Since the start of the full-scale invasion into Ukraine, the Ukrainian media have been working intensely, covering the Russian military aggression in Ukraine live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For 20 years, the Commission on Journalistic Ethics has been engaged in forming the culture of professional, honest journalism, and thus building trust in the media and strengthening freedom of speech in Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis year has been quite telling, considering that at the most difficult moments, the Commission was approached for opinions and advice. This shows that Ukrainian journalists can approach their work thoughtfully, even in danger and under extreme pressure. This shows that our audience considers journalism and its ethics important even against the backdrop of a war. And this inspires and unites people working with the CJE, making them feel needed and deeply involved in people\u2019s lives and struggle,\u201d <\/em>says Andrii Kulykov, head of the CJE, co-founder of Hromadske Radio. <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n We keep working on the information front and encouraging society\u2019s demand for high-quality journalism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Complaints, opinions, and mediation of the CJE<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Commission primarily assesses journalistic materials for compliance with the Code of Ethics. Adherence to ethical standards is an essential component of professional activities of any newsroom and any journalist. It also remains relevant during martial law in Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We have registered 78 complaints <\/strong>since the beginning of the year.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Of these, 66 <\/strong>have been registered since February 24, 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We have prepared and published 30 decisions <\/strong>since the beginning of the year,<\/p>\n\n\n\n of them, 25 <\/strong>decisions after February 24, 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Those include 13 statements and recommendations.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Some complaints were resolved through mediation<\/strong>, like the situation<\/a> with the material Life Rules for Cars with Kharkiv License Plates in Poltava in the internet publication Kolo.News (Poltava News). The newsroom recognized the fact of a violation, eliminated it by itself removing the material from the website, and took note of the recommendations on covering the subject.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Successful mediation became possible thanks to the willingness of the newsroom to listen to the recommendations and correct the mistake. For its part, the Commission on Journalistic Ethics explained the practice of unbiased coverage of topics related to immigrants to the journalist and gave advice for the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Thank you very much for the thorough analysis of my articles and for the clear explanation of my violations and recommendations on how to avoid them! This information is valuable primarily because I received an objective professional view of the situation (which my friends cannot give me). Very valuable recommendations about what requires attention; I looked at the problem from a different angle. I am truly grateful for your work; it is a great help to me!” <\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sincerely, Tetiana Tsyrulnyk<\/strong>,<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Editor-in-chief of the Kolo.news website<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The most important recommendations and statements of the Commission related to the specifics of media work during the war<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Education and training <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Another important vector for the Commission is education. We held over 20 lectures and discussions<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We invited well-known professional media workers to share their experience: Sevgil Musaieva, Kristina Berdynskykh, Andrii Kylykov, Tetiana Troshchynska, Yevhen Malolietka, Olha Rudenko, Yevhen Spirin, Vitalii Portnikov, Anhelina Kariakina, Natalka Humeniuk, and many others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The total number of views of these events on Facebook exceeds 20,000. <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Number of registered participants: 3,350 <\/strong>journalists, teachers, students, media experts and media managers, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Total reach (number of people who saw any content of the page<\/em>) of CJE\u2019s page over the year: more than 200,000. <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n We have also prepared the analytical handbook Self-Regulation of Ukrainian Media during Martial Law in Ukraine.<\/em> Experience of the Commission on Journalistic Ethics<\/em><\/a>. The handbook presents the legal aspects of journalistic activities during the war, covers the issue of gender equality, and also explains the ethical dilemmas and journalistic standards during the war using practical examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Work on the handbook Not Just about Apocalypse. How to Report on Climate Change in the Media. Advice to Journalists and Newsrooms\u201d<\/em><\/a> started before the full-scale invasion, but it was released after the outbreak of the war. The manual was prepared in partnership with the Ecodiia Center for Environmental Initiatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cZaporizka Pravda publication has several vectors of cooperation with the CJE. The main one is compliance with professional standards in the daily work of journalists. In my opinion, today, it is the CJE that handles this problem professionally. The conditions of war usually provide the justification of extreme conditions for various violations of journalistic ethics. However, it is under such circumstances that the need to observe all the principles of the journalist’s code of ethics as precisely as possible is most acute. Therefore, it is necessary to pay more attention to instances of violations, to analyze them in detail and to bring them up for discussion in the professional community<\/em>,\u201d Natalia Zvoryhina<\/strong>, editor-in-chief of Zaporizka Pravda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Work with journalism departments in universities<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2022, 16 universities became the Commission\u2019s partners.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Together with our partners, we promote the Code of Ethics of a Ukrainian Journalist, organize meetings and discussions, exchange information and conduct joint work to improve the quality of professional journalism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI am grateful to the CJE for the events, which are undoubtedly important to improve journalistic education.\u201d <\/em>Natalia Zykun<\/strong>, acting Dean of the social and humanitarian technologies and management department of the State Tax University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “The department is grateful for the offer to become a partner of the CJE. It is an honor for us. We share the values advocated by the Commission and are ready to contribute to the development of professional journalism and media literacy among the population. We would like to also use the occasion to thank the Commission for organizing online meetings with industry experts. Both teachers and students are eager to join and benefit from them. In the educational process, we keep coming back to the recordings published on YouTube,\u201d \u2014 <\/em>Olena Kharytonenko<\/strong>, head of the academic department of journalism of Mykhailo Drahomanov National Pedagogical University.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Consulting on ethics and standards<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the study by the CJE<\/a>, 58% of the surveyed journalists have significant or certain difficulties covering the war, while 70% of the respondents encountered information operations or promotion of Russian narratives in the course of their work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Considering those issues, in April 2022, the Commission on Journalistic Ethics launched a hotline on ethics and standards for journalists<\/strong><\/a>.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Its purpose is to help prevent errors and make materials better at the stage of preparation for publication. The CJE helps with its own expertise and offers legal assistance of a media lawyer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is important that the CJE not only helps on request but also provides advice on its own initiative, when a certain material causes significant response from the audience. For example, on its own initiative, the Commission made the Statement of the CJE regarding the interview with the woman who lost her daughter and was heavily injured during the missile strike on Vinnytsia on July 14<\/a> and the Statement of the Commission on Journalistic Ethics regarding inadmissibility of obstructing journalistic work and proper regulation on the part of law enforcement agencies.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Over 150 consultations <\/strong>have already been provided.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “It is very important that the journalists themselves turn to the Commission \u2014 because in order to improve the quality of their work, they need to constantly analyze their own results and identify what can be improved. The advice of experts is the best way towards such development,\u201d <\/em>says head of Commission on Journalistic Ethics Oleksii Pohorelov.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Media research<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In cooperation with Kyiv International Institute of Sociology and the Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation, the CJE conducted two thorough studies. They found that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Together with our partners, we will continue our work towards the implementation of a single press card in Ukraine in 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A member of the Commission joined the ranks of the Armed Forces<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Journalist and media manager Borys Orel, a committee member of the Independent Media Trade Union of Ukraine and the Commission on Journalistic Ethics, volunteered to join the army as a soldier<\/a> after the full-scale Russian invasion. He is currently serving in the army in the south of Ukraine and despite this, he finds the time to fulfill his duties in the CJE. After the victory, he plans to return to work in the media. We are proud of our colleague!<\/p>\n\n\n\n “It is very important for me that this process does not stop. Because when you take part in a war, whether in the army or as a volunteer, you foremost want life to go on. That is, you do everything so that the day will come as soon as possible when it will be like before. And we are lucky, because in CJE, we have a really powerful team of media professionals. For me, it is very valuable that the Commission is working, that decisions are being made, despite the difficult information situation in the country<\/em>.” \u2014 Borys Orel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n International level<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Nine countries announced they were leaving the Alliance of Independent Press Councils of Europe<\/a> in solidarity with Ukraine. The press councils of Armenia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Ireland, Moldova, Norway, and Sweden supported the position of the Commission on Journalistic Ethics and are leaving the Alliance of Independent Press Councils of Europe (AIPCE). The reason is that the Alliance did not expel Russia as a member. Together with our partners, we plan to continue this work and create a new independent association of press councils in Europe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n On October 21, 2022, the CJE announced the complete termination of its membership in the Alliance of Independent Press Councils of Europe. The participation of Russia in this organization calls into question its ability to meet its declared goals and contradicts the values of ethical journalism that guide us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Back in April 2022, the Commission proposed to exclude Russia due to inaction during many years of lies, manipulation, and incitement of hate speech in the Russian media in relation to Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Acknowledgments<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n We are thankful to our partners, journalists and newsrooms, students and teachers of journalism departments, applicants, and complainants \u2014 all those who, with their daily work, bring us closer to the establishment of ethical journalism in Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We thank our international partners who support media initiatives in Ukraine in difficult times: International Media Support (IMS), Media Program in Ukraine by Internews, Fund for the Development of Ukrainian Media of the US Embassy in Ukraine.<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n We are thankful to all our colleagues who, against the backdrop of the war, continue to fulfill their duties as Commission members:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Contact information:<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Website cje.org.ua<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Facebook<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\n
\n