On June 14, 2013 Grigorij Mesežnikov participated at panel discussion Media and Politics, organized as an exclusive professional event of the 19th International Festival of Local Televisions in Košice. The main sponsor of the festival City TV Foundation, supported by numerous donors, invited also Dr. Janos Auer, member of Media Council of the National Media and News Office (Hungary), Dr. Justin Schlosberg, lecturer of journalism, expert on media scene at the local level (United Kingdom), Anna Tomanova Makanova, vice-president of Vojvodina parliament (Serbia) and Erik Mollberg from the Alliance for Community Media (USA). Debate was chaired by Rick Thompson, the former BBC Head of International News, now director of ‘T-Media’ which conducts development and training work in European broadcasting.
Website of the International Festival of Local Televisions informs about topics of the debate: „In modern society, the importance of media is increasing and media constitute one of the prerequisites for existence of democratic society. Not only they present a source of information, but also they are effective tool of power, representing views and conducting open social dialogue for shaping the public opinion. Due to their social importance and impact to the executive, legislative and judicial power, the media are considered as the fourth branch of power. Given this role and mission of the media, political parties are trying to rule, control and influence the media in order to get the public on their own side. In democratic society, power is legitimized by the public which is formed only through social dialogue. Media create a platform and serve as major tool for such a dialogue. Social dialogue prevents emergence of the monopoly on ideas, opinions and ultimate truth. In order to fulfill this mission, media must remain free and independent from politics as well as from all kinds of political and economic power. They may not behave, however, as uncontrollable force and must be subject of public control, ethical and professional norms“. (Source: www.festival.sk/2013/en/ifolt/about)
