Challenges of disinformation and propaganda at focus of 8th annual Media Development Forum organized by OSCE Presence in Albania

11 Tetor 2022, 16:56Society TEMA

On 11 October, the OSCE Presence in Albania organized its eighth annual Media Development Forum, a platform for dialogue among media, public institutions and civil society. This year’s Forum focused on press freedom and the development of media in the country, journalist safety, and the challenges of disinformation and propaganda as faced by media and journalists in Albania. 

During the opening remarks, Ambassador Vincenzo Del Monaco, Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania, emphasized the commitment of the Presence toward the cause of press freedom and freedom of the media in the country. He said that the Presence took note of the statements issued within the justice system recently for its prohibition on media to publish information following leaks that resulted from the summer cyberattacks. “We encourage the authorities and media to be mindful of balance and discretion and weigh carefully the public right to information, confidentiality, security and private rights,” he said. 

Teresa Ribeiro, OSCE Representative on the Freedom of the Media, Alexis Hupin from the Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Albania, and Olsi Dekovi, Deputy Head of the Council of Europe (CoE) Office in Tirana, also delivered welcoming remarks.

The Forum’s first session was dedicated to the main challenges to media freedom and development affecting Albania this year. In the second session, discussions focused on the importance of investigative journalism, disinformation, and the verification of facts as a tool in the fight against corruption and in promoting professional journalism.

The Forum also celebrated the newly revised Bachelor’s curriculum to be implemented in the Department of Journalism and Communication at the University of Tirana as of this academic year. An outcome of the “Media in Focus - Strengthening the Public Broadcaster and School of Journalism in Albania” project – this effort was implemented by the OSCE Presence in Albania with funds from the EU.

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