site.btaNational Radio Chief Highlights Safeguards for Editorial Independence

Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) Director General Milen Mitev outlined the public broadcaster's editorial independence safeguards during a conference hosted by the Council for Electronic Media in Sofia on Wednesday.

The meeting brought together media professionals, academia and journalists' organizations to discuss standards for editorial independence and safeguards against external influence. It was organized in connection with the implementation of the European Media Freedom Act.

Mitev said BNR has sought to ensure that all major decisions are taken by collective bodies, thereby reducing the risk of individual error or of any one person being tempted to exert influence over journalists' work. Mitev said interference in journalists' work could be viewed from two perspectives: external interference by third parties through economic, political or other means, and internal interference by the broadcaster's own management. He noted that the issue of internal interference was more nuanced, as it required drawing a clear line between programme planning and any undue intervention in journalists' editorial work.

Mitev outlined the specific mechanisms introduced at BNR to safeguard editorial independence. "Our internal regulations, including the editorial rules, provide for the operation of editorial boards as an additional body established by the journalists themselves to protect their interests, including in their relations with the broadcaster's management," he said.

He added that BNR also has an editorial charter agreed between the management and representatives of the programmes' editorial boards. The charter establishes the principle that intervention, even by the broadcaster's governing bodies, is permitted only within the scope of programme planning and content coordination. It also entitles journalists to seek legal advice from BNR's legal team on any issue arising in the course of their work.

"Disputes between a journalist and their immediate supervisor, or a person responsible for programme planning, are resolved by the Programme Council," Mitev said. He added that decisions to discontinue or launch a programme are taken in two stages: first by the Programme Council and then by the broadcaster's Management Board.