DUSHANBE, February 26, Asia-Plus – A two-day training formally titled “Journalists Code of Ethics: International Standards and Problems of Professional Ethics in Tajikistan” concluded in Dushanbe Sunday evening.
The training was staged by the United Nations Tajikistan Office of Peace-Building (UNTOP) and Fredrick Ebert Foundation in Tajikistan.
The UNTOP head Vladimir Sotirov telling the meeting noted that in order to provide society with interesting information journalists should familiarize themselves with international experience, know laws of the country and international standards, as well as observe journalism ethics.
During the training it was noted that while there are most share common elements including the principles of truthfulness, accuracy, objectivity, impartiality, fairness and public accountability, various existing codes have some differences.
International trainer, Professor Viktor Monakhov, said that it is impossible to copy experience of other countries on the professional journalists code of ethics because each country has its individual features. Monakhov told the training about models of self-regulation of activity of media and international principles of journalism.
Participants in the training seminar exchanged views on typical ethical errors of media in Tajikistan, including plagiarism, publication of apocryphal information, disrespect for their colleagues, etc.
Professor Ibrohim Usmonov acted as trainer on the subject of “Freedom and Responsibility, Rights and Duties of Journalists.”
The training participants projected recommendations on draft Tajik journalists ethics code and mechanism of observance of it.
Journalism ethics and standards include principles of ethics
and of good practice to address the specific challenges faced by professional journalists. Historically and currently these principles are most widely known to journalists as their professional “code of ethics” or the “canons of journalism.” The basic codes and canons commonly appear in statements drafted by both professional journalism associations and individual print, broadcast, and online news organizations.
