The regional network of journalistic self-regulatory organizations that will examine the serious cases of information propaganda in eight states started work. The draft regulations on the constitution and functioning of the international group of experts that was set up for the purpose and the network’s recommendations were approved in a meeting of the Press Council of the Republic of Moldova, IPN reports.
The regulations provide that applications for examining cases of propaganda will be submitted to the network’s consultative commission exclusively by the self-regulatory body from a particular country. The applications can be based on complaints from persons or organizations whose interests were affected or can come on the initiative of the self-regulatory body. The Press Council that holds the presidency in the regional network must inform the other members about the existence of the application within two weeks. An application is examined during two months.
Press Council head Ludmila Andronic said the network’s recommendations include a set of scores that will be used to determine if a material is propagandistic or not. “These recommendations are a kind of diagnosis showing that the materials that create the image of external enemy, that use manipulation and negative persuasion techniques and particular language that is close to hate speech will be classed as manipulation and propaganda,” she stated.
The commission will analyze the cases of manipulating propaganda that incite hatred, war and intolerance. The manipulating texts will include texts that will contain discriminatory language, will promote racism and chauvinism, will glorify the war and terrorism and will spread xenophobia and materials that will be used to manipulate facts for political purposes.
The regional network includes the Press Councils of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, and Tajikistan. The first meeting of the regional network on propaganda in the mass media was held in the capital of Georgia, Tbilisi, where the two documents were drafted.
