Presentation and discussion concerning media transparency needs and possibilities.           

The rapid growth of online media sphere raises the issues related to transparency, self-regulation and professional standards of these media. Therefore, as part of SEE Media Observatory Phase II project, Imer Mushkolaj, president of board of Press Council of Kosovo presented a policy brief: “Transparency, self-regulation and respect for professional standards in online news media”. The author of the brief emphasized the fact that the transparency of online media in terms of information on ownership, names of journalists working for those media, but also in terms of citing the primary sources of information, would contribute to better standards of these media in the whole of this chaotic media landscape.

Agon Maliqi, editor of Sbunker blog platform and one of the panellists of this discussion, said that the creation of an internal and informal database of online media would contribute to the quality of the content of these media and the respect of journalism ethics - which are the main challenges for online media.

Furtuna Sheremeti, legal media expert, pointed out it is important that Press Council of Kosovo has undertaken measures to update its normative acts in accordance to the new environment created by online media. Sheremeti emphasized the fact that the transparency and the respect for journalism ethics should be the main concern for journalists.  

Driton Qeriqi, deputy chairman of Independent Media Commission, shared his view from the aspect of regulation and the challenges of self(regulation) of online media, or hybrid new media. He also pointed out that the creation of a database of online media would help many stakeholders of media scene in Kosovo and beyond.

As a next step of this advocacy action, Press Council of Kosovo decided to establish a database of online media, news agencies and newspapers operating in Kosovo. This internal database will contain main information on news outlets, such as impressum, e-mail and other contact information, year of establishment and similar. The database will be available to the public.