Skopje, 20 November 2025 – The Agency for Audio and Audiovisual Media Services has prepared the Report on Election Media Coverage and the Report on Paid Political Advertising aired by broadcasters during the second round of the 2025 Local Election campaign, covering the period from 20 to 31 October 2025.
The monitoring sample for election media coverage once again included the three programming services of the Public Service Broadcaster — MRT 1, MRT 2 and the Parliamentary Channel — as well as eight commercial national TV stations: Sitel, Alfa, Kanal 5, Telma, Alsat-M, Kompani 21-M, Shenja and 24 Vesti. For all other programming services, monitoring was performed based on submitted complaints.
During the election campaign and the pre-election silence period in the second round of the Local Elections, no violations of the Electoral Code by broadcasters were identified. Findings showed that television stations made efforts to provide viewers — as potential voters — with detailed information on the election campaign, while through news programmes and special current-affairs shows, attempted to present a broader and more objective picture of the socio-political environment in which the campaign took place.
In their coverage of the election campaign, the media generally adhered to professional principles of fairness, balance and impartiality, respecting the principle of equal treatment of the remaining mayoral candidates. Regarding balance in daily news programmes, all analysed media outlets reported neutrally on the participants in the election campaign. The Public Service Broadcaster and national TV stations that aired paid political advertising fulfilled their legal obligation to provide information in an accessible format for people with sensory disabilities — through one edition of the news each day and one edition of a current-affairs programme each week.
The Report on Paid Political Advertising aired by broadcasters during the second round of the Local Election campaign was prepared in accordance with the Agency’s obligation under the Electoral Code and has been submitted to the State Election Commission.
A total of 41 broadcasters — 22 television stations and 19 radio stations — had signed contracts with participants in the election campaign. Across the 22 TV stations, a total of 52 hours, 56 minutes and 15 seconds of paid political advertising was aired. Across the 19 radio stations, a total of 47 hours, 34 minutes and 31 seconds was broadcast.
In total, the second round of the campaign saw 100 hours, 30 minutes and 46 seconds of paid political advertising broadcast on TV and radio.
Among the nine national TV stations that had signed contracts to air paid political advertising in the second round, the largest volume of advertising time was broadcast by Kanal 5 (4 hours, 53 minutes, 36 seconds), followed by Alsat- M (4 hours, 43 minutes, 19 seconds), and Alfa (4 hours, 42 minutes, 17 seconds). Of the four national radio stations, three had signed contracts to air paid political advertising. The largest volumes were broadcast by Antenna 5 (5 hours, 29 minutes, 47 seconds), and Kanal 77 (2 hours, 51 minutes, 26 seconds). Radio Metropolis aired 53 minutes and 5 seconds, while Jon Radio did not air any paid political advertising in the second round.
The Report on Media Coverage of the Elections by broadcasters for the second round of the 2025 Local Election campaign is available at this link.
The Report on Paid Political Advertising by broadcasters for the second round of the 2025 Local Election campaign is available at this link.