The online media 20minut.ua, which has newsrooms in Vinnytsia, Ternopil, Zhytomyr, Koziatyn, and Khmelnytskyi, has added the “Report Publication” section on all its websites. This initiative aims to ensure high standards of journalism and provide the readers with an opportunity to report mistakes or ethics violations in articles.
“We, the team of 20 Minutes Ternopil, are confident that in the circumstances of current challenges, especially during the war and information fight, it is crucial to maintain high standards of journalistic ethics. Our media outlet, which has worked in the Ternopil region for over 25 years, has made an informed decision to join the initiative of adhering to the Ethics Code of the Ukrainian Journalist, as we believe it will boost our readers’ confidence in us,” said Nataliia Burlaku, editor-in-chief of the RIA Plus newspaper and the 20minut.ua website of the Ternopil branch of RIA Media Corporation.
According to the media outlet, honesty, transparency, and accountability to society are the main principles of their editorial policy. This is why they provided their readers with an opportunity to file a complaint through the Commission on Journalistic Ethics, believing it serves as an additional tool to ensure the quality of their work.
“I should also add that all our information resources that are part of the RIA Media Corporation also have such pages. We welcome constructive criticism and aspire to meet the highest ethical standards in our work,” adds the editor-in-chief.
Here’s how it works
The 20 Minutes newsroom wants to correct any possible factual or semantic error in their publications promptly. Readers can use the feedback form on the website to obtain a quick response. If the newsroom fails to respond or does so in an unsatisfactory manner, the readers can approach the Commission on Journalistic Ethics.
The Commission will study the complaint and request an explanation from the editors. If both parties are interested, the error will be fixed, or the material will be supplemented. If an agreement cannot be reached, the Commission on Journalistic Ethics will issue a decision with its analysis and recommendations on avoiding similar mistakes in the future.
Why is this important for the media?
Introducing the “Report Publication” section is an significant step towards improving the media’s transparency and accountability to their audience. It demonstrates that the newsroom is willing to work in line with high ethics standards, to be open to feedback, and to correct their mistakes. This approach helps to build trust with the audience and contributes to the development of high-quality journalism based on facts and respect for the readers.
We remind you that previously, NGL.media, also known as Nashi Hroshi Lviv, integrated the Ethics Code of the Ukrainian Journalist and launched a new page for complaints. In addition, the website of PAT NSTU, the biggest independent media company in Ukraine, now contains the Ethics Code of the Ukrainian Journalist and a button that links to the Commission on Journalistic Ethics website. The initiative was also supported by Syla Pravdy and Nikcenter newsrooms.
The Commission on Journalistic Ethics remains open to cooperation and is ready to support the media in the process of implementing effective self-regulation mechanisms. Email us at cje.info@gmail.com if you want to implement a similar mechanism in your media.