1 THE BROADCASTING AGENCY OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA Belgrade, 2012

Contents 2 Monitoring the Election Programmes of Broadcasters during the Election Campaign 2012 MONITORING THE PROGRAMMES OF BROADCASTERS 2211 COMPETENCIES OF THE REPUBLIC BROADCASTING AGENCY (RBA) 11

Overall competencies:  Passing the Broadcasting Development Strategy  Controlling application of relevant regulation  Issuing broadcasting licenses (terrestrial, cable and satellite)  Setting technical, organizational and programming conditions for program production  Prescribing rules binding on broadcasters  Monitoring broadcasting program  Considering submissions and complains on content  Imposing adequate sanctions against broadcasters  Protection of minors in program content  Enforcing regulation on copyright  Preventing the broadcasting of programmes which contain information inciting discrimination, hatred or violence against an individual or a group of individuals on grounds of race, religion, nationality, ethnicity or gender. 3 Monitoring the Election Programmes of Broadcasters during the Election Campaign 2012 COMPETENCIES OF RBA

Role of the Republic Broadcasting Agency (RBA) in monitoring broadcasters during election campaigns Monitoring of compliance with regulations and rules stipulated provisions of the:  Broadcasting Law  Public Information Law  General guidelines binding on the behavior of broadcasters (Code of Conduct for broadcasters)  General binding instructions to all radio and television stations for the conduct of the election campaign for the elections at the national, provincial and local level 4Monitoring the Election Programmes of Broadcasters during the Election Campaign 2012 COMPETENCIES OF RBA

Contents MONITORING THE PROGRAMMES OF BROADCASTERS 2211 COMPETENCIES OF THE REPUBLIC BROADCASTING AGENCY (RBA) 22 Monitoring the Election Programmes of Broadcasters during the Election Campaign 20125

Broadcasters Coverage TVRADIO National 6+2*5+5* Provincial 0+2*1+4* Regional 2835 Local Total TOTAL Broadcasters in Serbia 475 BROADCASTERS IN SERBIA Graphical representation of the total number of licenses issued to broadcasters in Serbia (DATA FROM MARCH 2012) * Public broadcasting services: National: RTS (Radio Television of Serbia) Provincial: RTV (Radio Television of Vojvodina) 6Monitoring the Election Programmes of Broadcasters during the Election Campaign 2012

7 OF BROADCASTERS MONITORING THE PROGRAMMES Monitoring of broadcasters’ operation outside the election campaign – standard monitoring is for 24 hours REGULAR REGULAR – All national broadcasters (11), public service of Serbia and Vojvodina Province (7) OVERALL RESULT hours of monitored content per year    EX OFFICIO EX OFFICIO – Monitoring of operations of a number of broadcasters determined on a monthly basis (average 10 broadcasters) ON SUBMISSION ON SUBMISSION – Monitoring of broadcasters’ operations regarding citizens’ submissions (250 submissions a year on average)

OF BROADCASTERS MONITORING THE PROGRAMMES Monitoring of broadcasters’ operation during the election campaign – standard monitoring is for 24 hours REGULAR REGULAR – All national broadcasters (11), public service of Serbia and Vojvodina Province (7) OVERALL RESULT – hours for the first three weeks of the Election campaign    EX OFFICIO EX OFFICIO – Monitoring of operations of a number of broadcasters determined on a monthly basis (average 15 broadcasters) ON SUBMISSION ON SUBMISSION – Monitoring of broadcasters’ operations regarding citizens’ submissions (27 submissions since the beginning of the Election Campaign)  ON SUBMITED MATERIAL ON SUBMITED MATERIAL – All broadcasters have the obligation to send their 24h recorded material to the Agency for monitoring 8Monitoring the Election Programmes of Broadcasters during the Election Campaign 2012

9 Contents MONITORING THE PROGRAMMES OF BROADCASTERS 2211 COMPETENCIES OF THE REPUBLIC BROADCASTING AGENCY (RBA) 33 Monitoring the Election Programmes of Broadcasters during the Election Campaign 20129

M o n i t o r i n g: ELECTIONS IN SERBIA Presidential elections, 2012 Parliamentary elections, 2012 Monitoring the Election Programmes of Broadcasters during the Election Campaign

ELECTION PROGRAMME STATISTICS Monitoring the Election Programmes of Broadcasters during the Election Campaign The basic principle derives from Article 5 of the Law on Election of Deputies and Article 4 of the Local Elections Act which stated that all broadcasters are obliged to ensure equality in informing about candidates of all the valid lists. Violation of this provision entails the imposition of appropriate measures. equality identification  TV program labeled "pre-election program "  RADIO program – sound signal (beep) Rules applied to all broadcasters objectivity  balance  protection of public interest  access for all ethnic minorities

12Monitoring the Election Programmes of Broadcasters during the Election Campaign 2012 Rules applied to Public Service Broadcasting (PSB)  Broadcasting Law  Free of charge presentation of all electoral lists and candidates  Not allowed to broadcast "paid broadcast time" on public services  Without discrimination ELECTION PROGRAMME STATISTICS

13Monitoring the Election Programmes of Broadcasters during the Election Campaign Monitoring the Election Programmes of Broadcasters during the Election Campaign 2012 Rules applied to commercial broadcasters ELECTION PROGRAMME STATISTICS  Paid broadcast time: no more recommendation but obligation if decided by the broadcaster 5 minutes in one day / 30 minutes during political campaign obligatory mark "paid broadcast time“ separate from the regular program same time slots for all candidates not allowed in prime time (on TV: 06:00-09:00 a.m. and 07:00-11:00 p.m; on RADIO: 06:00-09:00 a.m. and 03:00-07:00 p.m.) paid broadcast time ≠ paid advertising messages  Candidates can’t be journalists or speakers  Avoiding indirect political propaganda

14Monitoring the Election Programmes of Broadcasters during the Election Campaign 2012 Structure of total election broadcasting time  Election programme  Regular news programme  Paid broadcast time  Election advertising messages ELECTION PROGRAMME STATISTICS

15Monitoring the Election Programmes of Broadcasters during the Election Campaign 2012 ELECTION PROGRAMME STATISTICS Report:

16Monitoring the Election Programmes of Broadcasters during the Election Campaign 2012 ELECTION PROGRAMME STATISTICS Report:

17Monitoring the Election Programmes of Broadcasters during the Election Campaign 2012 ELECTION PROGRAMME STATISTICS Report:

18Monitoring the Election Programmes of Broadcasters during the Election Campaign 2012 ELECTION PROGRAMME STATISTICS Report:

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20 Conclusion Republic of Serbia Republic Broadcasting Agency Belgrade, 2012  Challenges: Government officials’ presence in/out of election broadcasting time Special rules for broadcasters concerning the hard of hearing people  Common mistakes made by the broadcasters – not adequate marking of election programme  One measure pronounced until now – warning for broadcasting the election material outside the election campaign  Five procedures initiated by the Council on the basis of filled submissions/complains Monitoring the Election Programmes of Broadcasters during the Election Campaign 2012