The Agency for Audiovisual Media Services (AMU) published the Report on political advertising during the election campaigns for councilors in the Assembly of the Municipality of Gusinje, the Assembly of the Municipality of Kotor and the Assembly of the Capital City of Podgorica.
The AMU announced that this report offers a detailed analysis of the duration and characteristics of political advertising during local elections, including the percentage distribution of advertising among different electoral lists.
"Also, it contains recommendations for improving the legal framework, with the aim of achieving more effective supervision and regulation in this area," reads the announcement of the AMU Joint Affairs Service signed by Damir Nikočević, public relations and project management officer.
Local elections - Gusinje
The total duration of political advertising, during the campaign for local elections in Gusinje, in the observed television programs, for the period from August 30 to September 13, 2024, was 7.033 seconds or approximately two hours for a period of 15 days.
The entire political advertising for the local elections in Gusinje, broadcast on monitored televisions, was free.
Most free political advertising was broadcast on the Parliamentary program (78,80%). About 2% of free political advertising was broadcast on TVCG 18,47, while only 2,73% of free political advertising was broadcast on TV News.
Of the total free political advertising devoted to elections for councilors in the Gusinje Municipal Assembly, the list "Democrats, because we protect our country" - Aleksa Bečić - Democratic Montenegro (52%) achieved the most. Following is the list of DPS "Gusinje može bolje" Demir Bajrović - 17%, "Srcem za Gusinje" (BS-SD-SDP) - 16%, Democratic Alliance of Albanians, Albanian Alternative and Democratic Union of Albanians "Albanian Forum - Together for Gusinje" - 15 %. The voter group "Movement for Gusinje" had no political advertising.
Local elections - Kotor
The total duration of political advertising, during the campaign for the local elections in Kotor, in the observed television programs, for the period from September 13 to 27, 2024. it was 52.587 seconds or approximately 14 hours and 36 minutes for a period of 15 days.
Of the total political advertising, 99,09% was free, and only 0,91% was paid political advertising.
Most free political advertising, regardless of category, was broadcast on the Parliamentary program (55,52%), while only 7% of free political advertising was broadcast on the TV 1,40 program.
The entire paid political advertising, in the amount of 0,91%, was realized through paid political spots, and was recorded only in the TV Vijesti program.
The largest amount of free political advertising was related to the HGI newspaper on the ramparts of Mediterranean Montenegro (19%). Following are the lists For the future of Kotor, The city of all of us and "Democratic alternative - Dr. Davor Kumburović - That Kotor is asked" - 13%, European Union (SD, SDP, LP and citizens) - Kotor will shine! - 12%, "Vladimir Jokić - Good voice - For the mayor - Democrats - PES" - 11%, "Kotor first of all! DPS - Neđeljko Moškov" - 10%, Guardians of the City lists - Citizens list and Socialist People's Party (SNP) - Democratic Serbian Party (DSS) Responsible! - 5%, while the lists are in Action - Be yourself! Choose CGA!, "Grbaljska lista - voja, moja, nasa", "Za Kotor" and "Kotorski pokret - Siniša Kovačević" achieved the smallest participation in the total free political advertising - 3%.
Local elections - Podgorica
The total duration of political advertising, during the campaign for local elections in Podgorica, in the observed television programs, for the period from September 13 to 27, 2024. it was 730.122 seconds or approximately 202 hours and 49 minutes for a period of 15 days.
Of the total political advertising, 98,80% was free, and only 1,20% was paid political advertising.
Most free political advertising, regardless of form, was broadcast on A plus TV (37,99%). This information is conditioned by the fact that certain contents were repeated as many as eleven times. In the Serbian TV program, only 0,68% of free political advertising was broadcast. The highest percentage of paid political advertising, in the amount of 39,73%, was recorded in the program TV Vijesti. Then follow A plus TV, TV Prva and Adria TV. The lowest participation was recorded in the program TV Nova M - 4,39%.
The largest amount of free political advertising was related to the list "For the future of Podgorica - City of all of us" (21%). The remaining lists had the following participation: "Podgorica list" - Andrej Milović - 17%, Jakov Milatović - For a better Podgorica! - 14%, Europe now - Democrats - Even stronger - prof. dr Saša Mujović - 9%, list "Dr Vuk Kadić - Movement forward - For Podgorica and family", European Union - Boris Mugoša (SDP, SD, LP and citizens) - Podgorica for an example and Upheaval - It can't be like this anymore - Srđan Perić – 7%, "In word and deed! - Dr. Nermin Abdić" and In action - Be yourself! Choose CGA! - 4%, "It's time for order - Party of European Progress - Duško Marković" and Montenegrin European Party - Novak Adžić - 3%. The lists of the Podgorica Tenant Movement - "Our city - our home" - Nemanja Baošić and "Podgorica of all of us" - Bosnian Party - Ervin Ibrahimović, M.Sc. achieved the smallest participation in total free political advertising - 2%.
The agency issued eight warnings for violating various rules of political advertising
AMU stated that their findings show that political advertising is, in principle, adequately distributed and broadcast within the designated blocks.
"Nevertheless, the monitoring established an inconsistent application in the part of marking content related to free and paid political advertising. Broadcasters respected the obligation to submit records of broadcast political advertising, but they did not contain all the necessary data regarding content of importance for political advertising." it is emphasized in the announcement.
AMU stated that during the campaign for the local elections in Podgorica, they carried out ten procedures ex officio and issued eight warnings for violating various rules of political advertising.
"It is important to note that the Agency did not receive a single objection to the broadcaster's work, nor a complaint from the authorized representatives of the electoral list submitters or competent state bodies for the implementation of the election procedure during the election campaigns in Gusinje, Kotor and Podgorica. And these held elections indicated the need for a systemic approach in the formation of legal solutions that specify the rights and obligations of the media, competent law enforcement authorities, as well as all other entities directly or indirectly involved in the election process and political advertising the importance of revising the legal framework in order to avoid overlapping or lack of jurisdiction and to ensure efficiency in supervision, prevention and sanctioning," the announcement reads.
AMU said that in this sense, they emphasize the importance of the following issues:
• harmonization of terminology and deadlines through three laws;
• the beginning of the election campaign;
• redefinition of political advertising (political advertising during and outside the election campaign; subject and subjects of advertising);
• effective supervision and measures for sanctioning illegal political advertising (political advertising without adopted rules);
• covert political advertising (definition, responsibility, effective supervision and sanctioning measures);
• free political advertising by commercial broadcasters and paid political advertising by public broadcasters;
• rights and obligations of local public broadcasters during election processes in the founding municipality and other municipalities
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