(2023) PRESS COUNCIL  ANNUAL REPORT

WORK OF THE COMPLAINTS COMMISSION

From January to December 2023, the Press Council received 125 complaints, which is significantly more than the previous year, when 84 complaints arrived. Mediation resolved 20 complaints, the Complaints Commission considered 66, while remaining were either rejected because they did not meet the formal requirements (most often because the complainant was not personally harmed) or the applicant dropped the complaint. In 26 cases, the Commission decided that the Code had not been violated, and in almost all cases when a decision was made on the violation of the Code, several points of the Code were violated.

Members of the Complaints Commission of the Press Council last year most often decided that the media violated the points from the first chapter of the Code of Journalists relating to the truthfulness of reporting (76 times), then from the chapter Responsibility of Journalists (54 times) and from the chapter Journalistic Attention (51 times). The Respect for Privacy section has been violated 40 times.

The largest number of complaints were filed by individuals — 74, NGOs filed 37 complaints, members of the Complaints Commission six, five by firms and institutions and three by political parties.

Complaints filed from January to December 2023:

1.Autonomni ženski centar – Mondo – complaint resolved by mediation, reaction published

2. Autonomni ženski centar – Alo.rs – no Code violations
3. Autonomni ženski centar – Dnevno.rs – complaint resolved by mediation, reaction published
4. Autonomni ženski centar – Novosti.rs – no Code violations
5. Autonomni ženski centar – Luftika – complaint resolved by mediation, reaction published, text amended
6. Autonomni ženski centar – Niške vesti – complaint resolved by mediation, reaction published
7. Autonomni ženski centar – Telegraf.rs – no Code violations
8. Autonomni ženski centar – Nova.rs – no Code violations
9. Autonomni ženski centar – Informer.rs – no Code violations
10. Autonomni ženski centar – Pink.rs – no Code violations

11.Zlatko Čobović – Srpski telegraf – public warning

12.OO SNS Vlasotince – Jugpress – the Code has been violated, the decision was published

13.Anonimna žalba – Rešetka.rs – complaint dismissed

14.Danilo Kovačević – Autonomija.info – the complaint was dismissed, the applicant was not personally injured

15.Udruženje „Slovakinje nisu…“ – Vreme – complaint dismissed, article was published before the adoption of the Code of Journalists of Serbia in 2006

16.Goran Jović – Jugmedia – the Code has been violated, the decision was published

17.Goran Jović – Rešetka.rs – public warning

18.Zoran Gavrilović – RTS.rs – complainant dropped the complaint

19. Zoran Gavrilović – RTS.rs – complainant dropped the complaint
20. Zoran Gavrilović – RTS.rs – complainant dropped the complaint

21.Nemanja Šarović – Blic/Blic.rs – the Code has been violated, the decision was not published

22.Boris Borojević – Novosti.rs – complaint resolved by mediation, text removed and apology published

23.Udruženje Da se zna – Alo.rs. – no Code violations

24. Udruženje Lekari i roditelji za nauku i etiku – Kurir/Kurir.rs – no Code violations

25.Udruženje Za tebe #važno je – Direktno.rs – the Code has been violated, the decision was published

26. Zorica Arsić – Rešetka.rs – public warning

27.Valentina Arsić Arsenijević – Kurir.rs – no Code violations

28.Udruženje građana Patrija – Direktno.rs – complaint considered with complaint by Association Za tebe #važno je

29.Sandra Popović – Sremske vesti – public warning

30.Dragana Ćendić – Ozonpress – no Code violations

31.Jovan Ćirić – Pančevac – no Code violations

32.Biljana Stanković – TV Happy – complaint dismissed, media outlet not within the competence of the Council

33.Sandra Stanković – Večernje novosti – complaint dismissed, no texts to which the appeal relates have been submitted

34.Ivana Milošević – Starčevačke novine – complaint dismissed, does not relate to specific media content

35. Anita Đukić – Starčevačke novine – complaint dismissed, does not relate to specific media content
36. Jelka Jovanović – Informer.rs – public warning
37. Darija Stjepić – Sremskomitrovački portal – complaint dismissed, the applicant was not personally injured
38. Jelka Jovanović – Kurir – the Code has been violated, the decision was published
39. Jelka Jovanović – Nova.rs – public warning

40.Gordana Pejović – Nportal – complaint resolved by mediation, text removed

41.Gordana Pejović – Blic.rs – complaint dismissed, the applicant did not respond to the secretary’s communication

42.Gordana Pejović – Kurir.rs – complaint resolved by mediation, photo removed

43.Gordana Pejović – Telegraf.rs – complaint resolved by mediation, removed text

44. Gordana Pejović – 24sedam.rs – complaint resolved by mediation, removed text

45.Gordana Pejović – Nova.rs – complaint dismissed, the applicant did not respond to the secretary’s communication

46.Pokret levica – several media outlets – complaint dismissed, applicant not authorized to file a complaint

47. Leposava Todorović – Glas javnosti – public warning
48. YUCOM – Informer – public warning
49. YUCOM – Večernje novosti – the Code has been violated, the decision was published
50. YUCOM – Alo – the Code has been violated, the decision was published
51. YUCOM – Kurir – the Code has been violated, the decision was published
52. YUCOM – Blic.rs – the Code has been violated, the decision was not published
53. Komora socijalne zaštite – Telegraf.rs – complaint resolved by mediation, texts changed

54 . Komora socijalne zaštite – Novosti.rs – complaint resolved by mediation, texts removed

55. Komora socijalne zaštite – Blic.rs – the Code has been violated, the decision was not published
56. Komora socijalne zaštite – Luftika – complaint resolved by mediation, amended content of texts
57. Komora socijalne zaštite – Alo.rs – the Code has been violated, the decision was published
58. Komora socijalne zaštite – Informer.rs – public warning
59. Zlatko Čobović – Informer.rs – public warning
60. Petar Petrović – N1 – complaint dismissed, the applicant was not personally injured
61. Dragana Čuljković – Rešetka.rs – no code violations
62. Dragana Čuljković – Rešetka.rs – no code violations
63. Dragana Čuljković – Rešetka.rs – no code violations
64. Pokret Srbija centar – Rešetka.rs – complainant dropped the complaint
65. Anita Đukić – Starčevačke novine – public warning
66. Ivan Jeremić – Nova.rs – at the request of the applicant combined with complaints 67/2023 and 68/2023
67. Ivan Jeremić – Nova.rs – at the request of the applicant combined with complaints 66/2023 and 68/2023
68. Ivan Jeremić – Nova.rs – public warning
69. Jovan Nedin – Život i zdravlje – complaint dismissed, deadline for filing expired
70. Tanja Janković – Direktno.rs – the Code has been violated, the decision was published
71. Tanja Janković – portal OK Radio – public warning
72. Ivan Jeremić – Nova.rs – public warning
73. YUCOM – Reublika.rs – complaint dismissed, the applicant is not authorized to file a complaint
74. YUCOM – Glas javnosti – complaint dismissed, the applicant is not authorized to file a complaint
75. YUCOM – Blic.rs – complaint dismissed, the consent of the injured party was not secured
76. Nemanja Šarović – Pink.rs – public warning
77. Nemanja Šarović – Republika.rs – public warning
78. Nemanja Šarović – Informer.rs – public warning
79. Nemanja Šarović – Novosti.re – the Code has been violated, the decision was published
80. Damir Agović – GMPress – public warning
81. Zlatko Čobović – Objektiv.rs – public warning
82. Zlatko Čobović – Hypetv.rs – public warning
83. CRTA – Informer.rs – complaint dismissed, the consent of the injured party was not delivered
84. IRIDA – Blic.rs. – complaint dismissed, the applicant is not authorized to file a complaint
85. IRIDA – Informer – complaint dismissed, the applicant is not authorized to file a complaint
86. IRIDA – Informer.rs – complaint dismissed, the applicant is not authorized to file a complaint
87. SBB – Telesrbija – no Code violations
88. Nevena Marković/Aleksandra Ubavić – 24sedam.rs – complaint resolved by mediation, text removed
89. Nevena Marković/Aleksandra Ubavić – Urbancity – complaint resolved by mediation, text removed
90. Nevena Marković/Aleksandra Ubavić – N1.rs – no Code violations
91. Nevena Marković/Aleksandra Ubavić – Novosti.rs – complaint resolved by mediation, text removed
92. Nevena Marković/Aleksandra Ubavić – EBraničevo – complaint resolved by mediation, text removed
93. Nevena Marković/Aleksandra Ubavić – Alo.rs – no Code violations
94. Nevena Marković/Aleksandra Ubavić – Espreso – no Code violations
95. Nevena Marković/Aleksandra Ubavić – Nogomania.rs – complaint resolved by mediation, text removed
96. Nevena Marković/Aleksandra Ubavić – Danas.rs – complaint resolved by mediation, text removed
97. Nevena Marković/Aleksandra Ubavić – Kurir.rs – no Code violations
98. Nevena Marković/Aleksandra Ubavić – Sportski žurnal – no Code violations
99. Nevena Marković/Aleksandra Ubavić – Informer.rs – no Code violations
100. Nevena Marković/Aleksandra Ubavić – Sportal.rs – complaint resolved by mediation, text removed
101. Nevena Marković/Aleksandra Ubavić – Telegraf.rs – no Code violations
102. Nevena Marković/Aleksandra Ubavić – Mondo – no Code violations
103. Gvozden Nikolić – Ozonpress – no Code violations
104. Radovan Cicvarić – Alo.rs – the Code has been violated, the decision was not published
105. Karlheinz Dobingg – Bankar.rs – complaint resolved by mediation, text removed

106.Svetozar Živković – Kurir – complaint dismissed, 90 day deadline expired

107.Mario Spasić – Nova – public warning

108.PU Pčelica – Niška inicijativa – complaint dismissed, content removed before filing of complaint

109.Katarina Tomašević – Nova.rs – no Code violations

110.Katarina Tomašević – N1.rs – no Code violations

111. Milovan Glišić – Media portal – public warning
112. Marina Nešković – Paparazzo afera – complaint dismissed, content posted on a private profile on a social network
113. Dejan Stojanović – Danas – complaint dismissed, the applicant was not personally injured
114. Vladan Milošević – Niške vesti – complaint dismissed, the applicant was not personally injured
115. Zvezdan Knežević – JugPress – no Code violations
116. Igor Bandović – Alo.rs – the Code has been violated, the decision was published
117. Dragan Cvejić – Blic.rs –complainant dropped the complaint
118. Miroslav Aleksić – Alo.rs – the Code has been violated, the decision was published
119. Dragan Marinković – Jugmedia – complainant dropped the complaint
120. Zlatko Todorov – Facebook profile – complaint dismissed, not media content
121. Inicijativa A11 – Blic – the Code has been violated, the decision was not published
122. Inicijativa A11 – Dnevnik – the Code has been violated, the decision was published
123. Inicijativa A11 – Kurir.rs – the Code has been violated, the decision was published
124. Inicijativa A11 – Večernje novosti – the Code has been violated, the decision was published

125.Igor Braunović – Kurir/Kurir.rs – the Code has been violated, the decision was published

One session of the Complaints Commission was held at the Faculty of Philology in Nis on 25 May, while the Commission’s sessions from September onward are being held at the UNS Press Centre, to increase transparency of the Commission’s work. Videos of all sessions were posted on the Council’s YouTube channel. The work of the Complaints Commission is financed by the EU Delegation to Serbia.

In August, the four-year mandate of the members of the Commission expired, and from September the Commission meets in a new composition. The competition for the election of new representatives to the public in the Commission was announced on May 4 and lasted for a month. Six candidates were registered, and on June 16 the Managing Board elected three new members of the Commission: Ana Martinoli, Sanja Pavlović and Rodoljub Šabić. By the beginning of September, UNS, NUNS, the Media Association and Local Press, in accordance with their procedures, also elected the other eight members of the Commission: Olivera Milošević, Jelena Petkovic (UNS), Tamara Skrozz, Milena Vasić (NUNS), Jelka Jovanović, Zlatko Čobović and Filip Švarm (AM) and Nadežda Budimović (Local Press).

OTHER ACTIVITIES

 Monitoring of daily newspapers

This year, with the support of the EU Delegation to Serbia, the Press Council monitored compliance with the Code of Journalists of Serbia in nine daily newspapers with national coverage in the period from 1 July to 31 December 2023. The results of the monitoring, which were again done by journalists Tamara Skrozza and Vera Didanović, were presented at the panel on 13 February 2024. According to these results, a total of 5,551 violations of the Code of Journalists of Serbia were recorded in the observed period, and the media that most violated the Code were Alo, Srpski Telegraf and Informer. Most often, chapters of the Code related to the responsibility of journalists and the truthfulness of reporting were violated, and there is a noticeable increase in violations related to respect for privacy, primarily when it comes to the protection of minors. This is the first time in the nine years that the Press Council has been monitoring daily newspapers that the period of monitoring violations of the Code has included the entire campaign for parliamentary, provincial and local elections in a part of cities and municipalities. According to the researchers, during the election campaign, most of the media were almost completely closed to promoting attitudes and ideas of the opposition, which is inconsistent with the obligation to provide objective, completely truthful and timely information. The reporting on the opposition was mostly negative, and the tabloids published a large number of unsigned articles presenting untruths about opposition parties and their leaders, completely ignoring their denials, while at the same time reporting only positively about the authorities. It was also recorded that the pro-government media published the reactions of the authorities to the statements and attitudes of the opposition that they had not previously reported, and there were headlines with their alleged statements, although they were never really said. In addition to politics, as usual, the crime chronicle was problematic, and since the period in which the media was still dealing with mass murder in the Elementary School Vladislav Ribnikar at the beginning of May was observed, it was noticed that a series of articles about the juvenile killer, who was turned into a kind of media star, were published, which further disturbs both the families of the victims, but also the entire public.

Research “Challenges of media self-regulation in the digital age”

On November 28, the Press Council presented the research “Challenges of media self-regulation in the digital age” by authors Tanja Jakobi and Tanja Maksić. The research refers, among other things, to journalists’ knowledge of media ethics and self-regulation, as well as to the challenges arising from digitalization. A special focus in the research is on the right to be forgotten and on the use of artificial intelligence (AI), and the results show that the media do not communicate the use of AI because they believe that it is not something that readers would like to know. Respondents said that journalists use the resources of the Press Council, mostly the Code and Online guidelines, while half of respondents believe that the Code should be adapted to new technologies. The research also contains an analysis of the 2021 and 2022 Complaints Commission decisions relating to online media. When it comes to protecting the privacy of minors and the right to be forgotten, the analysis showed that the privacy of minors is perfidiously invaded, which will be a problem for them in later life. Another reason for the violation of the Code, the researchers assessed, is great uncertainties in situations that journalists have not previously encountered, such as the mass murders that took place in May of 2023. When it comes to the attitude of journalists towards the Press Council, the research shows that the Council enjoys a great reputation and that the transparency of its work favours it. There is no doubt that there are people in the Complaints Commission who are actually engaged in their work in a professional manner and whose decisions are based on arguments.

Regional Meeting of Self-Regulatory Bodies of South East Europe

Representatives of self-regulatory bodies from Ljubljana, Sarajevo, Podgorica, Skopje, Tirana, Pristina and Belgrade at a regional meeting held on November 20 and 21 in Belgrade, exchanged experiences on current ethical dilemmas and improvement of professional standards. The meeting was organized by the OSCE Mission to Serbia and the Press Council, and at the meeting, among other things, it was assessed that there is a global trend of growing distrust in the media, as well as that media and press councils, as guardians of journalistic ethics, play a key role in upholding journalistic standards and serve as a reminder to both the media industry and journalists that it is in the interest of society,  but also journalists themselves, to self-regulate and build trust with the audience. The participants of the gathering were particularly concerned with hate speech in the media, violation of the right to the presumption of innocence, protection of privacy and private data, reporting on violence and mass crimes, as well as on particularly sensitive categories, such as women and children, but also on ethical aspects of the use of artificial intelligence in journalism. Special attention was paid to the ethical challenges associated with the use of artificial intelligence, which can pose a major challenge in the future and no one at this time can accurately predict all possible abuses of this tool. The media in the region already use artificial intelligence more than they publicly admit, and it is necessary to develop rules and self-regulating machinery for their application as soon as possible. This would also avoid abuses in the media, but also the need for this area to be regulated by the state.

Exhibition “Fake News”

The exhibition aimed at young people and the fight against fake news continues its tour.  During 2003, 2,460 high school students saw the exhibition in Kragujevac, Gornji Milanovac and Kikinda.

The exhibition was designed to support the subject “Language, Media and Culture”, and was welcomed by teachers as a useful teaching tool. Schools were given 200 copies of the “Media Literacy Lexicon”, which were distributed to students. To enhance interaction with students, the exhibition has its own Instagram profile.

Consultations with the media and representatives of social workers

On July 6, the Chamber of Social Protection and the Press Council organized a meeting with media representatives in order to improve media coverage on victims of tragic events, primarily children. The immediate cause was the tragedy in Ribnikar, as well as media coverage of a girl who was abused by her father. Aware that the consequences of unprofessional and inadequate media coverage are numerous and often irreparable, the participants agreed that it is necessary to find mechanisms to avoid violating the Code of Journalists’ and reduce the consequences of such reporting. In the coming period, representatives of the Chamber of Social Protection, the Press Council and the media will carry out various activities aimed at preventing non-professional reporting and protecting the dignity of victims of tragic events.

Other activities

During 2023. The Press Council responded to 80 inquiries from local self-governments for a total of 1,409 media that participated in competitions for co-financing media content of public interest. In several cases, the money was allocated to the media for which the Complaints Commission decided several times during one year that they violated the Journalists’ Code.

Representatives of the Press Council actively participated in the public debates that preceded the adoption of the new Law on Public Information and Media, and also attended the meetings held on this occasion with representatives of the Government of Serbia and the OSCE Mission. When drafting the draft law, the Government deviated from the decision from the Media Strategy, but also from the proposal of the working group for drafting the law. A number of, for the Council, unacceptable decisions regarding the consideration of the decisions of the Complaints Commission when allocating money to the media in competitions for project co-financing. Parliament finally adopted a law that included a provision that the allocation of funds must take into account the measures imposed by the Press Council in the period of one year before the competition.

In order to ensure greater visibility of the work of the Complaints Commission during the year, a journalist was hired who wrote four reports from the Commission’s sessions published on the NUNS website, which resulted in a large number of reports from other media on the activities of the Complaints Commission.

From video recordings of the Commission’s sessions, short segments were selected, and distributed on social networks with an invitation to watch videos of the complaints in question. These clips have been viewed as many as 9,042 times. Since the content is related to thematic units from the Code, the series is called “Examples from Practice” and it is added to the online training part of the site.

Participation in public events:

Representatives of the Press Council participated and were speakers at several international and domestic meetings, including:

-Annual meeting of the Association of Independent European Press Councils (AIPCE) Antwerp

– Conference on the impact of artificial intelligence on media photography. (Center for The Development of Photography) Belgrade

– Annual meeting “Young media” (DW Academy) Belgrade

Osce Annual Conference on South East European Media held in Skopje 

-Lecture By the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade