International Press Institute (IPI) World Congress

Crisis of investigative journalism

One of the most interesting discussions was on the subject of the possibility of journalists' international cooperation and their mutual work on investigative stories. Analytic journalism is jeopardised by pressure and the scarcity of money, is this session's conclusion, which implies the lack of money and understanding. Such projects reveal human trafficking, drugs trafficking and other forms of criminal activities, so that the journalists themselves wonder what the possibilities, and especially the effects of their explorations are


By MARKO ANDREJIĆ
from Belgrade, SERBIA


The International Press Institute (IPI) World Congress and 57th General Assembly are held in Belgrade's Sava Centre from 14th until 17th June. The Congress was officially opened by the President of Serbia Boris Tadic during the ceremony in the National Assembly of Serbia, and Belgrade was the host of global media elite those days - several hundreds of most prominent journalists, editors and managers led the discussion on the most topical media subjects, such as: media images of our neighbours, international prospects of reconciliation process, whether race for profit stifles the media and media freedoms, and what is the prospect of the new media and new technologies.

This year's Congress was organized by Belgrade's Media Center, with the help of the City of Belgrade, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Economy and Regional Development, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Tourist Organizations of Serbia and Belgrade, and with the support of the President of Serbia. After a working part the participants had a chance to visit the most interesting locations and meet Belgrade's spirit.

IPI is the oldest international organization for the promotion of free press which gathers leading editors and journalists from all over the world. From its establishment in 1950, it is dedicated to the protection of freedom of thinking and speech, development and improvement of free information flow, advancement of journalists' practice. David Dadge, the Director of this organization, considers that the pressure put on the media in Serbia is similar to the one the media in other East European countries were exposed to, but it is expected that with Serbia joining the European Union, the environment will positively influence the media situation in Serbia. He thinks that pressure is still political cause, but that by strengthening of commercial element, pressure of business world will rise more and more. He particularly stressed the IPI's concern about unsolved cases of murders and attacks on journalists.

SEEMO (South East Europe Media Organization) Secretary General Oliver Vujovic, assessed that the improvement was evident, but that the country had to do more for the protection of journalists, especially the colleagues who dealt with investigative journalism and were exposed to threats and attacks. "Also, the media owners often put pressure which is absolutely unacceptable and it is important for the public to be informed about it." The presence of the foreign media owners contribute to the rise of professional standards, but it has to be taken into account that they primarily intend to profit.

Within the session dealing with media commercialization and the influence of the race for profit on media freedoms, the participants discussed the necessity for financial justification of media business. Michael Ringier, Chairman of the Board, media enterprise Ringier AG, Zurich, emphasized that only exclusive information or photographs could, from now on, be sold by newspapers, that is the contents that neither others possessed, nor could be found on the Internet, nor in free newspapers. The new media and new technologies set new professional standards, but the owners and media managers consider profit essential as well as in any other field.

- If profit is not fatal for bakery, automobile or any other industry, but it helps their further development, why would it be unacceptable in the media? - wondered Vuslat Dogan Sabanci, the Chief Executive of Turkish "Hurriyet". She assesses that profit is exactly the best media protection from various pressure and side influences. Nevertheless, among the journalists participating in discussion the opinion that the race for money, announcers and profit negatively influence media contents and journalists' freedom to investigate sensitive subjects which are very important for readers (public interest) predominated.

One of the most interesting discussions was on the subject of the possibility of journalists' international cooperation and their mutual work on investigative stories. Analytic journalism is jeopardised by pressure and the scarcity of money, is this session's conclusion, which implies the lack of money and understanding. Such projects reveal human trafficking, drugs trafficking and other forms of criminal activities, so that the journalists themselves wonder what the possibilities, and especially the effects of their explorations are.

International Press Institute also held 57th General Assembly where several resolutions were adopted: about the unsolved journalists' murders and press freedom in Serbia, about journalists' freedom to report on natural disasters, about the freedom of speech in Zimbabwe, arresting of journalists in South Africa, bomb attack on All Coreo and about greater and greater pressure at protecting the source of information.


(Published: 10.07.2008.)