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FreeEx Report: Some mass media contributed to radicalising public discourse through political partisanship
Some of Romania's mass media contributed significantly to the radicalisation of the public discourse through political partisanship and the assimilation of themes imposed by politicians, with fake news contaminating the Romanian media as well and helping consolidate alternative narratives in which the actions of the politicians in power are legitimate and those of their contestants are demonised, according to the Annual Press Freedom in Romania 2017-2018 report released on Thursday.
According to the report, drawn up under the FreeEx Programme of local media watchdog Active Watch, serious ethical and professional misconduct of news channels triggered public and civil society reactions.
In the above-mentioned period, the rapporteurs consider that press attacks against magistrates coming from media outlets continued, with the National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA) demanding protection from the Supreme Council of Magistrates (CSM).
The document notes that at the end of last year a bill was drafted for easier dismissal of the management of the AGERPRES news agency.
"On October 30, 2017, the Senate adopted a bill amending the AGERPRES statutes initiated by a group of senators of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), including the then Minister of Culture and National Identity, Lucian Romascanu. The bill brought just one change in the AGERPRES statutes, namely in the way in which the director of this organisation can be dismissed. More precisely, Parliament should be empowered to dismiss the management at any time during the term in office, by rejecting the annual activity report, without including in the bill the criteria that could lead to the rejection of the report (e.g. failure to meet the objectives set out in the AGERPRES Annual Strategy)," the report says.
The bill, adopted by the Senate 64 to 16 and 27 abstentions, was criticised among others by the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the European Federation of Journalists, according to the report, which mentions that at the time it was being drawn up, the bill was being under consideration with the specialist committees of the Chamber of Deputies, but the deadline for its submission to the Committee on Culture, Arts and Mass Media, November 28, 2017, had been long expired."
At the same time, according to the Annual Press Freedom in Romania 2017-2018 report, politicians continue to change the legislation regulating the functioning of public media services so that they can retain control over their management.
"The people at rule following the December 2016 election imposed new management teams on TVR and SRR, while discarding the radio and TV charge fees after several failed attempts by politicians over the previous years, thus increasing the two organisations' dependence on political power."
The report reveals that there were two proposals to improve the Law on Access to Information of Public Interest 544/2001, one of which was rejected by the Senate, and the second waiting for the opinions of the select committees.
"A number of legislative initiatives that are toxic to freedom of speech continue to be delayed in Parliament, rather than being rejected. In Romania, Internet legislation practically does not exist, and the chance of a reform to increase transparency in the way of administration was fully missed once the minister who had begun a public debate was removed from office. The 'anti-rebate' ordinance, which regulates media advertising money, was abrogated," adds the report.