In short, European journalists believe for the most part in 'good' journalism, although no-one claims to have a magic formula for producing it. The experience of many seminars organised by the European Journalism Centre bringing journalists together from all over Europe has been that journalists have a great deal to learn from each other, and that exchanges of information and the sharing of experiences are enormously beneficial. Given the routine pressures of journalism it is usually difficult for journalists to reflect critically on newsroom practices and decision-making. Bad practices may be perpetuated by default, and good practice may simply go unrecognised. This handbook is about good journalism.
Good journalism is as relevant in a multicultural society as it is in a culturally homogeneous one.
Cultural diversity and examples of intolerance differ in character and extent across Europe. Good journalism should be a constant. No attempt has been made to propose a single, universal model of good journalism. Nor is this a catalogue of racist reporting, xenophobic editorials, anti-Semitic stereotyping or intolerant commentaries. There is no argument here for censorship, imposed either from outside or within.