Monitoring of Journalistic Self-Regulatory Bodies in Montenegro Bodies Self-Regulatory Journalistic of Monitoring
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2014 2012 MONITORING OF JOURNALISTIC SELF-REGULATORY BODIES IN MONTENEGRO september september 2012 MONITORING OF JOURNALISTIC SELF-REGULATORY BODIES IN MONTENEGRO 2014 september 2014 2012 MONITORING OF JOURNALISTIC SELF-REGULATORY BODIES IN MONTENEGRO MONITORING OF JOURNALISTIC SELF-REGULATORY BODIES IN MONTENEGRO September 2012 – September 2014 Podgorica 2015 Publisher Human Rights Action Slobode 74/II, 81 000 Podgorica, Montenegro Tel: +382 20 232 348 Fax: +382 20 232 122 www.hraction.org For the Publisher Tea Gorjanc Prelević Authors Dragoljub Duško Vuković / in relation to print media and web portals Marijana Buljan / in relation to TV news programmes Editors Tea Gorjanc Prelević Mirjana Radović Translation into English Ana Tonić Slobodan Dumnić Marija Lazarević Graphic design Ana Matić This project was funded by the Government of the United Kingdom through the British Embassy in Podgorica. Opinions presented in this publication represent exclusively views of the authors and do not necessarily correspond to the views of the donor. MONITORING OF JOURNALISTIC SELF-REGULATORY BODIES IN MONTENEGRO September 2012 – September 2014 Dragoljub Duško Vuković / Marijana Buljan Podgorica 2015 MONITORING OF JOURNALISTIC SELF-REGULATORY BODIES IN MONTENEGRO 15 PREFACE 19 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 19 On self-regulation in the media in Montenegro 21 Media Council for Self-Regulation 21 Conclusions 24 Recommendations 26 Self-Regulatory Local Press Council 26 Conclusions 26 Recommendations 26 Ombudsman/Ombudswoman of TV Vijesti 26 Conclusions 27 Recommendations 27 Ombudsman/Ombudswoman of daily Vijesti 27 Conclusions 28 Recommendations 28 Ombudsman/Ombudswoman of daily Dan 28 Conclusions 28 Recommendations 28 Ombudsman/Ombudswoman of weekly Monitor 28 Conclusion and recommendation 29 RECOMMENDATIONS RELATING TO SELF-REGULATION IN THE MEDIA IN MONTENEGRO 31 GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS RELATING TO ALL MEDIA 32 PROPOSALS FOR REVISION OF THE CODE OF MONTENEGRIN JOURNALISTS 35 THE FIRST REPORT (September 2012 – March 2013) 37 1. HISTORY OF JOURNALISTC SELF-REGULATION IN MONTENEGRO 39 2. RESTORATION OF SELF-REGULATION 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS 41 3. DESCRIPTION AND ACTIVITIES OF NEWLY ESTABLISHED SELF-REGULATORY BODIES 41 3.1. Form of organization and membership 42 3.2. Organizational structure 44 3.3. Aims 44 3.4. Competences 46 3.5. Models of self-regulation 48 3.6. Transparency 50 3.7. Funding methods 52 4. RESULTS OF OPERATION OF JOURNALISTIC SELF-REGULATORY BODIES 52 4.1. Reports of journalistic self-regulatory bodies 52 4.1.1. Frequency of reporting 53 4.1.2. Number of recorded violations of the Code 55 4.1.3. Identifying violations of the law 57 4.1.4. Most frequent violations of the Code according to reports of self-regulatory bodies 57 4.1.5. Violations of the Code by electronic media 58 4.1.6. Violations of the Code by web portals 59 4.1.7. Distinction between hate speech and offensive speech 61 5. COMPARATIVE MONITORING AND ANALYSIS BY HUMAN RIGHTS ACTION 61 5.1. Principle 1 of the Code: selective approach to facts, one-sidedness 65 5.2. Principle 2 of the Code: critical attitude toward individuals in power 66 5.3. Principle 3 of the Code: news and comments not separated 67 5.4. Principle 4 of the Code: correction, denial, avoidance of apology 68 5.5. Principle 5 of the Code: issues of ethnicity and nationality 69 5.6. Principle 6 of the Code: unethical gathering of information 70 5.7. Principle 7 of the Code: protection of sources 70 5.8. Principle 8 of the Code: protection of privacy 72 5.9. Principle 9 of the Code: disclosure of identity of juveniles, who are perpetrators or victims of crimes 72 5.10. Principle 10 of the Code: violation of the presumption of innocence 77 5.11. Principle 11 of the Code: accepting privileges 77 5.12. Principle 12 of the Code: journalistic solidarity and plagiarism 81 THE SECOND REPORT (March 2013 – October 2013) 83 1. CURRENT SITUATION OF MEDIA SELF-REGULATION 83 1.1. General overview 84 1.1.1. Conclusions and recommendations 6 MONITORING OF JOURNALISTIC SELF-REGULATORY BODIES IN MONTENEGRO 85 1.2. Activities of Media Council for Self-Regulation (MCSR) 86 1.2.1. Conclusions and recommendations 88 1.3. Activities of TV Vijesti Ombudsman 88 1.4. Activities of the Self-Regulatory Local Press Council 89 2. RESULTS OF OPERATION OF SELF-REGULATORY BODIES 89 2.1. Results of operation of MCSR 89 2.1.1. Dealing with complaints about content published in the media 91 2.1.2. Findings of the MCSR Monitoring team 91 2.1.3. HRA analysis of MCSR conduct 95 2.1.4. Conclusions and recommendations 96 2.2. Results of operation of TV Vijesti Ombudsman 96 2.2.1. Dealing with complaints of viewers 97 2.2.2. Self-initiated conduct of the Ombudsman 97 2.2.3. HRA analysis 98 2.2.4. Conclusions and recommendations 99 3. COMPARATIVE MONITORING AND ANALYSIS BY HUMAN RIGHTS ACTION 99 3.1. Principle 1 of the Code: selective approach to facts, one-sidedness 99 3.1.1. Violations of Principle 1 in print and online media 104 3.1.2. Violations of Principle 1 in TV programmes 107 3.2. Principle 2 of the Code: critical attitude toward individuals in power 107 3.2.1. Violations of the Principle 2 107 3.3. Principle 3 of the Code: news and comments not separated 107 3.3.1. Violations of Principle 3 in print and online media 110 3.3.2. Violations of Principle 3 by TV programmes 113 3.4. Principle 4 of the Code: correction, denial, apology 114 3.4.1. Violations of Principle 4 in print and online media 114 3.4.2. Violations of Principle 4 by TV programmes 115 3.5. Principle 5 of the Code: issues of ethnicity and nationality 115 3.5.1. Violations of Principle 5 in print and online media 117 3.5.2. Violations of Principle 5 by TV programmmes 118 3.6. Principle 6 of the Code: unethical gathering of information 118 3.6.1. Violations of Principle 6 in print and online media 120 3.6.2. Violations of Principle 6 by TV programmmes 120 3.7. Principle 7 of the Code: protection of sources 120 3.7.1. Violations of Principle 7 in print and online media 122 3.7.2. Violations of Principle 7 by TV programmmes 122 3.8. Principle 8 of the Code: protection of privacy 122 3.8.1. Violations of Principle 8 in print and online media 124 3.8.2. Violations of Principle 8 by TV programmmes 125 3.9. Principle 9 of the Code: disclosure of identity of juveniles, who are perpetrators or victims of crimes 125 3.9.1. Violations of Principle 9 in print and online media 7 TABLE OF CONTENTS 126 3.9.2. Violations of Principle 9 in TV programmmes 126 3.10. Principle 10 of the Code: violation of the presumption of innocence 127 3.10.1. Violations of Principle 10 in print and online media 128 3.10.2. Violations of Principle 10 in TV programmmes 129 3.11. Principle 11 of the Code: accepting privileges 129 3.11.1. Violations of Principle 11 in print and online media 130 3.11.2. Violations of Principle 11 in TV programmmes 133 3.12. Principle 12 of the Code: journalistic solidarity and plagiarism 133 3.12.1. Violations of Principle 12 in print and online media 134 3.12.2. Violations of Principle 12 in TV programmmes 135 3.13. Conclusions and recommendations 136 4. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE REPORT 141 THE THIRD REPORT (1 October 2013 – 1 March 2014) 143 1. CURRENT SITUATION OF MEDIA SELF-REGULATION 143 1.1. General overview 145 1.1.1 .Conclusions and recommendations: 147 2. ACTIVITIES AND RESULTS OF OPERATION OF SELF-REGULATORY BODIES 147 2.1. Activities of Media Council for Self-Regulation (MCSR) 147 2.1.1. General information 148 2.1.2. Results of operation of MCSR Monitoring Team 148 2.1.2.1. Acting on complaints regarding content published in the media 149 2.1.2.2. Findings of MCSR Monitoring Team 150 2.1.3. HRA analysis of MCSR Monitoring Team conduct 150 2.1.3.1. HRA analysis of MCSR MT acting on complaints 153 2.1.3.2. HRA analysis of MCSR MT conduct based on its monitoring 157 2.1.4. Conclusions and recommendations 159 2.2. Activities of the Self-Regulatory Local Press Council (SLPC) 159 2.2.1. General information 160 2.2.2 Results of SLPC operation 160 2.2.3. HRA analysis of SLPC activities 161 2.2.4. Conclusions and recommendations 161 2.3. Activities of TV Vijesti Ombudsman 161 2.3.1. General information 162 2.3.2. Results of TV Vijesti Ombudsman’s work 162 2.3.3. HRA analysis of the activities of TV Vijesti Ombudsman 163 2.3.4. Conclusions and recommendations 8 MONITORING OF JOURNALISTIC SELF-REGULATORY BODIES IN MONTENEGRO 163 2.4. Activities of TV Vijesti Ombudsman 163 2.4.1. General information 164 2.4.2. Results of daily Vijesti Ombudsman’s work 165 2.4.3. HRA analysis of decisions of the TV Vijesti Ombudsman 167 2.4.4. Conclusions and recommendations 169 3. HRA COMPARATIVE MONITORING AND ANALYSIS 169 3.1. Principle 1 of the Code 169 3.1.1. Violations of Principle 1 in print and online media 175 3.1.2. Violations of Principle 1 in TV programmes 180 3.2. Principle 2 of the Code 180 3.2.1. Violations of Principle 2 in print and online media 181 3.2.2. Violations of Principle 2 in TV programmes 181 3.3.