Threats, censorship and no salaries: Media Freedom Day greeted with old problems that burden newsrooms

Nine attacks on journalists have been recorded this year, five related to politicians and businessmen

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Illustration, Photo: Shutterstock
Illustration, Photo: Shutterstock
Disclaimer: The translations are mostly done through AI translator and might not be 100% accurate.

Outdated media laws, threats and pressures, low wages, censorship and self-censorship are only part of the problems that burden the media community this year as well.

On the occasion of the World Media Freedom Day, May 3, "Vijesti" interlocutors point out that we welcome this day with similar problems as in previous years, but also that the overall environment for the functioning of the media has remained approximately the same.

Vice President of the Media Union of Montenegro (SMCG) Marijana Camović Veličković she assessed that the expected and announced progress in the economic sense was missing when it comes to employees.

"... Although wages have increased in some media, the quality of life has remained the same due to inflation. Also, the average salary in this sector is the same, and it is below the national average of 800 euros, which was also the case before - that we are at the bottom in terms of income, and at the top in terms of society's expectations of us", believes Camović Veličković.

She emphasized that censorship and self-censorship, according to the testimony of colleagues, are present to the same extent, as is the influence of editors and others on their work.

"To that should be added frequent pressures, threats and the like, which come from high-ranking state officials. This is, of course, reprehensible because one must take into account the vulnerability of media workers who are constantly in the crosshairs and torn between the interests of their employers, the conditions in which they work, politicians and businessmen who do not shy away from anything," pointed out Camović Veličković.

She emphasized that the police and the prosecutor's office are acting more effectively every year in new cases of attacks on journalists, of which there were 2023 in 16, but there were already nine in this year, so the growth trend must again be noted and it should be noted that as many as five cases connected with politicians and businessmen.

"Part of the responsibility lies with newsrooms that do not work on improving occupational safety and risk assessment policies, protecting the position of employees in a psychological and social sense, and a general lack of care for an employee who is faced with impossible demands..." Camović Veličković said.

Camović Velićković
Camović Velićkovićphoto: SAVO PRELEVIC

She said that all this affects the degree of freedom of the media, but also of employees as their inseparable and basic part.

"The new regulations that will enter into force with the adoption of a set of media laws will only in theory improve the situation in this area, but until employers fundamentally decide to progress, which is to give freedom and rights to employees through the branch collective agreement, there can be no progress." to come," warned Camović Veličković.

She also pointed out that the non-solving of old cases of attacks on journalists, above all the murder of Duško Jovanović, which happened 20 years ago, is definitely a "stone around the neck" of Montenegro.

Unreformed laws and party influences

Director of the non-governmental organization Media Center Goran Đurović believes that part of the media is still more in the function of propaganda of a part of the parties in power and opposition, while only a few of them still try to be professional.

"Some call it polarization, but that polarization predominantly refers to those who accepted to be paid for propaganda and the smaller number who want to preserve the profession," he told "Vijesta".

Đurović also pointed out that we welcome the World Media Freedom Day with an unreformed legal environment for media work, and the consequence is still a strong inappropriate party influence on the Radio and Television of Montenegro (RTCG).

"These days, we have heard the statements of members of the government that RTCG is now good because all parties can announce whatever they want, that is, all those from the government can call the general director when they need an announcement on RTCG. On the other hand, part of the representatives of the authorities are not satisfied with the RTCG because they felt firsthand how things can easily return to the period of DPS control. Without good laws, there is no freedom of the media, but also quality information to the public, and that is what the media must serve. Good laws should be passed by the parties in power, and so far everyone has shown that they don't want freedom, but control," Đurović assessed.

Đurović
Đurovićphoto: PR Center

He emphasized that the World Media Freedom Day is another opportunity to remember all the problems that await us, which the current political elite can hardly solve.

Freedom threatened by political interference and attacks

The Montenegrin Constitution and laws guarantee freedom of speech and expression, but media freedom is still threatened by political interference, unpunished attacks on journalists and economic pressures.

This, as in the previous year, is stated in the World Press Freedom Index for 2024, published by the international organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF), on the occasion of May 3 - World Press Freedom Day.

Montenegro fell one position and is now 40th on the list of 180 countries. When it comes to the countries of the region, North Macedonia is ranked best (36), while Montenegro is ahead of EU members Slovenia (42) and Croatia (48). Followed by Kosovo (75), Bosnia and Herzegovina (81), Serbia (98) and Albania (99).

Montenegro has influential media companies and editorial policies that enable citizens to be comprehensively informed about all important topics, but there are no journalists whose salaries correspond to their role in society, said the Director General of the Directorate for Media in the Ministry of Culture and Media. Nedjeljko Rudovic.

Rudović told the MINA agency that media freedom in Montenegro has improved, but that a climate should be created in which pressure, threats, disparagement, let alone any attacks on journalists, are not tolerated.

Speaking about Amnesty International's report, which also assessed that media freedom in Montenegro had improved, he said that one of the criteria for that assessment was the acquittal of investigative journalist Jov Martinović.

Rudović pointed out that the document warns that cases of severe attacks on journalists in the past have not yet been clarified.

Speaking about the standard of journalists, Rudović said that when they were preparing the Media Strategy, they contacted all active media outlets, of which there are around 180, and received information from them that there are around 2,2 thousand journalists, photojournalists, videographers working in the Montenegrin media.

He said that the average salary in the media is below the average salary in Montenegro and that this indicates that the media industry is in crisis.

"How to survive doing journalism"

Minister of Culture and Media Tamara Vujović yesterday she said that freedom of expression is a pillar of democracy and that May 3 reminds decision makers of their duty to ensure and support freedom of media, opinion and expression.

"This includes conditions for professional and high-quality work of journalists, effective protection, quick reaction of authorities and fair and thorough investigations into all attacks, threats, and intimidation," Vujović said.

Free and professional media should be a fundamental commitment of the entire society, announced the Agency for Electronic Media (AEM), saying that media literacy and its strengthening among professionals, and especially the lay public, will be an even stronger focus of that institution.

Action for Human Rights (HRA) announced yesterday that Montenegro will not provide all conditions for media freedom until the murder of Duško Jovanović, the attempted murder, is brought to light. Tufik Softić i Oliver Lakic.

In the press release of the Media Institute, it is stated that without critically oriented, independent and courageous journalists, many corruption and criminal affairs would remain covered up and undetected, freedoms and rights would be threatened, the vulnerable would not be given the space that belongs to them, and the centers of power would take complete control. control over the public sphere.

From the NGO 35 mm, they asked "how to endure that we are engaged in journalism in Montenegro", while from the Center for Civic Education (CGO) they assessed that May 3rd is marked without progress in the field of media.

Yesterday, representatives of political parties, some ministers, and the prime minister congratulated the World Press Freedom Day Milojko Spajic, vice president of the Assembly Zdenka Popović...

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