5. Civil Society against Corruption (PDF, 293 kb)

112 ANTI-CORRUPTION REFORMS IN BULGARIA
CHART 33. DISTRIBUTION OF CORRUPTION-RELATED ITEMS BY GENRE
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500
400
300
200
100
0
688
Information
147
Interview
Source: Media Monitoring by Coalition 2000
265
Analysis
23 14
Investigative
report
Editorial
Investigative journalism is
the most high-risk professional
commitment as well as the
costliest investment and serious
media cannot afford to ignore
it. It is still underused, though,
since shortage of financial
resources and a heavy reliance
on advertising, typical of a most
Bulgarian media, drive them to
focus on more conventional
reporting genres and general
information. Investigative
journalism is still viewed as a
luxury that is not necessarily
warranted and one that may,
in the event of a clash of
interests, affect the survival of
the respective media.
Journalistic disclosures still have a very low “life expectancy”. The blame
is to be shared by the respective reporters/media and public authorities
who for the most part still tend to ignore the investigative reports. On
the other hand, there are also the stories aimed at discrediting particular
public figures or organizations. Smear campaigns are part of the media
landscape and tend to proliferate in periods of major political events,
election times in particular. It is a professional test for journalism how
susceptible the media are to this type of abuse of their public power,
more often than not proving to be the turf of former and current
officials in the security sector. One alarming tendency, however, is the
tacit taboo in the professional community on publications concerning
corruption in the media themselves.
The media have undeniably managed to demonstrate that a wide
range of dubious practices in Bulgarian society are in fact corruption.
They have raised public sensitivity and encouraged intolerance to a
broad spectrum of corrupt actions. They have also coined a matching
discourse for the public to use in the debate on corruption.
The media are now not simply reporting law enforcement action against
corruption but publish facts which need further investigation. In this,
besides the usual methods reporters rely more on whistleblowers and
on non-governmental organizations. There are already numerous good
practices where the media, civic organizations, law-enforcement bodies,
and the public administration form effective coalitions. They, however,
rarely outlive the particular purpose of their formation.
In the last few years certain pieces of legislation related to judicial and
economic reform were highlighted by some print and broadcast media
because of the corruption risks involved. This was a good example how
the media can do valuable preventive work as well.