“Book Reviews in Newspapers, Magazines, Blogs, and on Facebook” was the topic of the public debate hosted on Friday, May 19, by the School of Advanced Journalism. It was part of a larger event that took place this week in Cahul, Chisinau, and Balti – Days of Romanian Literature, third edition. 

For four days, booklovers had the opportunity to meet and speak with authors and literary critics from Moldova and Romania. On Friday, the team of literary figures made a stopover, for the first time ever, at the School of Advanced Journalism, where they met with students and trainers, as well as a group of future journalists from the Journalism and Communication Sciences Department of Moldova State University, who joined us, and with renowned journalists from various media.

“Why do we need book reviews today and how can we attract the younger generation to reading?” – this was the question addressed to writers Vitalie Ciobanu, Tatiana Tibuleac, Paula Erizanu, Iulian Ciocan, as well as to book reviewers and critics Lucia Turcanu, Alina Purcaru, Dan Coman, Eli Badica, and Mircea V. Ciobanu. Discussions were diverse – on book reviews, reader’s perception, cultural journalism and its perspectives in the modern era, – but the book itself and the role the journalists can and should play in the book’s relations with the audience were at the foreground. The guests highlighted the importance of book reviews and noted that the contemporary reader is much more informed and has now the possibility to express his views freely, including in social networks. “A reviewer is the one who represents the reader’s opinion, and we must take his interests into account,” said Mircea V. Ciobanu.

Another topic was the adaptation of the journalists writing about culture and literature to the digital era. “Innovation and novelty are key words,” said Eli Badica, editor at Suplimentul de Cultură and Arte și Meserii from Bucharest. She pointed out that in order to attract the reader’s attention, you must constantly surprise him, always give him new, interesting, and unique information. “You have to be different than others,” she added.

The idea was supported by the writer and journalist Iulian Ciocan from Radio Free Europe. “You should try to be different,” the guest said.

The debate about the more or less natural connection between literature and journalism prompted special interest, as for many of the guests journalism either preceded literary activity or remained a concern parallel to fiction or book reviewing. Young people were interested to learn how a beginner journalist can convince the publisher to write articles about culture and literature, topics that are increasingly rare in the press. Paula Erizanu said it may be possible if you come up with an original approach, and to exemplify, she brought one of her recent articles, written for CNN.com, where she made an evaluation of fictional houses from several famous literary creations, such as Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Sherlock Holmes, or The Master and Margarita.

“Young journalists are lacking curiosity,” said writer Tatiana Tibuleac. The former journalist recommended young journalists to be as curious as possible, ask as many questions as possible, and look for methods to make their writing interesting, whether they write about literature or anything else. “Curiosity is free, and it is your most valuable tool, which doesn’t cost you anything,” concluded the author of the novel The Summer When Mother Had Green Eyes.

The Days of Romanian Literature are at their third edition. The event was organized by the Union of Moldovan Publishers and the “Cartier” Publishing House.