The National Audiovisual Council (CNA) received, so far, a notification from the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA), but also some notifications from members of the CNA or from the public in respect to the recordings with former Deputy Sebastian Ghita, which were broadcast by the Romania TV private television station, and in short time the monitoring reports will be presented, in order to be debated in a public meeting, Member of the CNA Valentin Jucan (photo) mentioned through a press release.
“Over the last weeks, the press in Romania intensely debated the content of some recordings broadcast by a television station, a content that refers to public institutions and persons leading these institutions. By reporting to journalism ethics, but as well as to the provisions of the Audio-visual Law, the information in question generated justified critics, their truthfulness and / or their probity being seriously doubted. So far, in relation to the mentioned recordings, the Council received a notification from the DNA, as well as other notifications form members of the CNA or coming form the public. As shortly as possible, the monitoring reports will be presented to the Council, in order to be debated in a public meeting,” Jucan stated in the release.
He says that many journalists have requested details in relation to the possible breaches of audio-visual legislation.
“Just like in any decision which involves a collective debate, it’s good not to have a ruling ahead of time. However, briefly, it can be confirmed that from the information analyzed so far, it appears that the fundamental norms are seriously put into question, such as: offering the public a correct information, observing the right to one’s own image and enforcing the ‘audiatur et altera pars’ principle,” Jucan underlines.
He points out that the CNA can verify the recordings only from the point of view regarding the way they were broadcast, verified and used by the television station, and not in terms of the CNA confirming the content, this stage falling under the duties of judicial and security institutions of the Romanian state.
“Moreover, it will be important to establish if there is data that reveals the fact that the broadcaster in question is no longer fulfilling its mission with good-faith and if the state authority was undermined, through its possible unjustifiable actions,” Jucan mentions.
