Category: News Organizations: NDI Tags:
In the Assembly of Kosovo, drama and debate are never in short supply. It remains the focus of journalists’ attention year-round. As social media use becomes more widespread, the public is increasingly accustomed to receiving live updates from the floor of the assembly, where a scandalous statement can go viral in minutes. These updates tend to focus on inflammatory debates between members of parliament (MPs), instead of the important work done by other parts of the assembly, like committees which focus on drafting legislation and overseeing government ministries. While journalists face tangible pressure to post on social media, they also shoulder a responsibility to report ethically and reinforce constructive political discourse. In this context, NDI is helping the media and Assembly of Kosovo develop stronger relationships by building the skills of accredited journalists to report on parliamentary affairs. NDI has worked closely with the Forum for Parliamentary Transparency and the assembly’s Office for Media and Public Relations to invite accredited journalists to formal trainings to establish more structured cooperation between these journalists and the legislature. There are more than 400 accredited journalists in the assembly, which often struggles to accommodate them and their equipment. These trainings discuss basic coordination issues like how to avoid having multiple cameras crowding the gallery of the chamber during important news events. NDI also helped create a working group comprised of journalists and the assembly’s media personnel to review and revise media regulations. This serves as the foundation for an improved relationship between the assembly and the media. The working group’s new proposed regulations seek to improve the media’s access to the assembly by addressing a variety of issues like the streamlining accreditation process, improving technological infrastructure for journalists to work in the assembly, and ensuring that there is sufficient space to accommodate journalists and their equipment. To ensure that journalists understand the full breadth of the work conducted in the assembly, NDI held a workshop for journalists with assembly departmental heads and committee staff to review the broader legislative process, including the work of the various committees. Read more at: https://www.ndi.org/our-stories/kosovo-parliament-and-media-work-better-inform-public
