The Impact of Media Concentration on Professional ... - OSCE

Good relations with the business community (%) Fig. 9123459,614,020,223,732,50 10 20 30 40 50formulated outside <strong>of</strong> their editors’ <strong>of</strong>fices. Some <strong>of</strong> themexplained in other parts <strong>of</strong> the questionnaire that they work fordaily papers affiliated either directly to a political party or to atrade union or pr<strong>of</strong>essional association. Others, however, showedopen contempt for their editors for succumbing to political pressure.A Romanian journalist had only two words to say on whodefines the editorial line <strong>of</strong> his paper: “Good question!”Such a remark is a heart warming reaction, as the term“free and independent media” obliges political parties andauthorities also, to abstain from any attempt to exert influenceon the editorial line <strong>of</strong> the media in general, and daily newspapersin particular.This is particularly important, as the governments <strong>of</strong> each<strong>of</strong> the eight countries included in this survey are signatories tothe permanent Council’s decision to install a Representative onFreedom <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Media</strong>. <strong>The</strong> adoption <strong>of</strong> his mandate indicatesthe acceptance <strong>of</strong> precisely defined obligations!<strong>The</strong> same criticism applies to the editorial line <strong>of</strong> 66.7per cent <strong>of</strong> the responding journalists, who define “good relationswith the business community” to be important to veryimportant. (Fig. 9)Quality newspapers do maintain good relations to all sectors<strong>of</strong> society and therefore to the business community as well.This is both necessary for having access to quality informationand for being capable <strong>of</strong> fulfilling the role as sponsor <strong>of</strong> socialcohesion. Good relations, however, have nothing to do with the78 THE IMPACT OF MEDIA CONCENTRATION ON PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISM