Accents

The two-day conference “Mass Media in Belarus: Challenges and Chances” gathered media professionals, civil society and governmental officials from Belarus and abroad. Some important messages below briefly explain what issues are faced by journalistic community in Belarus, and not only, from the perspective of laws and politics.

“Minsk is changing a lot, and there is a drastic difference between the capital and the province” this is how Agnieszka Romaszewska-Guzy formulated her fresh impressions from Belarus. It is the second time in the decade that Mrs Romaszewska visits Belarus: after she was deported in 2005, for ten years she had been denied a visa to Belarus. On May 31, the Press Club Belarus held a public meeting with Belsat director, after she made a trip to the north of the country and before another trip to southern regions. She told about nowadays Belsat, their expectations, and answered the questions of the public.

For one year already, Sabrina Bobowski has been the head of the School of Journalism at the IBB center organizing dozens of events, meetings and educational trips for journalists. Press service of BAJ talked to Sabrina about how she works to develop journalism in Belarus and to change people’s mentality.

On Sunday, the TV channel Belarus 1 broadcast the program Editors’ Club, with the participation of the chairperson of BAJ Andrei Bastunets. Independent journalists requested for access to the program themselves two weeks ago. 

On February 26, 2006, the European Radio for Belarus went on air for the first time. BAJ asked the head of the radio Vital Zybliuk to tell about the useful experience, lessons learnt and hopes.