BREST, 23 May (BelTA) – State-run mass media should write interesting reports about important events. The statement was made by Director of the news agency Armenpress Aram Ananyan during the plenary session of the 14th Belarusian international media forum Partnership for the Future: Journalism and Social Security, BelTA has learned.
The executive said: “We talk a lot about commercializing media resources. They try to write about things the investor, the societal, political or international force, which has invested in this enterprise, is interested in. A very good niche is opening up for state-run news resources: we should write interesting reports about what's important. Our job is to arrange things in a way so that citizens, who live in our countries, could make an informed choice, could know in what direction the state and the society are moving, and could feel protected.”
The Armenpress director added that demand for mass media relies on the ability to deliver truthful information. “Don't lie is the key postulate of modern journalism. First of all, it is a huge responsibility for a state-run mass media. We can stay in demand only like this,” he said.
Over 250 government officials and public figures, diplomats, representatives of the expert and media communities, reporters from 25 countries are taking part in the forum. According to Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the News Department of Radio and Television of Serbia Company Bojan Brkic, such forums give an opportunity to learn new things about Belarus first-hand, meet colleagues from other countries, share views, experience, and discuss topical matters.
Bojan Brkic said: “It is the third time I've come to participate in the forum. Each forum offers interesting discussions. This year close attention is paid to the role of mass media in preserving memory about World War Two events. In my opinion and in the opinion of the majority of my compatriots in Serbia, it is a very important topic because in the last few years we've seen attempts to revise historical facts. The borderline between good and evil, between victims and aggressors is eroding. Such attempts are dangerous because they pave way for the rebirth of the ideology, which led to a great tragedy. I am convinced that only the education system and mass media can counteract such attempts. We should teach young people so that they would know events of the past and would not repeat them.”
Discussions about media space and information security, the influence of mass media and blogs on shaping the public opinion will take place as part of the Belarusian international media forum. Modern trends in online journalism and its role in resolving social and political problems in the regions will be discussed.
