Michal Glowacki

How effective is media self-regulation? Results from a comparative survey of European journalists

This article presents key results of a comparative journalists’ survey on media accountability, for which 1762 journalists in 14 countries had been interrogated online. The article explores how European journalists perceive the impact of old versus new media accountability instruments on professional journalistic standards – established instruments like press councils, ethics codes, ombudsmen and media criticism, but also more recent online instruments like newsroom blogs and criticism via social media. Thus, the study also adds empirical data to the current debate about the future of media self-regulation in Europe, ignited by the Leveson Inquiry in the United Kingdom as well as the European Commission’s High-Level Group on Media Freedom and Pluralism.

Journalism in the Crossfire: Media coverage of the war in Ukraine in 2014

War reporting has mostly been analyzed as a struggle between political and military control over information and journalistic professionalism. An analysis of reporting in mainstream media from the conflict in eastern Ukraine in 2014 shows that many other aspects must also be considered. In a comparative study, mainstream media coverage in four countries, Ukraine, Russia, Poland, and Sweden, was analyzed and interviews were held with journalists in the media included in the content analysis. Findings revealed significant variations in the framing of the conflict, portrayal of actors involved, and word choice across national settings. Interviews with journalists also highlighted crucial differences in approaches and perceptions. Results show that the specific journalistic culture in each country, self-censorship, and the degree of activist approach among journalists similarly play an important role in war reporting. Researchers from all four countries participated in the project.

How much media accountability in Bulgaria, Poland and Serbia? A comparative approach to online innovations

Significant changes that occur in the new social and media environment create real opportunities for renewing some traditional approaches to media, including the concept of media accountability. This study emphasises the main tendencies and current discussions on self-regulation and media ethics in an era of social change and technological development in selected countries in Central and Eastern Europe. On the basis of available literature as well as in-depth interviews carried out with Bulgarian, Polish and Serbian policy-makers, media managers, journalists and media researchers in November 2010 and December 2010 several trends with respect to the emergence and development of innovations online have been observed. Firstly, the paper aims at defining the notion of media accountability as well as legitimacy of existing practices and institutions. Secondly, an in-depth analysis of the development of new media platforms and Internet users’ culture further helps to define some of most significant examples of external and internal practices, strategies and cases in a sense of response for the quality of publication in the online space. Finally, research on the usage of social networks and blogs, as well as on practices fostering actor transparency, production transparency and the level of media responsiveness help to define the current stage and future directions for media accountability development. What are the political, professional and public “frames” of media accountability and transparency? What instruments supporting media accountability have emerged and how can they make media organizations more accountable and transparent to the publics? How can online media respond for the quality of publication? What are the challenges and opportunities created by new media and technologies in Central and Eastern Europe?