Press Council: Reporting on death of Novi Sad family   contrary to the Code

(Source: Danas) The Press Council warned that during the reporting of numerous media on the death of the family in Petrovaradin, there were serious violations of the Code of Journalists of Serbia.

These include: the transmission of unverified information and rumors, violations of the rights of the child and the rights of members of national minorities, as well as serious harassment of the public, including speculation that they are members of the satanic cult.

Journalists and editors, according to the Code, should avoid speculation and conveying insufficiently verifiable attitudes in reporting on accidents with loss of life or in which material and other interests of citizens are hard-hit.

Journalists must respect and protect the rights and dignity of children and victims of crime and must not use inappropriate and disturbing content, which may have a harmful impact on children.

Of particular concern is that some media abused the death of a family in Petrovaradin to recall a similar case from about ten years ago, fully revealing the identity of the boy who was then the victim, including publishing his present address.

“We warn that highlighting the nationality of the mother is discriminatory reporting, because it is completely unnecessary information that she is a member of a national minority in Serbia and that such reporting has as a consequence the deepening of stereotypes about the entire community”, said the Council.

The Council reminded journalists that “the Code is clear: belonging to a certain ethnic, political, ideological, or other group, as well as marital status, religious orientation, social origin, is stated only in cases where this information is necessary for a full understanding of the context of the event being reported”, the statement said.