The time has come to talk about journalism. I think that in recent months we have been restoring the meaning of the profession, by stating that we can no longer let it be used. We are speaking loudly about standards. This was stated by journalist Maria Tsantsarova in the studio of “In Focus“.
“It is extremely important to touch journalism with clean hands, as it is a defining part of society. The journalist's position is heard through the questions. I have no need to state a political position. The journalist's role is to clarify the positions of his guests and confront them with the facts. The only bias should be towards the viewer and the public interest“, she stressed.
Tsantsarova added that expectations for journalists are growing and the main issue is not in the platform, but in the content. “The truth is where there is someone to fight for it and uphold the principles of the profession“, she added. And she pointed out that she follows a model inspired by the Slovak journalist Michal Kovačić, who was removed from the air after stating that there was censorship in his media. “He and his colleagues turned to the public and there this model worked – citizens became their employers“, explained Tsantsarova.
For his part, journalist Konstantin Valkov stated that the concept of complete impartiality is a myth. “People often confuse pure journalism with impartiality. Sometimes disinformation is hidden behind this idea. The important thing is that journalism is based on values,“ he stressed.
According to Valkov, a journalist must have a position, otherwise he would be presenting disinformation. “Freedom in digital media requires even stricter adherence to standards,“ he added.
“It is important for a journalist to go through the experience of working in a media organization – this is key to building him as a professional,” concluded Valkov.