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Journalists urged to create quality media space in Belarus

It is up to journalists whether the media space will be a quality one or will turn into a flea market. The statement was made by First Deputy Head of the Belarus President Administration Natalia Petkevich at a national seminar held on 16 February to discuss the role of mass media in securing constitutional rights of citizens during election campaigns. “Only journalists can decide whether during the forthcoming election campaign Belarusian mass media will make up a civilized, professional, quality media space or will turn into a flea market where anything has a price tag,” said Natalia Petkevich. In her opinion, Belarusian mass media are now more inclined towards gutter journalism and fishing expeditions sometimes without care for those they write about. Natalia Petkevich assumed that another wave of inappropriate news may be published by some mass media during election campaigns in Belarus. She stressed that journalists should remember about their responsibility and should compare the freedom of press with the freedom of those they write about more often.