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(2015) PRESS COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT

WORK OF  THE COMPLAINTS COMMISSION 

From January to December 2015, 109 complaints were sent to the Press Council, which is more than in the previous year, when the Council received 80 complaints.

Out of the total number of complaints, 46 cases were filed by individuals, including public figures, NGOs filed 23 complaints, two by companies, three by state institutions, and one by an international organization. Compared to the previous year, the number of media complaining against other media has increased significantly (34 cases compared to 11 in 2014). Half of these complaints concerned disrespect for authorship.

Only three complaints were resolved by mediation, which shows that editors still rarely acknowledge mistakes. By the end of the year, the Commission decided on 91 complaints, and two complaints sent at the end of 2015 were resolved in January 2016. A total of 14 complaints were rejected, since they did not meet formal conditions for review, mostly because complaints were filed by a persons not personally damaged by the published text. Out of the total number of resolved complaints, the Code violation was established in 60 cases, out of which 36 public warnings were  issued  to media that did not accept the full authority of the Press Council. The number of cases in which the Code was violated was significantly higher than in the previous year, when such a decision was made in 23 cases. The decision that the Code was not violated was passed for 21 out of 93 considered complaints.

Even 12 times during the year the Commission failed to agree on the decision, which is a problem that should be largely solved by amendments to the Statute of the Press Council and the Rules of Procedure of the Complaints Commission, which should provide a different way of voting from the current one.

This year, the media mostly violated the provisions of dealing with the Truthful Reporting (35 times). Mostly to points related to the prohibition of the publication of unfounded allegations, defamation or rumors, as well as the obligation to distinguish facts from comments, guesses and assumptions. In  twenty cases, the provisions of the Code relating to the prohibition of discrimination and hate speech were violated, and in 17 cases the violation of the copyright provision. A frequent violation is also the disrespect of ethics and the culture of the public word (14 decisions), mainly due to the non-publication of the response. In most cases, several provisions of the Code were violated.

Some media still do not respect the obligation to publish the decisions of the Commission, so in 2015 this obligation was avoided by “Vecenje novosti” (which did not publish four out of five decisions), “Telegraf.rs”, “Alo” and “Blic” twice, “24 sata” once.

During the year the membership of the Complaints Commission was changed after the four-year mandate expired at the beginning of September for the members of the first Commission. During August, a public call for the selection of new representatives of the public was held, and at its session on September 7, out of the 17 proposed candidates, following were elected: Ivana Stjelja (proposed by NGO Praxis), Nevena Krivokapic (proposed by the SHARE Foundation and the Association of online media) and Dragan Đorđević (proposal of the Network of Human Rights Committees CHRIS). The founders of the Press Council renewed the mandates of their representatives to the Complaints Commission, with the exception of UNS, who instead of Ljiljana Smajlović chose Vladimir Radomirović, editor-in-chief of the portal “Pištaljka.rs”.

In 2015, the Commission held two sessions outside the premises of the Press Council – at the Faculty of Philosophy in Niš, in March and in the UNS Press Center in December. Both sessions were filmed, and the footage was posted on the YouTube site of the Council. Otherwise, the announcements about the Commission session, as well as the decisions made since the beginning of 2015, are published on the Council profiles on the social networks Twitter and Facebook.

The Complaints Commission also held regular three-month press conferences this year, which presents the most interesting cases it has considered in the previous period. Media conferences, representatives of media associations and associations, as well as representatives of local non-governmental and international organizations, are also invited to the meetings. One of these press conferences was held at the Belgrade Fair within the Media Market, a manifestation held in parallel with the Book Fair. The Press Council had a joint stand with the Media Association at the fair.


COMPLAINTS FROM JANUARY TO DECEMBER 2015

 

  1. Južne vesti – Alo –  Code violation – media did not publish decision
  2. Vukasin Obradovic – Informer – Code violation – public warning
  3. Nemanja Tomović – Blic – complaint rejected – no explanation has been provided
  4. Južne vesti – “Official Gazette” – Code violation – public warning
  5. Južne vesti – Gradski Portal 018 – Code violation – published decision
  6. Južne vesti – “Alo” – Code violation – media did not publish decision
  7. Aleksa Pavlović – “Informer” – complaint rejected –  not personally damaged
  8. Tomislav Čeloketić – RTV Vojvodina – complaint rejected – the media is not under the authority of the Council
  9. BIRN – “Informer” – Code violation – Public Warning
  10. Jelena Marjanović – Blic – Code violation
  11. Ministry of Culture and Information – “Kurir” – no Code violation
  12. Lepomir Bakic – “Alo” – complaint rejected – text removed before complaint filed
  13. Aleksandar Obradovic – “Kurir” – complaint rejected   – no Code violation
  14. Jasmina Mandic – “Naša Grocka info” – Code violation – public warning
  15. Bojan Pajtic – “Blic” –   no Code violation
  16. Đuro Svilar – “Bravo” – rejected appeal – the applicant was not personally damaged
  17. Youth Initiatives for Human Rights – “Informer” – Code violation – Public Warning
  18. “Niska televizija” – “Gradski portal 018” – Code violation – public warning
  19. Dragan Dobrasinovic – “Niske vesti” – rejected appeal – no Code violation
  20. Južne vesti – Južna Srbija – Code violation – public warning
  21. Željko Matorčević – “Grocka info” – Code violation – public warning
  22. Južne vesti – “City Portal 018” – Code violation – public warning
  23. Ivančica Marković – “Večernje novosti” – Code violation  
  24. Ana Jakšić – “Alo” – denial of appeal – text removed before submission of complaint
  25. RTS – “Informer” – Code violation – public warning
  26. Regional Center for Minorities – “Alo” – Code violation  
  27. Turkijan Redzepi – “Srbijadanas.net” – Code violation – public warning
  28. Lepomir Bakic – “Blic” – no Code violation
  29. Bojan Pajtić – “Informer” – Code violation – Public Warning
  30. NGO Praxis – “Večernje novosti” – Code violation – media did not announce decision
  31. Marija Stevanović – “Infocentrala Jagodina” – no Code violation
  32. Sibila and Vladimir Shunjka – “Blic” – The Commission could not agree on the decision
  33. “Politika” – “Blic” – Code violation  
  34. Đorđe Tomić – “Kurir” – no Code violation
  35. World Bank – “Newsweek” – Code violation
  36. Ljiljana Simić – “Kurir” – appeal settled by mediation – published an apology
  37. Gay lesbian info center – “Srbin.info” – The Commission could not agree on the decision
  38. Mineco LTD – CINS – no Code violation
  39. Gay lesbian info center – Svedok  – The Commission could not agree on the decision
  40. Branko Bjelajac – B92 – rejected complaint – the media is not within the competence of the Council
  41. “Niske vesti” – “Information portal of Nis City News” – no Code violation
  42. “Niske vesti” – “Informative portal of Nis City News” – rejected appeal – use of media name is not within the competence of the Council
  43. “Niske vesti” – “Information portal of Niš City Council” – no Code violation
  44. Pero Višnjić – NIN – Code violation
  45. Vojvodina Citizens Center – “Het Nap” – rejected appeal – the applicant was not personally damaged
  46. Association of Roma journalists – “Srbijadanas.net” – Code violation – public warning
  47. Tomislav Ilić – “Blic” – Code violation  
  48. NGO Women Against Violence – “Vecernje Novosti” – Code violation  
  49. YUCOM – “Večernje novosti” – no Code violation
  50. “Kurir” – Teleprompter.rs “- Code violation – Public Warning
  51. RTS – “Informer” – Code violation – public warning
  52. “Kurir” – “Teleprompter.rs” – Code violation – public warning
  53. Association “Duga” – “Srbin.info” – The Commission could not agree on the decision
  54. Association “Duga” – “Svedok” – The Commission could not agree on the decision
  55. Gay lesbian info center – “Tabloid” – Code violation – public warning
  56. YUCOM – “Het Nap” – rejected appeal – the editorial board apologized after mediation
  57. Coalition Against Discrimination – “Vecernje Novosti” – Code violation
  58. Marija Stojković – “Telegraf.rs” – rejected appeal – the applicant was not personally damaged
  59. Tanjug – Pištaljka.rs – rejected appeal – no Code violation
  60. Local Anti-Corruption Forum Niš – “Narodne novine” – Code violation – public warning
  61. Đulijeta Šuljić – “Telegraf.rs” – complaint solved by mediation – comment removed
  62. Lepomir Bakic – “Kurir” – no Code violation
  63. Lepomir Bakic – “Alo” – no Code violation
  64. Emergency Medical Assistance Office Novi Sad – “Blic” – Code violation
  65. Jelena Milic – “Pečat” – The Commission could not agree on the decision
  66. Jelena Milić – “Politika” – no Code violation
  67. Jelena Milic – “Nova srpska politička misao” – Code violation – Public Warning
  68. NGO Praxis – “Kurir” – The Commission could not agree on the decision
  69. NGO Praxis – “Informer” – Code violation – Public Warning
  70. NGO Praxis – “Vecernje Novosti” – The Commission could not agree on the decision
  71. Jelena Milić – “Politika” – no Code violation
  72. Ivan Mrkic – “Blic” – The Commission did not agree on the decision
  73. Association “Egal” – “Pečat” – Code violation – public warning
  74. Ringier Axel Springer – “Južna Srbija” – Code violation – Public Warning
  75. Ringier Axel Springer – “Informative portal of Niš City News” – appeal resolved with mediation – apology
  76. Ringier Axel Springer – “Telegraf.rs” – Code violation – media did not announce decision
  77. Ringier Axel Spronger – “Telegraf.rs” – Code violation – media did not announce decision
  78. Ringier Axel Springer – “Kurir” – Code violation
  79. NGO Praxis – “Danas” – Code violation – Public Warning
  80. Gay lesbian info center – “Informer” – Code violation – public warning
  81. Anonymous appeal – multiple portals – rejected complaint – unknown applicant
  82. Srđan Tasić – Portal “A: K: radio” – Code violation – public warning
  83. Ivan Zivkov – “Kurir” – Code violation
  84. Aleksandra Turukalo – “Večernje novosti” – no Code violation
  85. UG “Parade of Pride” – “Informer” – Code violation – Public Warning
  86. Miloš Adamović – Informer, Blic, Alo, Kurir, Večernje novosti – rejected appeal, not personaly injured
  87. Irena Tasić – Portal “OK: radio” – Code violation – public warning
  88. “Kuri” – “Alo” – Code violation – the media did not announce the decision
  89. “Kurir” – Blic “- Code violation – the media did not announce the decision
  90. “Kurir” – 24 časa  – Code violation – the media did not announce the decision
  91. Zoran Ćirović – “Blic” – Code violation -media did not announce the decision
  92. Gay lesbian info center – “Tabloid” – Code violation – public warning
  93. Geo lesbian info center – “Informer” – Code violation – public warning
  94. Adria Media Group and Radisav Rodic – “Politika” – The Commission could not agree on the decision
  95. “Južne vesti” – “Gradski  Portal 018” – Code violation – public warning
  96. Edin Dervišhalidović (Dino Merlin) – “Informer” – Code violation – Public warning
  97. Adria Media Group and Aleksandar Rodić -” Informer “- Code violation – Public warning
  98. Adria Media Group and Aleksandar Rodić -” Informer “- Code violation – Public warning
  99. Adria Media Group and Aleksandar Rodić -” Informer “- Code violation – Public warning
  100. Srđan Škoro – “Večernje novosti” – Code violation – editor-in-chief refused to publish decision
  101. Adria Media Group and Aleksandar Rodić – ” Informer “- Code violation – Public warning
  102. Aleksandar Ilić – FK “Radnički” sajt – complaint dismissed – media not in the jurisdiction of the Council
  103. Adria Media Group and Aleksandar Rodić – “Teleprompter.rs” – Code violation – Public warning
  104. “Teleprompter.rs” – “Kurir” – The Commission could not agree on the decision
  105. Iristrade  – Portal OK:radio – rejected complaint – The Commission has already decided on this text
  106. Request from Becej mosaic to evaluate whether the list violated the Code – the Code has not been violated
  107. Suzana Alar – TV “Info Plus” – rejected complaint – the media is not within the competence of the Council
  108. Zoran Živković – “Alo” – Code violation  
  109. Zoran Živković – “Informer” – Code violation – Public warning



OTHER ACTIVITIES


The one-year project funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of Norway in Belgrade was completed on May 1, and from  1 July the Council started implementing a new two-year project with the financial assistance of the Delegation of the European Union to Serbia.

With the financial assistance of the OSCE Mission to Serbia and the Ministry of Culture and Information from 1 April to 31 December, a monitoring of the violation of the provisions of the Journalist’s Code of Ethics  was conducted in daily newspapers. Results showed that seven daily newspapers (“Nase novine” ceased to be published during the monitoring) last year violated the Code 3357 times. In all the newspapers, the most frequently violated is the provision concerning the obligation to respect the presumption of innocence, which is, interestingly, not among the three most common offenses when examining the decisions of the Complaints Commission. Also, research has shown that the media often published advertising texts as informative texts. The Council, however, has never received any complaints about this, possibly because it is difficult to estimate who in this case was “personally damaged” to have the right to appeal. A particular problem is, the monitoring showed, violations of the right to privacy in the case of “ordinary citizens”, especially when reporting accidents, family tragedies, or family violence. Therefore, at the meeting with the editors presenting the preliminary results, it was agreed that, with the assistance of the OSCE Mission, in the coming period, some kind of training will be organized for each newsroom individually, depending on what mistakes are most common in that medium, and that a seminar is organized in which the editor of a well-known European tabloid would talk about how tabloid topics can be reported without violating the Code. The OSCE Mission has shown its willingness to support similar research in the coming period.  

In the course of 2015, a smaller project funded by UNESCO was implemented in September, in cooperation with students gathered in the Academic Debate Network “Open communication”, two student debates on cases that were previously decided by the Complaints Commission were held. Students were debating the release of photographs of child victims and the use of material from social networks for texts in the media. Within the same project, three thousand copies of the Code were printed, and the Code was translated into English. Cooperation with the UNESCO will continue in 2016.

At the end of the year, a project funded by the Foundation for an Open Society was launched, aimed at promoting the work of the Press Council, which included, among other things, shooting of spots and advertising online campaigns.

The Secretary General   took part in public round tables  in several cities in Serbia, including the meetings organized by the OSCE in Zajecar, Bujanovac, Novi Pazar and Kikinda. She spoke about challenges of online journalism with journalists,  and informed them about the work and decisions of the Complaints Commission. The Secretary General also spoke about the work of the Press Council and the ethical rules of the profession to the attendees of the Council of Europe School of Journalism, as well as at the UNS Journalistic School.


INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES


Representatives of the Press Council took part in a two-day regional conference organized by the Council of Europe in Belgrade at the end of March. The conference in Belgrade was a continuation of the discussion that began at a conference in Pristina in March 2014, when a Memorandum of Understanding was signed to promote the regional cooperation of self-regulatory bodies in the region, which began by the establishment of the regional network Media Nethics. The network, whose members are the press councils of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia, Kosovo and Metohija and Serbia, was officially established at a regional conference held in early July in Budva and will serve as a platform for regional cooperation and exchange of experiences in order to improve quality and professionalism of media and ethical journalism in the region.

Council members also participated in the Annual Assembly of the Alliance of Independent Press Councils of Europe (AIPCE), whose annual assembly was held at the beginning of October in Vienna.. The Serbian Press Council is a full member of the AIPCE Assembly. The next meeting will be held in early October 2016 in Stockholm, when the Swedish Council marks one hundred years of work.

Within the celebration of the International Press Freedom Day on May 2 in Riga, organized by UNESCO, a meeting of five press councils from the Balkans was held to discuss the position of self-regulatory bodies in this part of Europe and the possibilities for providing financial resources for the further work of self-regulatory bodies .