National Council for Journalistic Ethics
(Nationalen Svet za Zhurnalistitseshka Etika)
Mr Venelina Gotcheva (chair)
Tel: [chair] 3592 (4339) 465
Email: [chair] vgocheva@press.zgb.bg
Five organizations, representing different interests in the media, teamed up to form a self-regulatory body for both print and broadcast media. The Union of Publishers, the Association of Broadcasters, the Union of Bulgarian Journalists, the Bulgarian Media Coalition and the Media Development Centre form the board of an "Ethics Council" which deals with complaints.
The Council has two commissions (one for print, one for broadcasting) which are comprised equally of owners, journalists and non-media representatives (4+4+4) dealing with complaints. The Commissions judge complaints against a Code of Ethics which has been signed by all the umbrella organizations as well as over 80 individual media outlets (including all the major ones) on 25 November 2004.
Media outlets are obliged to publish the decisions with due prominence, are obliged to advertise for the Ethics Council (i.e. notify the public of its existence and the possibility to complaint) and are committed to fund the lion share of the running costs of the Council. In November 2005, the Ethics Council was set-up but effectively did not start its work.
Last Update - Aug 2006
