Skopje, 20 August 2023 – The Agency for Audio and Audiovisual Media Services strongly condemns the insults and disparagements expressed by the “Brako” Company against the journalists of the Investigative Reporting Laboratory (IRL) with regard to the documentary titled “Murder in Tetovo”.
Investigative journalism is key to the media’s performance of their role, and therefore journalists must not be insulted or publicly discredited when raising and analyzing issues that are of high interest. On the contrary, media workers should be supported and encouraged in performing their work and in informing the public.
If any party concerned deems that any published information are false or incomplete, it should use the legally guaranteed right of reply and correction, i.e. refutation. At the same time, in case of any non-compliance with the principles and standards established by the journalists’ codes of conduct, one may use the mechanisms established by the self-regulatory authorities.