Media literacy is crucial in the fight against misinformation and fake news, and the fight would be easier and simpler if the work of independent media was not obstructed, said Srdan Kosović, journalist and director of online development at Vijest.
Kosović agrees that in the fight against misinformation, the joint action of the state, the media and the civil sector is necessary, while the introduction of media literacy is the first step.
"Without media literacy, everything will be superfluous. Before censorship and various operations, such as debunking disinformation, strong, independent media played a key role in orienting citizens," said Kosović in an interview with the MINA agency.
He believes that if independent media are given the best working conditions, then the fight against disinformation will be easier and simpler.
Kosović assessed that the solution is to improve media literacy and invest in and support media that do a good job, "that is, that they are not obstructed, which is especially the case in Montenegro."
He said that media literacy should be introduced into education, pointing out the importance of media work in accordance with standards.
"The best thing for media literacy that the media can do is to be the best they can be. Standards are a barrier to any arbitrariness. If the highest possible standards are respected, then that in itself is a great contribution to media literacy", explained Kosović.
He believes that Montenegro is not immune to global trends, but that it is in a better situation compared to the region.
"Montenegro is not bypassed, it is a global phenomenon that is not from yesterday. When looking at the regional context, we are in a better situation than most of the countries in the region", said Kosović.
According to him, there are no printed tabloids in Montenegro, but many online media can be classified in that category because they deal with classic tabloid topics, not public interest.
"With us, pop culture is politics, that is, the main business and show business is precisely politics." There is no space to attract public attention to the private lives of musicians, actors, directors. This whole sphere spills over into the political sphere, and we have classic political tabloids," Kosović assessed.
In that area, as he stated, classic disinformation and fake news appear, because that is what most arouses the public's attention.
Kosović explained that tabloids are not the most read in Montenegro, but media that have a history of activity, which, as he states, is a landmark for the attitude towards media that produce fake news.
Commenting on tabloids from the region and their influence in Montenegro, Kosović emphasized that, in addition to readership, the level of trust the media have is also important.
"Every survey we had available shows that tabloids from Serbia have a very low level of trust in Montenegro." Therefore, when it comes to trust, it is mainly the traditional Montenegrin media that have an advantage over tabloids from Serbia," explained Kosović.
Speaking about the possibility of recognizing fake news and disinformation, as well as their relationship, Kosović pointed out that it is difficult to recognize them.
"One can make a difference between classic disinformation and what is fake news. Disinformation can also be spread by a media that did not have that intention," Kosović said, explaining that no media is immune to misinformation.
Fake news, as stated by Kosović, differs from disinformation in that it is deliberately distributed, without elements of human error and "it is the most destructive to society".
Commenting on the development of social networks, as well as the rise of populism and nationalist parties, Kosović stated that Montenegro, which has a low level of political culture, is not immune to global trends.
He pointed to the existence of a connection between political parties and the media, stating that there is not much difference in relation to whether they are of the populist, nationalist or civic type, liberal or democratic.
"You can recognize in the Montenegrin media space a number of media which, obviously and in the most primitive way, are tools of certain political parties", Kosović said.
He explained that information that is destructive to society is being promoted, and is part of the daily political interests of political parties.
Kosović added that it is important to abolish the practice of funding from the state budget media that are known for hate speech and false information, because, as he states, that is also an important message to citizens.
Bonus video:
