Judicial Strenghtening Initiative (JSI) in Bulgaria

Independent Media in Bulgaria

Download Judicial Strenghtening Initiative in Bulgaria Information Sheet

Download Media Sustainability Index (MSI) 2005: Bulgaria

Helping Judges Interact with the Media

The Broadcast Training Center-ProMedia (BTC) and East West Management Institute (EWMI) held two training sessions that enabled court chairpersons across Bulgaria to improve their ability to interact with the media. The trainings focused on explaining how media operate in Bulgaria and describing media culture, values, and ethics. Many court officials do not understand that a story will develop with or without their participation and that the public has a right to information on the judiciary.

In addition to the concepts of transparency and the right of access to information, participants learned skills in crisis communication, press release writing, interviewing, and media monitoring. The training seminars featured substantial interaction and practical exercises to allow the judges to work with each other on development of press releases, media plans, and mock interviews.

Improving Media Reporting on the Judiciary

The Broadcast Training Center-ProMedia (BTC) is building upon the judicial reporting training sessions launched under IREX ProMedia. Training sessions focus on topics such as: improving journalists’ understanding of judicial structures and processes, the rights of citizens before the judiciary, the relationships between the judiciary and other branches of government, and the judicial reform process, including its relationship to European Union (EU) accession.

In addition, BTC has revised a training manual for reporters on how to cover criminal law and is developing one for civil law reporting. Both manuals will be distributed across Bulgaria – to media organizations and journalism faculties – and will be used in future BTC trainings.

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