"Throughout 2014 the IFJ and EFJ have been working hand in hand with affiliates, the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine, the Independent Media Trade Union of Ukraine and the Russian Union of Journalists to support their members in the field, condemn the intimidation of journalists and manipula ... tion of media and to maintain a professional co-operation between journalists across the conflict. The unions have shown great courage and leadership and we can be very proud of their responses. We are also grateful to the support of Dunja Mijatovic, Representative on Freedom of the Media for the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe for initiating a dialogue between the journalists unions in the spring of 2014. Since then six meetings have taken place that have been vital in building the climate of trust and co-operation. The process has not been easy, there have been tensions and sometimes serious disagreements, but there has been a remarkably broad areas of agreement, both on the principles that underline our profession and on areas of practical action to support and protect our members. This handbook was one initiative from this process and attempts to document the conflict through the eyes of the journalists and the unions. It draws on the joint monitoring and reporting that was conducted by the unions to record the major incidents against journalists in Ukraine and in Russia when related to the conflict. Through a series of interviews with journalists who have been in the war zone it provides an occasionally rough but authentic voice of the reporters and their experiences. The value of proper safety training and preparation for any correspondent is a major theme with interviews packed with advice to journalists contemplating heading to the front line." (Preface) more

"This report looks at how countries in Western Europe, in particular Sweden, Germany and the UK have developed press councils or complaints commissions and analyses recent initiatives in five countries of South East Europe aimed at improving journalistic standards and establishing some form of media ... self-regulation. Developments in Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania and Slovenia are explored through the testimonies of key stakeholders in the process: media owners, editors, journalists and non-governmental organisations. As the key findings and recommendations of the research reveal, there is no single fit-all model of media self-regulation that can be easily transferred from one country to another, but there are fundamental principles, which should be observed and useful lessons that can be learned." (Executive summary, page 6) more