Draft document
RECOMMENDATIONS TO JOURNALISTS COVERING ISSUES OF TERRORISM
Professional journalism plays a very important role in mobilizing public opinion to combat international terrorism, analyzing its nature, helping to find proper ways to fight terrorism and terrorists, exposing mistakes and drawbacks of state structure and special services, thus serving interest of society.
Professional journalism creates full-scale informational environment which counters propaganda of terrorist organizations. Therefore terrorist threat should not be used as reason and justification for limitations, hindering free exchange of opinions and professional work of mass media.
Recognizing the danger of international terrorism we ask our colleagues to be highly responsible when writing on the issue of terrorism.
WE RECOMMEND TO JOURNALISTS:
– encourage profound discussion of terrorism, search for methods of combatting the threat, conduct investigations, inform the society of real problems and conflicts;
– avoid messages and commentaries instigating quarrel, animosity and hatred through political, religious and national features;
– exclude any public justifications of terrorist actions;
– stop misinformation, thoroughly check information from unknown sources – which is a professional duty of a journalist anyway;
– bear in mind that live TV and radio programs, as well as the Internet messages can be used by terrorists in their own interests;
– be sensitive and attentive to feelings of near and dear of terrorist act victims; show tact to witnesses of terror attacks, when deriving information from them;
– avoid excessive naturalism when showing a place of the terror act and its victims; respect moral, national and religious feelings of your audience;
– remember of your responsibility to provide information to the public and not to play havoc; pay attention to the content and to the tone of your message;
– remember that the world community rejects terrorism ties with any religion, race or nationality.
