no penalties are specified ignoring the recommendations. On the other hand, the recommendations are almost a carbon copy of the anti-terrorism law, and violating that could earn a media outlet an official warning from the Media Ministry. Mikhail Lesin's ministry expects journalists to accept the recommendations. The document is to be discussed at the next meeting of the Media Industry Committee, set up in September and chaired by Konstantin Ernst, Channel One General Director. The committee may meet to discuss the document "right after the November holidays."
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