site.btaSofia University Hosts Ethics in Journalism Forum Organized by Union of Bulgarian Journalists

A discussion titled Journalists and the Media in the Mirror of the Code of Ethics organized by the Union of Bulgarian Journalists in collaboration with Sofia University St Kliment Ohridski was held at the Rectorate of the University on Tuesday.

Snezhana Todorova, Chairperson of the Board of the Union of Bulgarian Journalists, noted that since 2016, the union has been trying to improve working conditions for journalists. Even then, proposals for legislative changes were drafted in connection with the Union of Bulgarian Journalists’ initiative to protect journalistic work. They were submitted to the National Assembly in 2017, but to date, none of the parliament’s sessions has considered these proposals. Among the key points is the assertion that journalism is not a commercial activity and that the media cannot sell information, because it is not a commodity but a human right. However, there are private and state sponsors who exploit it for their own interests, which turns journalism into public relations, she noted. 

Media in Bulgaria should consider their ethical relations with one another, Bulgarian News Agency Director General Kiril Valchev said at the opening of the forum. Valchev drew attention to the bad practice in Bulgarian media in how they treat one another, pointing to the lack of citation in media outlets. He gave as an example the way news is circulated without naming its source. “What is the problem with respecting each other’s work? We do it at BTA and nothing bad has happened to us,” Valchev said.

The moral compass of journalists must not change, Bulgarian National Radio Director General Milen Mitev said at the opening of the discussion. He explained that ethics can be understood more simply as a study of good and evil, or how each individual perceives them, and while such perceptions may change over time, the moral compass of journalists should remain constant. He encouraged young journalists to maintain a strong internal moral compass, as it often provides more reliable guidance than external advice.

Journalists are accountable both to their audiences and to the rules of their profession, Bulgarian National Television Director General Milena Milotinova said at the opening of the forum. "Ethical rules are the foundation of everything. They lie at the core of our work," Milotinova said. According to her, journalists bear responsibility "both to the audience and to the professional standards under which we operate". In the course of their work, journalists often encounter cases that raise complex questions: "practice shows there are moments that prompt us to further develop the rules we have established," she added.

Technological pressure is changing the way news is created, Chair of the Council for Electronic Media Gabriela Naplatanova said at the opening of the discussion. "Technological pressure is changing the way news is created, and the time interval for fact-checking is shrinking," Naplatanova added. She noted that when using artificial intelligence, there must be human oversight at every stage. “We must not forget the basic rules governing a journalist’s duty to present all points of view, avoid bias, show tolerance and act ethically, especially toward victims of violence,” she said, adding that journalists must always be prepared to cover crisis situations.

Speaking at the opening of the forum, Sofia University’s Rector Georgi Valchev said that he hopes for a fruitful discussion, because “there are indeed many issues, in today’s world, media play an even greater role, let us hope they live up to that role”.

The event was attended by Sofia University’s Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication academic staff and journalists. University students were also present in the auditorium.