The truth for the journalist is above all – that was a key idea of the training-webinar on the standards of journalism, which took place at the Department of Journalism and Philology of SSU. The event for teachers, students-journalists was held by the President of the Academy of Ukrainian Press, Professor Valery Ivanov.

Quite often, says the President of the Academy of Ukrainian Press, Professor Valery Ivanov, after watching news television programs, there are still a lot of questions. And that is all because journalists do not analyze deeply and competently relationships of cause and effect of the event, violate the criteria of completeness, the balance of opinions, points of view, and other professional standards. As an example, materials from the JFO area. The opinion of the inhabitants of these territories is presented, but in the assessment of certain tragic events, people, as evidenced by life, are prone to prejudice. And it is journalists who must convincingly, reasonably tell how everything really happened.

For example, the media expert cited the publication in the Mariupol edition "Priazovsky rabochy" of 2015. The newspaper devoted two special issues to the shelling Mariupol districts by Russian “Grads” and “Hurricanes” at that time – an investigation detailing the trajectory of projectiles from "DPR"-controlled territory. At the same time, there was a lot of material on Russian channels that it was the Ukrainian army who did it. Unfortunately, says Valery Ivanov, the locals who are actively influenced by the aggressor neighbor’s information would believe rather Russian propagandists. But even if we cannot convince people of the opposite, we still report, tell the truth – emphasizes the media expert. Therefore, the close attention of future journalists should be drawn to such standards as credibility, completeness, accuracy, separation of facts from opinions, comments.

Unfortunately, these rules are difficult to follow when working in commercial media, because they are tools of influence for owners. For, as you know, Ukrainian media do not survive due to advertising. Nevertheless, we also have successful examples: about one hundred regional media are currently profitable. By the way, they include Kharkiv internet edition "Nakipelo".

Following the example of European colleagues, a journalist should spend about two-thirds of the time on fact-checking. This is working with sources, by the way, at least two of them. Although the international agency Reuters, for example, checks as many as five. Expert advises checking even official data or messages. It is best, he says, to develop your own sources – competent and proven. In news journalism, the author under any circumstances has no right to his own opinion, another thing is analytical, that is, author's journalism. Here he can express his position, has the right to persist in it, to defend it.

Another key thesis that sounded from Valery Ivanov: a journalist should not be biased. If we take into account the practice of various mass media, the relevant requirements may even be clearly registered in the editorial statute, and their violation may lead to dismissal from office. Different editions have different norms, but there are also quite categorical ones. By the way, journalists are prohibited from participating in the activities they cover. That is, if you are working on problematic material regarding the housing cooperative, then you should not belong to the governing bodies of this public organization. The journalist definitely does not solve his personal problems through publications, author's materials. Sometimes he does not even have the right to free passes or sports passes if he does not perform an editorial task. Neither you nor your family members should receive shareholder dividends if you are conducting, for example, a financial investigation. Membership in parties or political forces is not even discussed. That is, in any way the journalist should avoid conflict of interest.

Finally, Valery Ivanov wished the participants of the webinar to become professionals and enjoy the work, because it is extremely important! Students-journalists, teachers of the Department of Journalism and Philology of SSU, in turn, thanked the guest fornmeaningful dialogue, for the opportunity to ask questions and discuss important discussion points.

Raisa Stoyan, a TV journalist, assistant of the Department of Journalism and Philology of SSU