New approaches to ensuring information security of Belarus were discussed today at a meeting with the Head of State. Representatives of various spheres gathered in the Palace of Independence: the Presidential Administration, the leaders of the media resources, experts. Information security of any state comes to the fore in the modern world. Perhaps, all conflicts on the planet are accompanied with confrontation and pressure through the media and the Internet today. Fake news has already become a powerful tool or even a weapon of the global world. Under these conditions, it is especially important to be ready to effectively repel any informational provocations.
In such conditions, we need our own security systems, which would be a powerful barrier for the state and citizens from destructive and false data. That is why the question of improving the quality of information and analytical work comes to the fore. The President supported the proposal to create a new structure, whose specialists could identify, analyze and counter such threats on a systematic basis.
Protection of the advertising market was discussed as well. Revenues from this activity must remain in the country. Another topic of the meeting was the question of so-called media meters. That is, methods for calculating and evaluating media ratings. There should be an organization that should be trusted by both Belarusians and the media themselves.
Media measurements are an essential tool for our television industry. Thanks to this information we form the schedule of programs, we can see which projects the audience likes the most, know the age of our audience, its interests. Therefore, it is extremely important that this analytical material is accurate and objective.
As noted by press secretary of the President Natalya Eismont, the Head of State was offered various options for organizing a media measurement system: from engaging a foreign, internationally recognized research company to organizing our own state meters. After listening to all the arguments, the Head of State outlined the main criterion that the system should work in the interests of the country and instructed to submit a specific proposal after additional discussion. It is planned that the document will be introduced in the coming days.
