The media as guardians of democracy

By Maja Jovanovska

There is no better definition of journalism than the one that describes the profession as a public good. The protection of the public interest and the struggle and promotion of human rights are rooted in the core of every Code of Ethics for Journalists, including the Macedonian one.

It is not only the list of human rights and freedoms that we usually enumerate and that must be provided for a society to be called democracy at all, but also of a fundamental right that is often neglected in importance, and that is the right of the citizen to be timely, objectively and accurately informed.

So, building a professional information system is not only an obligation of the media and the state, but also a right of the citizens.

Every citizen, every conscious and socially active individual must have access to real information on the basis of which he can build views and judge all important processes. Opinions and courts are absolutely personal and free, but the facts from which they should emerge should be clear and free from party or business glazes.

"When this channel of information faces blockades (non-transparency and autocracy) or distortions of various kinds (misinformation, propaganda and manipulative content), not only democracy or media freedoms are violated, but also human rights. When we look at things this way, it may be clear to us that the battle for free media and professional journalism is much bigger and more complex than the journalistic profession itself, because it is not only contained in the very pillars of modern societies, but, along with economic freedom, a guarantee for all other freedoms ", says Katerina Sinadinovska, President of the Management Board of the Council for Media Ethics in Macedonia.

That is why journalism is and must be treated as a public good, as a mission, not just a vocation or business, as a process of growth and construction, of connection and education, of cultivation and enrichment of both social actors and the public narrative in general.

The obligation for this to be well guaranteed and protected is of course in the media themselves, then in the institutions of the system, but also in the citizens themselves, who should also be aware that they have a serious role, as in the condemnation and defactorization of the working media, beyond professional standards, as well as in support of bright examples, who know exactly the craft and the mission.

"The mission of journalism is to protect the public interest, to be a guard dog of the public interest, to constantly keep an eye on politicians, institutions, interest groups that have some power, to notice and reveal injustices. Journalists, although unfortunately this is not always the case, should work only in the interest of the citizens, the weaker, those whose voice is less often heard, the disadvantaged, the marginalized, to reveal problems in the system and institutions," said Daruridanski from the Independent Trade Union of journalists and media workers in Macedonia.

According to this year's Reporters Without Borders report on media freedom, the Republic of North Macedonia has jumped 2 places on this list and is now ranked 90th out of 180 countries in the world, which, although a small improvement, is still a disappointing position.

The media scene in Macedonia hardly shows signs of recovery after many years of stagnation and systematic destruction. For a whole decade, they were treated as a propaganda tool of the authorities, which contributed to their deviation from their basic function, which is information. Instead of being a civil service in order to improve the anomalies in the society, many of them were a political service in order to build party ratings.

"Although there are now signs of improvement in the area of ​​media freedoms and freedom of speech, it is still too early to talk about the media as a public good. The media bosses are to blame for that, but also the lack of political will to create a truly independent media market, in a competition with quality, ideas, and programs. There is a need for reform in the media sector, but there is also a need for reform in the mentality of the people who run the media, the owners, directors and editors who must understand that working in the media is not the same as working in a market, company or bazaar. "Owners must understand that the media is a public good, a shared property with the citizens, a collective story in which the responsibility is much greater," said Mladen Cadikovski, president of the Association of Journalists of Macedonia.

The importance of independent and professional media has become especially important in the context of the global health crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has tossed out all the virtues and weaknesses of journalism.

Professional versus propaganda journalism is today more than ever a challenge for all journalists in all countries of the world. Responsible and professional journalism in this crisis situation has proved to be crucial in terms of informing the citizens. The fight against misinformation, which has proved to be particularly harmful in such challenging times, is possible only by producing objective and accurate information and transparent work of the authorities and state institutions.

The public interest is to have a safe, healthy and fully functional society. In a democracy, journalism plays a central role. It gives people the information they need to participate in the democratic process.

Journalism is not for journalists, nor for the government and politicians. It belongs to the citizens and in every published information the media should be guided only by the public interest.