The principles of accuracy and impartiality should be a must for mass media, Minister of Information Liliya Ananich announced in the programme Editors’ Club on Belarus 1 on February 7. She also said that the Ministry of Information would pronounce warnings for the distribution of incorrect information.
The Belarusian legislation allows closing down any editions after two warnings.
The official was indignant at the situation caused by vice PM Natallya Kachanava’s statements. Many mass media distributed her statements where she had claimed that young specialists had to put up with small wages.
"The Internet is trying to become a mass medium. It has created a phenomenon: reporters take statements out of context and present them they way their edition needs. When journalists are using catchy titles to attract readers, journalism gets perverted. This is not journalism, this is not a professional approach and it is destructive,” Ananich said.