Participants in a seminar on the Impartiality of Media Outlets in Yemen stressed the importance of the availability of a code of ethics that sets standards to ensure impartiality of media in covering events. The seminar was organized by the Studies & Economic Media Center (SEMC) and funded by the European Mission in Yemen.
Participants in a seminar on the “Impartiality of Media Outlets in Yemen” stressed the importance of the availability of a code of ethics that sets standards to ensure impartiality of media in covering events. The seminar was organized by the Studies & Economic Media Center (SEMC) and funded by the European Mission in Yemen.
Mr. Mustafa Nasr the chairman SEMC, clarified in the opening ceremony of the seminar that it comes within the program boosting Impartiality of Media in covering events taking place in Yemen. He also pointed out that the seminar discussed the basic principles of the code of ethics to ensure impartiality of media outlets in Yemen. This seminar was attended by a number of senior media personnel.
Mr. Nasr, pointed out that when we talk about impartiality, we are talking about high professionalism of journalist and morals that make the journalist impartial, unbiased and balanced.
Ms. Bettina Muscheidt, the ambassador of the European Mission in Sana’a, said that Yemen needs to professionalize journalism that can contribute to promoting good governance, combating corruption, defending human rights and expressing people’s concerns and aspirations. She pointed out that impartiality means balance, fairness, accuracy and objectivity and is a basis for professional journalism.
Ms. Muscheidt also talked about the suffering of media outlets from polarization and division that leads to marginalizing objectivity in order to serve private interests and political agendas. Ms. Muscheidt confirmed that the media should play an important role, especially as Yemen is going through a new phase to build the new Yemen.
For his part, Mr. Ahmed Al-Hamati, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Information, said that the media in Yemen needs a code of ethics to strengthen impartiality. He pointed out to the positive phenomenon in the Yemeni press that various channels host all parties in discussing vital issues in Yemen.
Mr. Saeed Thabet, deputy head of the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate (YJS) said: “We live in a free press but do not live the life of a free press, and there is a difference between the two”. He added that most of the media outlets are owned by political parties and influential figures.
Mr. Thabet demanded that the media outlets be institutionalized and not be subject to blackmail. He added that when the capital owns and controls media outlets there could be a freedom of press but not a free press.
The paper, which was titled “Impartiality of Media Outlets in Yemen”, was presented by journalist Aref Abu Hatem. The paper discussed the scope of impartiality in the Yemeni press when dealing with controversial issues, through analyzing models of the Yemeni press. Hatem concluded that many media outlets in Yemen deal with the events in accordance with the political positions of the parties that fund these media.
The paper called on journalists to set standards and regulations to determine the values of the media profession, and frees newspapers from dependency to any political party or funder.
Several senior media personnel including Mr. Hammoud Monasar, Director of Al-Arabiya Office in Sana’a, trainer Mr. Nashwan Al- Shamiri, the Dean of the Faculty of Information Dr. Abdul Rahman Al-Shami, journalist Ibrahim al-Hakim, Dr. Mohammed Hadi, Dr. Sameer al-Shamiri, Dr. Omar Ben Aabrine amd Mr. Riadhd Al-Ahmadi discussed many proposals for a code of ethics for impartial media in Yemen.
SEMC is non-profit civil society organization working qualification, awareness of economic issues, enhancing the transparency and the good governance, social participation in decision-making, and creating professional media.
COMMENTS