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PODGORICA, June 8, 2022 – The Council of the Electronic Media Agency of Montenegro (AEM) has decided to support 11 radio and TV broadcasters with a total of about 220,000 euros, which completes the distribution of money from the Fund for Encouraging Pluralism and Media Diversity for last year.
AEM did not allocate the full amount available to it, as around 490,000 euros was provided for broadcasters and self-regulatory bodies. The proposal of the self-regulatory body was not accepted in this invitation, so self-regulation remained denied to the state’s help.
The realization of a total of 31 program contents was accepted by the invitation. Among radio broadcasters, the following were assisted: Radio Elita, Radio Petnjica, Radio Titograd, Radio Adriatic, Radio Zeta, Radio Homer, Radio Elmag, and Radio DRS, while TV broadcasters MNE sport 3, TV Nova M and Television Vijesti also received support.
During the ranking, there were a total of 100 points in circulation and the highest number of points won in the competition was 77.
AEM also published a ranking list with points, which shows that broadcasters received the most points on the criterion of their own production, while only eight content received points for contributing to improving the content for vulnerable groups, especially the persons with hearing and visual problems. Also, when scoring interactivity and encouraging the culture of social and political dialogue, only nine contents received points.
The decision of the Agency states that 27 applications for broadcasters and one for self-regulation have been received. A number of broadcasters were disqualified due to tax debts, certain content could not be supported due to non-compliance with legal requirements, and some proposed programs did not have a sufficient number of support points – 35.
Unspent money in the amount of about 270,000 euros is transferred for the next call.
Late last year, the Commission of the Ministry of Public Administration, Digital Society and Media, which decides on the allocation of budgets for print media and online publications, supported 32 projects of print media and online publications, including 12 projects of NGOs that have their own online publications. The total allocation was about 310,000 euros.
During the first distribution of money from the Fund for last year, the media received about 530,000 euros.