hrvatsko novinarsko društvo croatian journalists' association
Perkovčeva 2 | 10 000 Zagreb | Tel: 482-8333 | Faks: 482-8332 | E-mail: hnd@hnd.hr

Arhiva priopćenja

IFJ osuðuje poteze vodstava medijskih kuæa

27.01.2006.

Media release                          27January2006                                                   

 IFJ in Davos Condemns Media “Blockheads” for Failing to Back QualityJournalism

Mediamanagements who are making ruthless cuts in editorial budgets that underminequality in journalism contribute to an erosion of public trust in media andweaken the economic prospects of the industry, warned the InternationalFederation of Journalists at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Speaking at a panel session on the crisis facing mainstream media, which is being challengedby new and increasingly independent voices, many of them through the Internet,the General Secretary of the IFJ, Aidan White, said that business-drivenjournalism was increasingly incapable of upholding public interest.

“Blurringthe lines between commercial and editorial interests together with cuts inspending on jobs and journalistic work is killing public confidence intraditional media and creating low morale in journalism,” he said.

While someemployers were still committed to the proper balance between good journalism andeconomic imperatives, in much of the industry a form of paralysis had taken overin the face of future challenges. “But as recent scandals have shown, cuttingcorners is not working, we have to get back to quality journalism,” he said.

In a debatewith Arthur Sulzberger Jr. Chairman and Publisher of theNew York Times, James Kelly, ManagingEditor ofTime Magazine, and HuShuli, Editor ofCaijing MagazineinChina, White called for a restorationof values in journalism – “the communication of good, reliable information, asnear the truth as it can be and collected by principled people.”

Sulzbergersupported this view of journalism, but disagreed over the impact of the currenteconomic models of media organisation. “Capitalism is a self-correcting mechanism,” he said, rejecting White’scharge that the current business model was not working.

Whitewelcomed the commitment expressed by Sulzberger and Kelly to keep the faith withtop quality journalism as a key to success in an uncertain future, but he saidmore media owners and managers needed to change their ways. “We must convincethese industry blockheads that cuts which damage quality also accelerate thedecline of the traditional industry,” he said. “That will be disastrous foreveryone – for journalists, for people who invest in media, and for the publicat large.”   


                                                                                    For furtherinformation contact: +32 2 235 22 11
The IFJ represents over 500,000 journalists in more than 110countries

 

Povratak

AKTUALNO