CONFLICTS BETWEEN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION BODIES AND THE MASS MEDIA: CAUSES AND SOLUTIONS

This article analyses the causes and types of conflicts between public administration bodies and the mass media, and the ways of resolving them. Drawing on cases from national practice, legal provisions and a survey of 141 journalists, it shows that conflicts arise from officials’ refusals to provide information, their provision of false information and their demeaning treatment of journalists, as well as from journalists’ failure to verify facts, inappropriate choice of words and lack of awareness of their own rights. Solutions are proposed concerning dialogue mechanisms, a media ombudsman, the improvement of legislation and the enhancement of legal literacy.