As artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly embedded into the media ecosystem, ensuring the ethical, responsible, and transparent use of AI is more crucial than ever. In response to this evolving landscape, press and media councils from South-East Europe and Türkiye adopted a landmark declaration at their regional meeting on 19-20 May 2025, in Ohrid, North Macedonia. The declaration was built on the sustained engagement of press councils from South-East Europe, building on their contributions to the statement and recommendations on AI integration in newsrooms, adopted in December 2024, at a regional conference co-organised by UNESCO and the Ethical Journalism Network (EJN). It also reflects outcomes from a roundtable co-organised with Reporters Without Borders on the integration of Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen-AI) into South-East Europe’s media sector through self-regulation mechanisms.
The joint declaration sets out guiding principles for the responsible and ethical use of AI in journalism; in particular, it should support journalists and newsrooms, and not replace human judgement, editorial responsibility, and media workers. Among its core tenets are the need for transparency in AI-generated content, full editorial accountability, and mandatory labelling of Generative AI (Gen-AI) content. The importance of rigorous risk assessments before deployment in high-stake contexts, such as during election periods and public health crises, was also highlighted. Crucially, the document warns against the amplification of bias and disinformation, and urges safeguarding media pluralism, among other vital recommendations.
Acknowledging AI’s potential, the declaration underlines the urgency of enhancing AI literacy, among not only media professionals but also the wider public. In this regard, it underscores the significance of equipping both journalists and citizens with the necessary skills to critically assess and navigate AI-driven content.
Notably, the declaration advocates for the development of sustainable funding models and equitable revenue-sharing mechanisms to ensure the viability of public interest journalism in an AI-influenced media environment.
Unesco welcomed the initiative, see more information here and here.
