SKOPJE, 15.04.2011 – Over 60 representatives from the media, civil society organizations and international organizations actively participated on the roundtable, organized by the Broadcasting Council on 14th and 15th April, focused on the rulebooks for media coverage of the elections’ campaign as well as the period from the announcement of the elections until the official start of the election campaign. These rulebooks have been drafted according to the current Electoral Code, including its latest amendments.
In a working atmosphere the BC members jointly with the rest of the participants were discussing and giving their remarks about the way of the media coverage of the pre-electoral activities.
“The main goal of these draft by-laws, adopted by the Broadcasting Council and put them for a public discussion, is to keep the political influence on a minimal level and to prevent possible abuse of the media by the political parties. Our idea is through public consultations, first and foremost with the media to define the rules for media presentation during the election campaign and in the period before its official start. Our obligation as a media regulation authority is to ensure as balanced as possible public informing, protection of the media pluralism and non-biased and professional informing of the citizens, which is their right.” – said the BC President, Zoran Stefanoski, during the public discussions.
BC also published The Rulebook for Conduct of the Media Outlets in the Period prior to the Start of the Election Campaign and Rulebook for changing and amending the Rulebook on Equal Access to the Media Presentation on its website, so all interested parties could give their comments and remarks with an aim prior to the start of the pre-election activities best quality text of these by-law acts to be achieved.