Skopje, 25.06.2020 – While monitoring the media coverage of the elections on the first day of the campaign for the 2020 Early Parliamentary Elections, the Agency established that several television stations, contrary to Article 76, Paragraph 3, of the Electoral Code, had been broadcasting paid political advertising involving minors.
We wish to remind that the responsibility for the content of the paid political ads lies with those who have ordered their airing, but the broadcasters are responsible for the legality of their broadcasting. Therefore, we appeal to the broadcasters to immediately stop broadcasting these video clips, and to the participants in the election campaign to harmonize their paid political advertising with the laws.
Broadcasters have an editorial responsibility for any decision to broadcast a certain content within their programme services. Therefore, they should carefully review all content and refuse to broadcast those that violate not only the Electoral Code, but also the Law on Audio and Audiovisual Media Services. This refers in particular to the specific prohibitions under Article 48, which also include inciting to and spreading discrimination, intolerance and hatred on any prohibited discriminatory grounds.