PRISHTINË, 28.12.2018 – Asociacioni i Gazetarëve të Kosovës reagon ashpër ndaj veprimit të pjesëtarëve të policisë, të cilët e kanë konfiskuar telefonin e gazetares Saranda Ramaj, pa urdhër të gjykatës.

Ramaj u ndalua nga policia gjatë raportimit për procesin gjyqësor “Syri i Popullit”.

Konfiskimi i mjeteve të punës së gazetarëve, është shkelje e rëndë e nenit 4, 5 dhe 6 e Ligjit për Mbrojtjen e Burimeve të Gazetarisë dhe nenit 10 të Konventës Europiane për të Drejtat e Njeriut.

Burimet tona janë të mbrojtura me ligjin për Mbrojtjen e Burimeve të Gazetarisë, përkatësisht nenin 5 ku theksohet se:

“Gazetarët dhe profesionistët e tjerë të medias janë të detyruar ta zbulojnë identitetin e burimit të informacionit, siç referohet në nenin 4 të këtij ligji, vetëm me kërkesë të gjykatës kompetente dhe vetëm nëse: zbulimi i identitetit të burimit të informacionit është i nevojshëm për të parandaluar një kërcënim serioz të integritetit fizik me pasojë vdekjen të një ose më shumë personave.”

Asociacioni i Gazetarëve të Kosovës e dënon ashpër këtë veprim të policisë, njëherësh kërkon nga Inspektorati që të merret seriozisht me shkeljet që sot janë bërë ndaj gazetares së “Koha Ditore”, Saranda Ramaj. AGK kërkon që ky rast të ndiqet nga organet e drejtësisë në mënyrë që të nxjerret një verdikt sa më i drejtë dhe i shpejtë.

PODGORICA, 11.01.2019. – News portal Radio Berane was founded in March 2017 with the intention to improve the content offered by this local public broadcaster. Editor-in-Chief Milena Bubanja-Obradovic said that everything started two years earlier, with the establishment of a Facebook page on which they placed audio and video recordings that were broadcast on Radio. As the audience was interested in these content, they decided to make a free version of the site. In this way, they primarily wanted to reach the younger audience, which is mostly uninterested in traditional media.

“First we made a free version at wordpress, and on the anniversary of that old portal, in March 2018, we launched a new redesigned portal,” says Bubanja Obradovic, who is also vice-president of the Trade Union of Media of Montenegro.

She added that the professionalization of the portal was financed by a project supported by the United States Embassy “Improving the skills of using the Internet and social networks”.

The portal had almost no editorial office, but everyone worked within a major radio editorial. After the portal was redesigned, the news desk of portal was formed with two employees. Bubanja-Obradovic explains that other colleagues are involved, but that their work is not primarily related to the portal.

The beginning was the difficult because they had to lay the foundations and work with limited resources.

“By creating the portal, the circumstances changed, so colleagues started to get involved and participate in the work. However, we should not be dismayed because working on the portal is only one part of the work at Radio, so for those who are engaged it is another obligation, and it does not imply higher profits”, Milena said.

However, they managed to position themselves, but, as she says, they continue to work on progressing and upgrading the portal.

“Having a portal dealing with local topics has its advantages because it opens the possibility of putting the topics of relevance to our fellow citizens into focus. It has opened the possibility that a large number of our fellow citizens who are not in Berane have information from their city. On the other hand, this limitation on local issues is sometimes challenging because it is necessary to create stories continuously and be imaginative enough that, even when there are no events, you have enough interesting articles”, explained Bubanja-Obradovic.

Their numbers, she said, show that their plans and expectations are far outstripped. He adds that the old Radio Berane portal has achieved some success, which, given the limited technical possibilities, is not negligible, but it is obvious that the new portal is more successful.

“In eight months, we record about 850 thousand visits and about five thousand followers. Some of the articles range up to 40,000 people. These numbers are especially encouraging to us, because we did not promote the Portal through social networks”, the editor-in-chief of the this media revealed.

Bubanja-Obradovic thinks that the launch of the portal is a success for itself, since in the digital age online services, which monitor the work of local media, are necessary.

“The tangible result is the number of visits that, compared with other portals of this type, shows that we managed to position ourselves high,” she concluded.

According to her, local public broadcasters are not in a good position, so work in them is not a dream for a journalist. On the contrary, a bad financial situation greatly influences the working conditions and motivation of employees to enter into a new project that is not paid additionally.

One of the biggest problems they face is poor technical equipment, and according to Milena, the equipment they have is old and inadequate, making it difficult for everyday work and creating multimedia forms.

“Another, no less important, is the problem of a small number of employees who require that a journalist must have a lot of different skills and knowledge to complete the job. This leads to frequent overtime, weekend work, and the like, “she explained, adding that there were several unsuccessful attempts to sabotage the work of the media. Bubanja-Obradovic added that the portal recently faced a hacker attack that, for several days, “knocked down” the portal.

The formula for the success of the Radio Berane portal, the editor-in-chief of this media sees in the fact that it was launched by young people who started working in Radio a few years ago. This, she says, has influenced that Portal, despite all the problems, works successfully.

“On the wings of new power it developed and brought some new possibilities. We’ve got a portal that allows us to make money through marketing and make it sustainable”.

SARAJEVO, 10.01.2018.-Great media systems are exceptionally hard to finance and press and print media houses are even in the worst possible position. Newspapers manufacturing has become the significantly expensive business and there are no guarantees that invested means would return through future incomes, because of the following: significantly decreased number of printed editions and due to a decline, deriving from commercial marketing incomes. Having considered this and during few previous years, great private companies have been extra cautious as far as the spending of money planned for marketing purposes was concerned’ the forecast for the forthcoming period does not seem optimistic at all and this does not concern printed media houses only. Pursuant to this, media public media financing, unfortunately, remains as the only option.

A month and a half ago, the text/article titled “How political parties finance their campaigns from public budget money from local communities”, was posted and appeared on a local web site. The text contained the parallel overview of public procurement plans for five towns in the Republic of Srpska, for the period from last year until the present, with the particular focus on the community – based and utility – drafted projects, including media financing as well.

The results only proved that certain cities and towns throughout the Republic of Srpska (Banja Luka, Doboj, Prijedor, Bijeljina and Trebinje) increased their local budgets, aimed for roads reconstructions (layering asphalt) and public lighting. These cities and towns shall, under the special logo (titled “Asphalt, light and invite media for follow up”), transfer some BAM 400.000, 00 to the accounts of media houses in the Republic of Srpska. This amount does not include the cities of Banja Luka and Trebinje since they have not yet released and announced the information regarding this project. Many potential voters are still attracted by his kind of approach, although the newly built roads are used mostly by people that decide to leave and abandon this country for good in their quest for a better life abroad. This matter does indeed concern something that is, in the first place, visible and can be felt and touched, that is, it “proves and confirms” that the governing official authorities are actually doing something affirmative and acceptable for their own citizens and the venue accordingly appears as even more significant, especially if the same citizens have plenty of food and drink under booths and tents.

Consequently, the votes are guaranteed, as a result of public “gratitude and obedience”. In this way, local communities’ budgets become dependent subjects under the control of political parties during the election year period, because there is no better chance ad opportunity for promotions, than cutting of the celebration tape, booth setting, sticking roasted pigs or lambs (meat) on the fire (in some places they even roast bulls), which altogether represents the folklore and “tradition” for the opening ceremony of 1.2 km of recently asphalted road, which shall (apparently) “dramatically” make lives of local communities and citizens significantly easier.

This particular text covered five cities and towns only and their plans in 2018. Things at higher levels are much more serious since amounts at these levels are significantly higher and money aimed for media houses is not directed from public budget sources only; instead, it is directed from the vast number of public enterprises (and they are under complete control of governing and ruling official authorities). According to the recent report by Sarajevo Media Center, public sector allocates tens of millions of BAM to certain media houses and media contents. It seems at least unacceptable, that no appropriate and public access to information details, regarding these allocations, is feasible and can be done, including the crucial information about the amounts allocated to certain media houses and more importantly, procedures and criteria upon which these amounts have been allocated.

The report outlined that the money has been allocated from all administrative levels in BiH, through different procedures and aimed for different purposes, including regular co-financing of public media houses, short – term allocation of financial means for specific media programs and contents covering particular issues and affairs, and other associated individual help, such as allocation deriving from additional and extra incomes from public institutions and enterprises, also directed and aimed to media houses. According to some unofficial and unconfirmed information, media houses receive (on an annual level and from public budget and public enterprises), enormous amounts of some BAM 30, 00 million in BiH. During the period, where (on an annual level), several so-called traditional media channels have been shut down, with printed media houses leading this list and definitely being in the worst possible position of all, this information revealed that without public budget money, the situation in media market would turn disastrous.

It is getting hard and difficult to finance great media systems and printed media is once again in the worst possible position here. Newspaper manufacturing has become significantly expensive and costly business with no guarantees that the money invested shall return through future incomes because of both, the decline in the edition and because of decreased marketing incomes as well. Having in mind that large private companies have lately been extra cautious, as far as investing money in marketing is concerned, the forecast for the forthcoming period does not seem optimistic at all. On the other hand, leading shopping centers and trade centers, including car dealers, are still investing their money in marketing, having their commercial advertisements posted and published with leading and most popular newspapers.

This includes big companies from other business fields, since they dispose of significant money amounts in our market, but there is a question of what benefits they may have as far as this particular type of commercial advertising is concerned, taking into consideration that the scope towards eventual, potential and future buyers and clients, is visibly diminished, due to very low number of published and printed editions. Therefore, it doesn’t take extraordinary wisdom to conclude that the most significant piece of marketing cake ends in printed papers, due to some other and completely different schemes and combinations, rather than having a commercial advertisement in printed sources, pursuant to market adequacy.

This kind of specific relationship practically impels traditional media houses to and with their own money, seeks salvation in public enterprises and public budgets, entities and local communities. Consequently, this creates a bedazzled circle of dependability, because it is hard to expect that media houses that practically rely on means deriving from public enterprises professionally outline about the irregularities or even criminal occurrence in their own houses. In this way, company managers, all of them being active political party members, provide media with stability, and also provide them-selves with stability.

To make things worse, there are no indicators that this might change in the forthcoming period, regardless to the question about who shall govern, rule or run and manage the media. Although previous lines may sound as excuses to someone, this issue has not been about justifying; instead, it has been about depressing everyday life and about the situation in which BiH media are in at present time. No media house can rely on, be liquid and finally sustain from RTV Tax Fee incomes; otherwise, public broadcasters would not be desperately mourning and seeking help constantly.

Commercial TV Channels cannot survive through “healthy” marketing service they acquire through audience viewership. Additionally, printed media cannot financially prevail by relaying on printed edition, including web sites that cannot rely on the number of clicks and they are all consequently compelled and to some extent forced, to find alternative solutions and paths in order to sustain and survive in the market. In this context and at present, “most liberate media houses” in BiH are on one hand, those being financed from abroad, but this could, on the other hand, result in with undesirable effects, because the thorough analysis regarding the incomes these media house attain could raise the question of what is the difference between media houses being financed by local governing levels and media houses being financed by foreign governments.

Frankly, there is no difference between the two; both of them, if one should be willing to be mean, could be considered as mercenary orientated categories.

This text is a part of E-Bulletin– eighth edition of special serial of BHN online bulletin implemented through the “Media and Public Reputation” (origin. “Mediji i javni ugled”) project, also representing a contribution to public debate regarding the transparency of media ownership and upholding and encouraging the passing of set of laws aimed to advance media field and information market in BiH.

PODGORICA, 09.01.2019. – In order to achieve success and engage in investigative journalism, there is no need for a major editorial and numerous resources, according to a young journalist from the Fos Media portal, Danilo Ajkovic. Danilo, who has been engaged in this media since its foundation (at the beginning of 2017), won only three awards for his work in 2017 and 2018: Annual Prize of the Association of Journalists of Montenegro for 2017, as well as two awards for research stories awarded by the Center for Civic Education in November, and the Network for the Promotion of the Non-Governmental Sector (MANS) in December 2018.

In journalism, which he always wanted to deal with, he quickly positioned himself, but found that he entered this business when he least expected it.

“I have been following news programs since I was a little. When I was 16 years old, I graduated from a journalism school where I had the opportunity to try out cameras and take the exam in front of editors and directors of the Montenegrin media. I got an “A” and I recently looked at that video that I still keep. It was an interesting retrospective from a distance of some 13 years”, said Danilo, who is a lawyer by profession.

In the meantime, he dealt with other jobs that enabled him to acquire narrow knowledge in the field of constitutional law, functioning of the judicial system and the highest judicial bodies, respect for human rights in closed institutions, communication with the media and work with children. Also, at the time he received an offer for working engagement in the Fos Media portal, he had another job he was pleased with.

“Nevertheless, this was a new story. Through the portal, faster than through any other media, you are distributing information, which is an advantage over the so-called traditional media, because today we are all connected to their mobile phones”, Ajkovic said.

According to him, the biggest drawback, and at the same time the advantage of the portal is speed. Journalists of the portal, on the one hand, report live at any time and transmit information about the event that happens at that moment. But, he explains, that it carries a huge responsibility as well as the danger of possible error.

“We often do not have time to check, and the verification of information is necessary. The probability of a mistake will increase if it is about striking news, and in Montenegro you have at least one shocking news not on a monthly or a weekly basis, but at a daily level. This requires journalists who can get accurate information at a given moment, not to transmit the information in a distorted manner and to provide video and image with all that, “he explained. Danilo points out that this requires a team of people to rely on, so that the work is done in a quality way.

As he himself acknowledges, due to everyday events on the socio-political scene, journalists have less and less time to devote themselves to serious research stories. Even when they find it, and no matter how important the story is, because of the hustle and bustle of life, once these stories are missed out by the citizens. That is precisely why, he points out, the rewards he got is important.

“I see the greatest significance of recognition in the fact that the topic is re-updated and there is pressure for the public to examine a particular question or to educate citizens more and to inform them in order to be more aware of their rights. In addition, when you are a beginner in a particular profession, awards give you a breeze in the back of the projects that are in front of you, “Ajkovic emphasized.

BEOGRAD, 31.12.2018. – Ključni problem audiovizuelnog medijskog prostora u Srbiji je neefikasno i ispolitizovano Regulatorno telo za elektronske medije (REM), zaključak je brojnih panela i analiza koje su sproveli različiti timovi stručnjaka, domaćih i međunarodnih.

Zakon definiše ovo telo kao samostalno i nezavisno, a njegov zadatak je da reguliše, kontroliše i sankcioniše elektronske medije. Međutim, REM tj. njegov Savet nikada nije uspeo da se izgradi kao nezavisno, kredibilno i profesionalno telo.

Od svog osnivanja Regulatorno telo za elektronske medije se smatra najslabijom karikom u domaćem medijskom prostoru, a takva percepcija je dodatno ojačana prethodnih godina, kada je nekadašnja “pasivnost” ovog tela prerasla u otvoreno odbijanje da obavlja ulogu koja mu je poverena. Umesto da štiti interes javnosti i radi na očuvanju slobode informisanja i mišljenja, REM kontinuirano toleriše ponašanje medija koje je u koliziji sa zakonom i profesionalnim kodeksima, i time nanosi nemerljivu štetu ne samo medijskom javnom prostoru, već i demokratskim procesima i društvu u celini.

Kritike na račun srpskog Regulatornog tela za elektronske medije su svake godine zastupljene i u izveštajima Evropske komisije (EK) o napretku Srbije u procesu pridruživanja, što je bio slučaj i u poslednjem izveštaju iz 2018, u kome se navodi da je potrebno ojačati REM kako bi bio u mogućnosti “da štiti medijski pluralizam”. Isti sav iznet je i u Rezoluciji Evropskog parlamenta o Srbiji usvojenoj krajem novembra 2018.

U kojoj meri neefikasan rad ovog tela pogubno utiče na urušavanje demokratskih procesa i civilizacijskih vrednosti građani Srbije mogli su da se uvere u brojnim situacijama.

Zbog odbijanja REM-a da vrši kontrolu izveštavanja medija tokom predizbornih kampanja od 2016. do 2018. građanima Srbije je bilo oduzeto demokratsko pravo da preko elektronskih medija imaju jednak pristup programima svih političkih kandidata. Tako je pogažen i ključni preduslov demokratskih i fer izbora – da svi učesnici političke utakmice imaju slobodan pristup i ravnopravan tretman u medijima. Zahvaljujući nečinjenju REM-a, izveštavanje pojedinih medija se pretvorilo u propagandno favorizovanje vladajuće političke opcije.

Koristeći nedorečenosti u zakonu, REM je odbio da kontroliše izveštavanje medija tokom predizborne kampanje i da o tome informiše javnost, kao i da reaguje u slučajevima kada su mediji kršili obavezu o ravnomernoj zastupljenosti političkih kandidata u svojim programima. Takođe, kontinuirano izostaje i reakcija REM-a na slučajeve političkog oglašavanja van izborne kampanje, što je zabranjeno zakonom.

Osim što doprinosi urušavanju demokratskih procesa, regulatorno telo od svog osnivanja pokazuje šokantnu nesenzibilnost prema zaštiti dečijih prava i ljudskog dostojanstva u audiovizuelnom medijskom prostoru. Civilizacijski standard da se deca i maloletnici štite od programa koji su štetni za njihov duhovni i mentalni razvoj, a što je prioritetna aktivnost regulatornih tela u zemljama EU, za Savet REM-a je tek sporadična delatnost. Umesto da reaguje, REM toleriše programe elektronskih medija koji sadrže nasilje, neprimeren govor i ponašanje, a koji se emituju u dnevnim terminima kada se ispred TV ekrana nalaze i najmlađi.

Uzroci neefikasnosti

O radu REM-a diskutovano je na brojnim okruglim stolovima prethodnih godina, rađena su istraživanja i analize. Neefikasan rad ovog regulatornog tela stručnjaci vide kao posledicu sledećih faktora:

a) nikada adekvatno izgrađene nezavisnosti ovog regulatornog tela što je osnovni preduslov za efikasno funkcionisanje svih nezavisnih državnih organa. Zbog neizgrađene personalne i funkcionalne nezavisnosti Savet REM-a se percipira kao telo koje je podložno uticajima spoljnih faktora.

b) neadekvatnih zakonskih rešenja, ali i zakonskih nepreciznosti koje Savet REM-a vešto koristi za izbegavanje sprovođenja propisanih nadležnosti.

Takvu ocenu iznosi i ekspertski tim Saveta Evrope, koji u studiji o funkcionisanju REM-a iz 2017, navodi da se REM u svom radu “povlači u isuviše formalističke procedure (držeći se zakona) što nužno ne dovodi do efikasnosti u regulaciji srpskih elektronskih medija” (The Independence and Functioning of the Regulatory Authority For Electronic Media in Serbia, str. 65).

Domaći i međunarodni istraživači su saglasni da je neophodno izvršiti određene korekcije postojeće regulative kako bi se obezbedilo da REM funkcioniše kao samostalno i efikasno regulatorno telo. Ključne preporuke za izmenu zakonske regulative navode se i u dokumentima NUNS-a (Predlozi za unapređenje rada REM-a), pisanih i uz konsultaciju INDIREG studije, koju je na zahtev REM-a, izradio ekspertski tim Saveta Evrope.

Ključno: Jačanje funkcionalne i personalne nezavisnost regulatornog tela

1. Da bi se osigurala funkcionalna nezavisnost REM-a koja bi bila brana svim eventualnim spoljnim uticajama potrebno je izmeniti njegov pravni status i izdvojiti REM iz sistema državne uprave, što je i jedan od predloga koje je NUNS izneo u svom dokumentu sa predlozima za unapređenje rada Regulatornog tela.

Izdvajanjem REM-a iz sistema organa državne uprave zaposleni u ovom telu više ne bi bili tretirani kao državni službenici i funkcioneri. Smanjio bi se i uticaj državnih organa na rad REM-a, koji su poslednjih godina, svojom neaktivnošću, a koristeći odsustvo zakonom definisanih rokova, kočili rad Regulatora, odugovlačeći sa davanjem saglasnosti na finansijski plan i na Statut REM-a.

Takođe, potrebno je promeniti kategorizaciju poslova REM-a kako bi se ovo telo oslobodilo obavljanja poverenih poslova, čije izvršenje, na određeno vreme, sada može da preuzme nadležno ministarstvo ukoliko proceni da ih REM ne obavlja valjano.

2. Da bi se ojačala personalna nezavisnost i profesionalnost rada Saveta REM-a, neophodno je unaprediti način i kriterijume za izbor njegovih članova. O predlogu koji je već duže prisutan u stručnoj javnosti – da se iz sastava ovlašćenih predlagača, koji kandiduju članove Saveta, izuzmu nadležni skupštinski odbori razgovaralo se i na godišnjoj konferenciji NUNS-a, održanoj krajem 2018. u Beogradu. Smatra se da bi se na taj način izbegao politički uticaj na izbor kandidata, a zagovornici ovakvog stava mišljenja su da bi tako “oslobođena” mesta trebalo raspodeliti između novinarskih udruženja i organizacija civilnog društva koje su sada grupisane kao zbirni ovlašćeni predlagači.

Učesnici konferencije su se posebno založili da se uvedu precizni rokovi u kojima je nadležni skupštinski odbor dužan da postupa kada su u pitanju sve faze izbora članova Saveta REM-a – predlaganje, izjašnjavanje, verifikacija.

Takođe, za jačanje personalne nezavisnosti Regulatora, posebno je važno utvrditi jasne kriterijume za izbor članova Saveta REM-a, koji sada ne postoje u zakonu. U tom smislu je neophodno doneti konkretna merila koja će omogućiti izbor dokazanih stručnjaka sa moralnim kredibilitetom. Još jedna važna preporuka za smanjenje političkog uticaja na rad Saveta jeste vraćanje ranijeg zakonskog rešenja da članovi Saveta REM-a mogu da imaju samo jedan mandat.

Mišljenje stručnjaka Saveta Evrope je da je sadašnji način usaglašavanja kandidatura za članove REM-a između organizacija koje čine jednog ovlašćenog predlagača “podložan neuspehu u praksi” (studija INDIREG, str. 5. srpska verzija, str 52. engleska verzija), a kao jedan od razloga navode to što je “veoma teško da se više organizacija koje zajedno čine jednog ovlaščenog predlagača usaglase između sebe oko dva kandidata koja predlažu”. (str. 61. INDIREG, engleska verzija)

Izricanje novčanih kazni i efikasnija kontrola rada medija

1. Preporuka oko koje već duže postoji opšta saglasnost, uključujući i samog Regulatora, jeste da je neophodno što pre ojačati kaznene mere tj. uvesti mogućnost da REM izriče direktne novčane kazne medijima koji krše zakone i kodekse, a što je inače praksa u većini evropskih zemalja i što je u skladu sa dokumentima Saveta Evrope (videti stav 48. Preporuke br. R (2000) Komiteta ministara o nezavisnosti i funkcijama regulatornih organa u oblasti radio-difuzije). Prilikom uvođenja novčanih kazni, neophodno je voditi računa da njihov iznos bude srazmeran ekonomskoj jačini medija kako se ne bi doveo u pitanje opstanak medija (npr. visina kazne ne može da bude ista za lokalni i nacionalni mediji).

Nemogućnost izricanja novčanih kazni predstavnici REM-a su, u dosadašnjem radu, često koristili kao izgovor za svoju hroničnu neefikasnost po pitanju kontrole rada medija i izricanja adekvatnih mera.

Dugogodišnja praksa Regulatora je da retko izriče mere koje zakon predviđa, a i kada to čini poseže isključivo za blažim merama kao što su opomene i upozorenja, pa čak i kada pružalac medijske usluge učestalo ponavlja isti ili čini teži prekršaj. (U 2017. je izrekao tri blaže mere, a tokom 2016. pet, takođe lakših mera.) Savet REM-a je samo jednom izrekao zabranu emitovanja programa u trajanju od 24h i to televiziji Hepi za rijaliti program Parovi, dok nikada nije posegao za najstrožom merom oduzimanja dozvole, iako pojedini elektronski mediji u svojim programima sistematski i kontinuirano krše ljudska prava, vređaju ljudsko dostojanstvo i ugrožavaju medijske slobode.

Stav domaćih i međunarodnih stručnjaka je da je neophodno izmeniti i praksu REM-a da se nadzor nad radom elektronskih medija pokreće samo na osnovu prijave fizičkih ili pravnih lica, čije se negativne konsekvence posebno osećaju u vreme predizborne kampanje ili u slučajevima prikazivanja neprimerenih rijaliti emisija.

2. Veliki nedostatak rada Regulatora je i to što je proces odlučivanja po prijavama u vezi programskih sadržaja oduvek bio netransparentan, i što pored brojnih primedbi i zahteva, nikada nisu preduzeti koraci kako bi se obezbedilo da komunikacija sa građanima bude otvorena i transparentna i kako bi informacije o radu ovog tela svima bile dostupne.

U tom smislu, neophodno je omogućiti da celokupan rad Regulatora bude transparentan za najširu javnost i obezbediti jednostavnu i otvorenu komunikaciju sa građanima i to posebno u kontekstu rešavanja pritužbi građana, kako po redovnim pitanjima tako i u vreme izbornog procesa.

Zaštita demokratskih procesa i ljudskih prava

Da bi se izbeglo da regulatorno telo doprinosi urušavanju izbornih i drugih demokratskih procesa i da štiti kršenje ljudskih prava i sloboda, posebno je važno da se u zakonskim aktima definiše na koji način REM prati izveštavanje medija u vreme predizborne kampanje. Koje medije nadzire i na osnovu kojih kriterijuma, u kojim intervalima podnosi izveštaje o monitoringu medija, kakve mere preduzima, kojim telima podnosi finalne izveštaje o monitornigu medija na raspravu i evaluaciju, neka su od pitanja. Potrebno je posebno precizirati obaveze REM-a po pitanju kontrole medija u slučajevima nedozvoljenog političkog oglašavanja kao i u slučajevima neravnomerene zastupljenosti političkih kandidata u programima elektronskih medija tokom predizborne kampanje.

Da bi se konačno zaustavilo i decenijsko kršenje prava dece i vređanje ljudskog dostojanstva u programima elektronskih medija potrebno je što pre uskladiti domaću regulativu sa unapređenom EU Direktivom AVMS koja zabranjuje prikazivanje sadržaja štetnih po maloletnike na svim medijskim platformama. Po uzoru na druge evropske zemlje krajnje je vreme da Srbija u svoju medijsku regulativu uvede pravilo da programi označeni sa “12” mogu da se emituju tek posle 21 časa, kako bi dnevni termini ostali rezervisani samo za programe koji su prihvatljivi za sve generacije. Prihvatanjem ovakvih civilizacijskih vrednosti, vulagarne i nasilne rijaliti emisije bi automatski bile izmeštene iz dnevne ponude televizija sa nacionalnom frekvencom.

U studijama domaćih i međunarodnih stručnjaka koji su analizirali rad REM-a navedene su i druge značajne preporuke za unapređenje rada ovog tela i za stvaranje zdravog medijskog okruženja. Neke od njih se tiču uvođenja organa Direktora REM-a koji bi sprovodio odluke Saveta i obavljao svakodnevne poslove, što bi trebalo da doprinese podizanju efikasnosti ovog tela. Predlaže se i dodatno preciziranje procedure za razrešenje članova Saveta u slučajevima “nepravilnog i nesavesnog rada”, zatim uvođenje instance kojoj bi građani mogli da se obrate kada nisu zadovoljni postupanjem REM-a. Sugeriše se i jačanje zakonskih mehanizama koji bi obezbedili poštovanje medijskog pluralizma u medijskim sadržajima kao i osnivanje fonda u koji bi se slivao višak pihoda REM-a i koristio za proizvodnju medijskih sadržaja u interesu javnosti.

Očekuje se da će se najveći deo gore navedenih preporuka naći i u budućoj medijskoj strategiji čiji je nacrt ovih dana završen, a o kome će biti reči i na javnoj raspravi najavljenoj za januar 2019.

Ovaj tekst je proizveden u okviru projekta Regionalna platforma za zagovaranje medijskih sloboda i bezbednosti novinara na Zapadnom Balkanu uz finansijsku podršku Evropske Unije. Sadržaj ovog tekst je isključiva odgovornost Nezavisnog udruženja novinara Srbije i autora i ni u kom slučaju ne odražava stavove Evropske unije.