Modern Media Institute Partners in Support of IPI Congress in Warsaw

VFP Communications, the Modern Media Institute's parent, has signed on as a partner in support of the World Congress of the International Press Institute, scheduled for May 15-18 in Warsaw.

WARSAW (PRWEB) April 13, 2004 --VFP Communications, MMIs parent, has signed on as a partner in support of the World Congress of the International Press Institute, scheduled for May 15-18 in Warsaw.

Were pleased to support this important international event being held in Poland," said Kehrt Reyher, CEO of the Institute. The program shows an intention to take on some very serious problems in a straightforward manner. Theres sure to be some extremely lively discussion."

The IPI program reflects a wide range of issues affecting mass media across the region. A session entitled "Central and Eastern Europe 15 Years After the Fall of Communism," moderated by former Polish Minister of Foreign affairs Bronislaw Geremek, should set the tone for discussion of several hot topics:

• Press freedom: Development in the Former Soviet Union (FSU), where IPI describes criminal prosecution of journalists and other strong-arm tactics, warning that that repression continues." Apparently by the relevant governments and/or other power structures.

• Europes future borders: A panel will discuss the EUs future beyond recent enlargement and how new rules of the game are being defined" for aspirant countries.

• Corruption: One session likely to draw intense local interest is entitled "Polish Corruption Scandals and the Media as a Watchdog of Democracy." Thats in light of the fact that Agora, one of Polands leading media companies as owner of the powerful national daily Gazeta Wyborcza, is itself in the midst of one of the biggest scandals of the post-Communist era, the Rywingate" bribes-for-legislation affair which still has not played itself out fully (link to background sidebar).

• Ethics: "Implementing Good Journalistic Practices" will address bribe-taking by journalists and what can be done to vaccinate newsrooms against violations of their public trust." Planned as a part of this session is an overview of The International Index of Bribery for News Coverage, which ranks 66 of the world's nations for the likelihood that journalists will seek or accept cash for news coverage from government officials, businesses, or other sources.

The ethics session isolates a critical problem which is far too pervasive in Central and Eastern Europe and the states of the FSU, said MMIs Reyher.

Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski is also on the program, under a session described as Questions & Answers."

CONTACT INFORMATION
Kehrt Reyher
Modern Media Institute
(22) 858 20 30
Warszawa
Poland

or

Karen Stevenson
Modern Media Institute
(646) 234-3791
New York, NY