Péter Bajomi-Lázár – författare

This textbook offers an overview of the current ethical challenges of public communication in general and of journalism in particular in Eastern Europe. It recalls the normative theories of media performance and describes the professionalisation and de-professionalisation of journalism. It explores the impacts of digitalisation and of platformisation on the news media and looks into the global and local reasons behind the inability of journalism to fully perform its democratic functions in Eastern Europe. It also offers a detailed account of the media systems and journalistic cultures of the region following the political transformations of 1989–1991 and identifies some of the most controversial practices of journalism to date. Then, in search of answers to the current ethical challenges of public communication, it describes the prevailing notions of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ journalism, changing public expectations vis-à-vis journalists, the specific challenges encountered by investigative reporters, the effects of online fake news on the journalistic profession, the changing practices of political and corporate censorship, and the differences between smear and scandal. Finally, it argues that ethical public communication calls for more than just ethical journalism: media policy must also be ethically based and seek answers that provide all citizens with equal access to the means of public communication.

Examines the ethical challenges facing journalism and public communication in Eastern Europe, analysing the effects of political change, digitalisation and media policy on journalistic integrity and democratic functionJournalism underwent multiple changes in the late 1980s and early 1990s in Eastern Europe, including a political and economic transformation, technological change, a generation shift, tabloidisation and the rise of new professional roles. The journalism landscapes of the region that were for most of the second half of the 20th century uniformly shaped by the Soviet theory and practice of the press have turned highly diverse by the early 21st century. Yet they share a number of similarities, most of which are rooted in the joint historical legacy of the region s countries, their current economic hardships and, in some cases, democratic backsliding.Some of these similarities are also explained by the general crisis of journalism hitting the region as an outcome of globalisation and digitalisation after the millennium. In consequence, the revenues of traditional news organisations have been on the decline, the rise of social media has resulted in a mass-scale dissemination of disinformation and, most importantly, public trust in legacy media has been largely lost. These changes call for a renewal of the invisible contract between professional journalists and the public. To regain trust, professional journalists must reconsider the standards of ethical journalism in collaboration with the audiences and strengthen the mechanisms of self-regulation.This textbook offers a critical analysis of some of the most pressing challenges ahead of contemporary journalism and public communication in Eastern Europe. Based on general media landscape descriptions and brief case studies, it attempts to identify some key areas of concern, including organised disinformation and character-assassination campaigns disseminated via social media platforms, and to offer some self-regulatory responses to them. It also argues that ethical communication calls for more than just ethical journalism: media policy must also be ethically based and seek answers that provide all citizens with equal access to the means of public communication.

Examines the ethical challenges facing journalism and public communication in Eastern Europe, analysing the effects of political change, digitalisation and media policy on journalistic integrity and democratic functionJournalism underwent multiple changes in the late 1980s and early 1990s in Eastern Europe, including a political and economic transformation, technological change, a generation shift, tabloidisation and the rise of new professional roles. The journalism landscapes of the region that were for most of the second half of the 20th century uniformly shaped by the Soviet theory and practice of the press have turned highly diverse by the early 21st century. Yet they share a number of similarities, most of which are rooted in the joint historical legacy of the region s countries, their current economic hardships and, in some cases, democratic backsliding.Some of these similarities are also explained by the general crisis of journalism hitting the region as an outcome of globalisation and digitalisation after the millennium. In consequence, the revenues of traditional news organisations have been on the decline, the rise of social media has resulted in a mass-scale dissemination of disinformation and, most importantly, public trust in legacy media has been largely lost. These changes call for a renewal of the invisible contract between professional journalists and the public. To regain trust, professional journalists must reconsider the standards of ethical journalism in collaboration with the audiences and strengthen the mechanisms of self-regulation.This textbook offers a critical analysis of some of the most pressing challenges ahead of contemporary journalism and public communication in Eastern Europe. Based on general media landscape descriptions and brief case studies, it attempts to identify some key areas of concern, including organised disinformation and character-assassination campaigns disseminated via social media platforms, and to offer some self-regulatory responses to them. It also argues that ethical communication calls for more than just ethical journalism: media policy must also be ethically based and seek answers that provide all citizens with equal access to the means of public communication.

"The book’s message is brief: Liberal democracies are at risk. Democratic decay has numerous causes, but technological innovations and profit-driven dynamics are shaping societal relations in ways that intensify disagreements and polarisation, undermining informed citizenship. The growing number of uncertainties associated with the new communications order, further enhanced by the rise of information warfare waged by both radical domestic actors and geopolitical powers in recent years, has become a reason for concern in liberal democracies, yet academic analyses of and policy responses to the challenges of the new media landscape are lagging behind technological transformation. Policymakers seeking regulatory answers need to weigh and balance a range of considerations, including democratic standards such as media freedom and pluralism, sustainable financing strategies for media businesses, economic productivity, ecological implications, and security concerns. The harmonisation of the different interests at stake takes time, while inaction feeds public distrust in democratic institutions and processes.This volume shows that the quality of digital media performance remains central to democratic life and to responsibilities that citizens and institutions have toward one another. The authors call for policy decisions to be taken on both the national and the supranational levels. Regulatory institutions must be granted the necessary legal tools and financial resources to protect accurate information and to fight disinformation, as only informed and critical-minded citizens can defend democracies. The risks are too real to be devalued. Awareness and action are needed."