Sumy journalist association asks Regional Administration to not issue recommendations on coverage

The Freedom Media Journalist Association is calling on the Sumy Regional State Administration to stop issuing recommendations to the editors of municipal newspapers on what should be covered.

The appeal was prompted by a letter from the Deputy Head of the Administration, Serhiy Hryshchai requesting publishing in the municipal media outlets of the region information about the summing up of the year’s work by Mykola Azarov’s government.

The letter, according to Freedom Media, was stamped “Urgent!” and sent to email addresses over 10 days with over 200 letters in all received. They contained an interview with Azarov from 11 March, presentation of the government’s achievements and the request from the Head of the Sumy Regional Administration.

Freedom Media asks the heads of the Administration to stop telling the municipal media outlets what information will be interesting to their readers and deciding for the editors what information is urgent.

Telekritika has approached the Sumy Regional Administration for its commentary.