"Our group has a historic responsibility to purify the press in the country," says Mr De Ydagn, who is also the president of the National Journalists Union.

The code grew from a finding by the Freedom of the Press, Ethics and Deontology Observatory (Olped), a self-regulation authority set up in the country in 1995, that people were very strongly disappointed by the media.

The observatory had organised a debate on 3 May, for World Press Freedom Day, gathering journalists and the public. After that meeting, the Olped noticed that the general feeling was disappointment in a press which "panics, traumatizes and destabilizes."

The Olped is run by press professionals who have two objectives: clean up the profession and reduce the number of journalists tried and incarcerated for violations of press laws.

According to the code set up by Fraternit-Matin, a journalist of the group will have to choose between journalistic work and belonging to a political party, these two functions being considered incompatible. Moreover, a journalist cannot run for office.

Mr De Ydagn became Managing Director of Fraternit-Matin in February. He says "the level of ethical and ethical consciousness in Fraternit-Matin has to be to improved and to strengthened."

"Fraternit-Matin was a newspaper close to the government and so the ruling political parties. One cultivated there a journalism of allegiance which opened doors to ministerial posts or to foldaway seats within the dominant party," Mr De Ydagn says, adding that now Fraternit-Matin claims to be a non partisan newspaper.

According to the "Code of honour of the journalist," the journalist is free, of course, to have opinions and political, religious, ideological or philosophic sympathies. But he should not try to transform the newspaper into a tribune for his personal convictions.

"A journalist should be a social critical consciousness. Such a status puts him above the hand-to-hand fight and the partisan politics which often lead him to lose any critical distance with regard to the facts," says Mr De Ydagn.

However, "a partisan press can only ’panic, traumatize and destabilize’ public opinion," he says. "Of course, a partisan press is necessary when democracy does not exist or is in danger. But when democracy takes the next step, it is time for a press of responsibility and commitment citizenship," Mr de Ydagn says.

To obtain a copy of the "Code of honour of the journalist" or to comment on the opinions in this article, please contact ["Our group has a historic responsibility to purify the press in the country," says Mr De Ydagn, who is also the president of the National Journalists Union.

The code grew from a finding by the Freedom of the Press, Ethics and Deontology Observatory (Olped), a self-regulation authority set up in the country in 1995, that people were very strongly disappointed by the media.

The observatory had organised a debate on 3 May, for World Press Freedom Day, gathering journalists and the public. After that meeting, the Olped noticed that the general feeling was disappointment in a press which "panics, traumatizes and destabilizes."

The Olped is run by press professionals who have two objectives: clean up the profession and reduce the number of journalists tried and incarcerated for violations of press laws.

According to the code set up by Fraternit-Matin, a journalist of the group will have to choose between journalistic work and belonging to a political party, these two functions being considered incompatible. Moreover, a journalist cannot run for office.

Mr De Ydagn became Managing Director of Fraternit-Matin in February. He says "the level of ethical and ethical consciousness in Fraternit-Matin has to be to improved and to strengthened."

"Fraternit-Matin was a newspaper close to the government and so the ruling political parties. One cultivated there a journalism of allegiance which opened doors to ministerial posts or to foldaway seats within the dominant party," Mr De Ydagn says, adding that now Fraternit-Matin claims to be a non partisan newspaper.

According to the "Code of honour of the journalist," the journalist is free, of course, to have opinions and political, religious, ideological or philosophic sympathies. But he should not try to transform the newspaper into a tribune for his personal convictions.

"A journalist should be a social critical consciousness. Such a status puts him above the hand-to-hand fight and the partisan politics which often lead him to lose any critical distance with regard to the facts," says Mr De Ydagn.

However, "a partisan press can only ’panic, traumatize and destabilize’ public opinion," he says. "Of course, a partisan press is necessary when democracy does not exist or is in danger. But when democracy takes the next step, it is time for a press of responsibility and commitment citizenship," Mr de Ydagn says.

To obtain a copy of the "Code of honour of the journalist" or to comment on the opinions in this article, please contact rap21@wan.asso.fr