BIRN Kosovo Trains Media Professionals on Ethics, Fact-Checking, and Responsible Reporting

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BIRN Kosovo organized a one-day training in Prishtina bringing together journalism students, journalists and media professionals to strengthen responsible journalism, gender-sensitive reporting, professional ethics, and fact-based reporting. The training aimed to enhance journalistic standards and address key challenges facing the media sector in Kosovo.

Photo: BIRN Kosovo

The training held on December 22, 2025, focused on improving journalists’ understanding of ethical decision-making, legal safeguards, and verification practices in an increasingly complex media environment.

The first session addressed gender-sensitive journalism and safety in reporting. Participants discussed the representation of women in the media, approaches to reporting on gender-related issues, and legal and professional safety when reporting from crisis or hostile environments. The session was delivered by were shared by Kreshnik Gashi, Editor-in-Chief of KALLXO.com, giving practical examples from the field.

The second session focused on media regulation and professional ethics. Participants were introduced to the legal and regulatory framework governing media in Kosovo, media ownership and financial transparency, and access to public documents. The session was delivered by Labinot Leposhtica, Monitoring Coordinator and Head of the Legal Office at BIRN Kosovo. 

The discussion further delved into professional journalism ethics, examining real-life dilemmas and the decision-making processes journalists encounter in their daily work.

The final part of the training focused on fact-based reporting and verification standards. Participants were introduced to international fact-checking methodologies and tools used to verify photos and videos, followed by practical exercises. The sessions were led by Visar Prebreza, Editor at Krypometër.

Through a combination of expert-led sessions and hands-on exercises, the training reinforced the importance of ethical, accurate, and responsible journalism, highlighting BIRN’s ongoing commitment to strengthening media professionalism and public trust in journalism in Kosovo.

This activity is supported by the EU-funded project “Strengthen the Role and Capacities of Investigative Journalism in Kosovo”, implemented by BIRN Kosovo, the Press Council of Kosovo, and TV Mreža.