INDEPENDENT MEDIA

Media for Transparent Governance

Draft

Since October of 2004 the Globe international NGO in association with the Press institute of Mongolia , Zorig Foundation and with the financial support from UNESCO have launched the project “Media for transparent governance”. The purpose of the project was to increase responsibility of the media to support the idea of transparent governance. Corruption affects the economic growth, increases poverty and seriously damages the society. If left without any monitoring or control, it can spread like disease and cause severe harm. The Media is a significant tool, which can greatly contribute in revealing the suspects of corruption, creating a political and legally fair environment against corruption, raising anti-corruption feelings in the society and describing the types of corruptions to the people. However, to accomplish these missions the media should work at exclusively high professional level of work, be respected by the surrounding community and have the ability to influence others.

Benefits of project:

•  In the frame of the project two Mongolian researchers with the support of the specialists from the school of journalism and investigative journalism center of Philippine gained professional skills in content analysis of published materials regarding corruption and since February till September of 2005, 6 daily newspapers, and 5 TV channels and 2 ten days tabloids have involved to the content analysis. In total 765 corruption concerned materials have appeared on print and broadcast media during this period.

•  During this time, 37 journalists from all over the country were gathered for first step training on investigative journalism. Out of them, 20 journalists from Ulaanbaatar participated in in-depth part-time training. After training the participants wrote 12 articles regarding corruption, 9 out of them have published in the newspaper “Ardyn erkh' and also 9 articles will be air on Mongolian National Radio very soon.

•  An anti-corruption contest was announced. The contest was held to find the best anti-corruption TV radio program and best anti-corruption media campaign. Before the media campaign we have organized 8 editorial meetings and have discussed about severe harm of corruption in Mongolian society, also about role of media in combating corruption and have drawn up the strategy of media campaign.

During the implementation of the project the journalists faced some difficulties, which should be mentioned. For example:

•  There are no legal documents regarding the guarantee of rights of gaining information in our country, which makes it difficult for the journalists to carry out their work.

•  There is no law in Mongolia for protecting the witnesses of illegal, unfair actions for the better of society. Now due to this, the journalists do not have right to defend their source of information.

•  Journalists do not have the right to hide their source of information, therefore people refuse to hand them secret documentations, official papers and important information.

•  Many journalists often have self-censorship and can not reveal the truth, because they are afraid of corrupted high ranking officials making use of the Crime Code Provision of Mongolia, which prohibits humiliation of one's identity, false accusing. |

•  During the investigation journalists always have felt a political censorship and pressure.

•  Investigative journalism demands a lot of time and enormous financial support, journalists can only achieve success if they continuously work on the investigation without any interruption. However, in our country all types of media can not provide this kind of requirement.

Furthermore the implementers of the project suggest that a free independent media is to be established in the future, it's role is to be increased in the society and investigative journalism is to be raised to professional standards.

1. To establish an investigative journalism center in Mongolia as standard in other counties.

2. To create a legal favorable environment for the development of investigative journalism. To achieve these suggestions, the following steps are essential:

•  To ratify the Media freedom Law and to guarantee the right of citizens to seek and receive an information

•  To ratify a Law that protects the person who gives a information.

•  To make an amendment to the Law on State Secrets and Law on Privacy of Organization in accordance with Media Freedom Law

•  To ratify a Law on Journalist's right to hide their source of information which are the only professional right of journalists.

•  To annul the Crime Code Provisions which prohibits humiliation of one's identity, false accusing and to adapt this problems by Civil Code.

•  To make a necessary amendment to an another law provisions that restricted a Media freedom and right of free expression in accordance with a Media Freedom Law.

3. To reinforce the quality of education on investigative journalism and to re-train the staff in journalism schools.

4. To strengthen an investigative ability of the media outlets

5. To shape anti-corruption consciousness in the society and to raise anti-corruption feelings among an owners of media outlets, politicians, governmental officials and a public.

6. The media should unite with the Civil Society Organization to combat corruption and reveal corrupted suspects

Please express your opinion on our draft of the action plan against corruption

Tel: (976)11-324627

Fax: (976)11-324627

Email: globe@magicnet.mn

Website: www.globeinter.org.mn