International Freedom of Expression Exchange: The global network for free expression
19 May 2004
OSCE Criticises Kosovo Media's "Sensationalist Reporting"
Broadcast media in Kosovo did a great disservice to peace and democracy efforts by partly fueling the ethnic violence which saw 19 people killed in March 2004 and hundreds of Serbian homes set ablaze, says the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's (OSCE) Representative on Media Freedom.
In a recent report, Miklos Haraszti criticises Kosovo's media, including its public broadcaster, Radio Television Kosovo (RTK), for promoting "reckless and sensationalist" reporting between 16 and 17 March.
The media outlets claimed that Serbs caused the drowning of three Albanian children in Kosovo, an allegation disproved by international experts, including United Nations investigators.
"Without this, the incidents might not have reached the intensity and level of brutality that was witnessed, or even might not have taken place at all," says Haraszti.
The report notes that although the media outlets did not intentionally instigate violence, they displayed "unacceptable levels of emotion, bias, carelessness, and falsely applied 'patriotic' zeal." Haraszti visited Kosovo from 3 to 5 May and relayed his concerns to government officials and local journalists. However, representatives of RTK stood by their reporting.
The OSCE report makes several recommendations for Kosovo's media, including strengthening the management and editorial policies of RTK, creating a legal framework for the media, and devoting more attention to training and educating young journalists.
Read the report: http://www.osce.org/documents/rfm/2004/04/2695_en.pdf
Visit these links:
- OSCE Mission in Kosovo: http://www.osce.org/kosovo/
- The BBC on Kosovo's Uneasy Peace: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3561121.stm
- International Crisis Group Report on Kosovo: http://www.crisisweb.org/home/index.cfm?id=2627&l=1
RSS