Journalists emphasize ethics and responsibility in regional media training

Media professionals and officials in Montenegro and Serbia have highlighted the importance of ethical standards, professional responsibility, and the fight against hate speech in journalism.

In Podgorica, Montenegro, the event ‘OĐE: Ljudi iza vijesti’ introduced the ‘Mjesto 2026’ platform. Journalists from various generations discussed the challenges of maintaining professional standards amidst rapid information flow, emphasizing the need for specialization, critical thinking, and deep knowledge of specific subject areas to ensure quality reporting.

In Serbia, the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, Milan Antonijević, led a two-day training session titled ‘Ethical Reporting and the Role of Media in Combating Hate Speech.’ Organized under the EU and Council of Europe ‘Horizontal Facility’ program, the training focused on how the choice of words, headlines, and imagery can either foster dialogue or reinforce discrimination. Participants examined international standards and European Court of Human Rights practices to better navigate sensitive topics without relying on stereotypes or stigmatization.