Skopje, 11.02.2016 – The Agency for Audio and Audiovisual Media Services condemns the disregard for journalistic professional principles and standards on the part of the SITEL TV Editor-in-Chief, Mr. Dragan Pavlovic Latas, while interviewing the President of the Social Democratic Alliance of Macedonia, Mr. Zoran Zaev, in the 19:00 News on 10 February 2016.Instead of an interview, in which diverse viewpoints and opinions would receive equal treatment allowing the audience to freely form their own opinions about the current social and political topics, the viewers saw and heard an inappropriate way of communication, a squabble and insults.
Without any professional distance, with no respect for the dignity of his collocutor or a number of other persons mentioned during the conversation, instead of seeing an interview conducted in tune with the rules of this journalistic genre, the audience witnessed a total lack of good speech manners and an unethical conduct.
Considering that observance of journalistic standards is subject to self-regulation, the Agency calls on the Council of Media Ethics of Macedonia and the journalist associations to undertake the measures they have at their disposal.
The Agency wishes to remind the broadcasters once more of its recent Press Release, whereby, only a few days ago, it called on them to observe the professional standards that constitute the core of performing the journalistic profession.