Lots of empty talk on the World Press Freedom Day

If "journalists must regain the respect of the public", which is how the Romanian Press Club has titled its address, published on the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day, then that means that the journalists have lost the respect of the public.

The stilted message of the Club is only interesting through what it doesn't want to say outright, but it nevertheless conveys, by using the word "must".

Must?!

What is that supposed to mean?

Who exactly "must" regain that respect? Why do they have to and who gets to decide why they should or shouldn't regain that respect?

Why is it necessary to regain that respect in 2012, as if somehow that wasn't needed in 2011?!

The Romanian Press Club essentially justifies the whoring of the mass-media, by claiming that "over the last two years, the main concern has been the survival in a difficult economic context" and that "now is the time to take on a new definition of its own values and standards".

Aha!

So there are years where you can not take it upon yourself to honor values and standards, and years when you can.

When you have no money, you can just toss those values and standards aside.

But when you do have money, can you still take them on?

If the lack of money justifies abandoning the ideology, then doesn't making money cause you to go deeper into slavery?

Does that mean that when the hooker has money, she stops being a hooker?

And she suddenly becomes a lady?

What does "a new definition of our own values and standards mean"?

"Serving the citizens" and "truth" have always been the values and the standards of journalism.

Is the Romanian Press Club looking to redefine those?

And replace them with something else?!

What exactly does "a fair, balanced relationship with the authorities" mean?

Journalists are the exponents of citizens' interests and they usually examine the crap that the authority does; from that angle - how does that fit with a "fair, balanced relationship with the authorities"?

What are we talking about here, flying saucers?!

"The reflection on the way the journalists are using their freedom" and "the call to solidarity within the profession", urged by the Romanian Press Club, on World Press Freedom Day, are just empty talk.

• The press needs a breath of fresh air, journalists need to regain the respect of the public

(The message of the Romanian Press Club on the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day - Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012)

The year 2012 needs to be for the Romanian mass-media the moment when it takes on a new definition of its own values and standards, after its main concern over the past two years has been to survive in a difficult economic environment.

The economic crisis has been a harsh test, with high costs, but one which was withstood by many companies in the mass-media industry and by journalists. After this test, having mass-media continue to operate in failure mode, becomes harmful both for the integrity of the values of our profession, as well as for the success of the mass-media as a profitable business.

Inspired management, motivating talented journalists, the editorial policies connected to the real agenda of the public, the unyielding compliance with the rules for the self-regulation of the profession are the ways in which the Romanian mass-media can get a breath of fresh air , which it needs.

In turn, journalists need to become aware that our profession acutely needs to regain the respect of the public and a fair, balanced relationship with the authorities.

The World Press Freedom is a good opportunity for reflection on the manner in which journalists use the freedom, status, credibility and hoiw they can be affected by their involvement in political causes, which they need to keep a necessary distance from.

On the World Freedom Press, The Romanian Press Club calls an appeal to solidarity within the profession, for the efficient promotion of the good causes of mass-media, for the purpose of redefining and consolidating the status of the journalist in society.