Serbian electronic media watchdog says officials had more air time than candidat

NEWS 05.11.202018:07
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The Serbian Regulatory Body for Electronic Media (REM) said on Thursday that state officials had more air time than candidates on radio and TV during the campaign for the June 21 parliamentary and local elections.

The Association of Journalists of Serbia (UNS) said that 12 broadcasters reviewed by the REM gave state officials 367 hours and 27 minutes of air time while candidates got 344 hours and 24 minutes. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic whose name was used for the list of candidates of his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) had 170 hours of air time while the SNS candidates got 68 hours and nine minutes. He was followed by Prime Minister Ana Brnabic with 33 hours and 45 minutes.  

According to the statement, the state TV (RTS) had the most balanced campaign coverage with the SNS candidates getting some eight percent of total air time while the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), Serbian Radical Party (SRS), United Democratic Serbia (UDS) and Metla 2020 got six hours each.  

The state-owned Radio TV Vojvodina had similar coverage, the private pro-regime TV Pink had 50 hours and 45 minutes of campaign coverage focusing on the SNS leader and candidates with nine hours and 10 minutes of air time and the same amount of time for the SPS, SRS, Metla 2020 and UDS together. Other privately-owned pro-authorities TV stations – Happy, B92 and Prva – also gave the SNS more air time than others.  

The statement said that N1 TV had a positive attitude towards the opposition Alliance for Serbia (SzS) and negative towards the authorities. The statement said that N1 had 114 hours of campaign coverage, devoting 36 hours to the SzS which did not field candidates and almost 12 hours to the SNS and its leader, adding that the station gave analysts 77 hours of air time.  

The Nova S TV station gave half of its 73 hours of campaign coverage to analysts and 11 hours and 35 minutes to the parties that boycotted the elections. The Movement of Free Citizens (PSG) and its leader Sergej Trifunovic had three hours and 22 minutes of air time and the SNS and its leader President Vucic had 50 minutes.  

Special shows covering the elections were aired only on N1 and TV Pink, the statement said, recalling that the stations have no legal obligation to organize them to present candidates.