June 30, June, Budapest - Twelve stories on food safety were published by the print, broadcast and online media in Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Hungary, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia as a result of a project aimed to draw public attention to the importance of food safety problems in the region. Earlier, journalists, together with colleagues from Croatia and Macedonia met with international and Hungarian experts and fellow journalists during a study tour in Hungary. During these meetings in March 2008, they analyzed the food safety situation and their coverage in the South East region, and formulated their recommendations on these issues.  The project was implemented by the Center for Independent Journalism, Budapest (CIJ, www.cij.hu) as part of the activities of the South East European Network for Professionalization of Media (SEENPM, www.seenpm.org ). The project was supported by the Open Society Institute Network Media Program (www.osf-eu.org). >>

June 25, 2008, Sarajevo - “A unique experiment has begun in Sarajevo that would have been unthinkable even a few years ago. Eighteen media professionals from eleven South East and Central European countries are putting together a set of editorial guidelines on how navigate the complex ethical issues presented by online journalism” – stated Goran Todorovic, the manager of journalism training programs after a trainer training workshop was conducted at the Mediacentar in Sarajevo on June 23-25, 2008. With the guidance of course leader David Brewer, internationally recognized expert in online media, participants from Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary,  Kosovo, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina covered issues such as accuracy, fairness, privacy, consent, taste and decency, offence, impartiality, integrity, independence, and diversity. >>

May 18, 2008, Skopje – In order to analyze the media coverage of the situation of Kosovo and promote quality reporting on this issue in South East Europe, the Macedonian Institute for Media hosted a two-day conference in Skopje on May 16-17, 2008. Forty international media professionals and the representatives of numerous Macedonian news outlets participated in the event which was part of a larger research and advocacy project implemented by the South East European Network for Professionalization of Media (SEENPM).  In the framework of the program the Network monitored how print media in South East Europe covered the situation in Kosovo in the first two months of 2008. The country reports, a regional overview and the summary of the discussion at the Skopje conference will be published in English, Albanian, and Serbian. The project is supported by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (Pristina), the Balkan Trust for Democracy, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, and the Swiss Embassy in Skopje. >>

18 May, 2007, Skopje – “While being organizationally restructured, the South East European Network for Professionalization of Media successfully implemented nine regional media research, advocacy, and training projects” – emphasized executive director, Sándor Orbán in his annual report to the Network members at the SEENPM General Assembly meeting held in Skopje on May 17, 2008. He added that the projects tackled public service broadcasting in the digital age, prime time television news monitoring, labor relations in media, the new EU regulation on audiovisual media services, media self-regulation, clientelism in media, the preparation of the media sector for EU accession, and reporting on alternative energy sources. “As an outcome, SEENPM published ten research documents, and over 500 media professionals participated in the conferences, workshops, and roundtable discussions organized by the Network”, said Orbán. >>

March 31, 2008. The South East European Network for Professionalization of Media completed four research and advocacy projects sponsored by the Danish Royal Ministry of Foreign Affairs through International Media Support. In the framework of the fifteen-month program the following research documents were produced: Labor Relations in Media, Public Service Broadcasting and the Digital Age, TV Prime Time Domestic News Monitoring, The Impact of the EU Audiovisual Media Services Directive on Freedom of Speech in Post-Communist Democracies. In the final phase of the program a wide range of advocacy activities were implemented by the member centers of the Network in order to disseminate the findings of the research. >>

March 10, 2008, Budapest. Reporters from Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia examined various aspects of food safety coverage with international and Hungarian experts and fellow journalists during a study tour from 4 to 8 March, 2008 in Hungary. The program was organized by the Center for Independent Journalism, Budapest (CIJ). The study tour was a part of a six-month project on reporting on food safety, a public health issue. The project is supported by the Open Society Institute Network Media Program. >>

November 25, 2007. According to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, sound education and continuing training of journalists is a major precondition for the existence of professional media. This was emphasized in a document adopted at the September meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies. >>