28. 02. 2014

“DANAS” IS THE MOST OBJECTIVE IN THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN

The Monitoring Center of the House of Human Rights and Democracy analyzed the coverage of seven dailies (Danas, Politika, Blic, Alo, Kurir, Informer and Večernje Novosti) in the period 15 - 23 February, on the basis of internet editions or print editions where internet editions are not available. The aim of the analysis was to establish the number of articles in which the parties express their views and present themselves to the voters in the election campaign. For this reason, articles were omitted in which journalists analyze the elections or some aspect of the elections, opinion colums, commentary and similar texts. The articles in tabloids which carry personal bickering of the representatives of political parties were not analyzed either as they do not convey to the voters a message on the programs and goals of the parties.

Based on the analysis, the Center concludes that the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) is by far the most represented political actor in all the analyzed media, except in the daily Danas. The representation is around 40%. In the analyzed articles there are not negative ones about the Serbian Progressive Party. Officially still the strongest parliamentary opposition party - the Democratic Party (DS) - has 5 - 20% of representation in the articles. Dailies Kurir and Informer are leading a clear negative campaign against DS. All articles about DS in Kurir are prominently negative. The biggest number of cover pages of this daily is devoted to this party, as well, again in the negative context. The majority of articles about DS are negative in Informer, as well. Daily Politika had only one article about DS, and this one was negative. Večernje Novosti published two articles about this party, of which one is negative and the other is neutral.

The conclusion of the analysis is that four out of seven dailies - Kurir, Informer, Večernje Novosti and Politika - openly favor SNS. Dailies Blic and Alo mildly favor this party within an acceptable framework of the balance between objective information and the right to one's own editorial policy. Daily Danas is the only one which does not favor any of the parties.

The NGO House of Human Rights and Democracy, which established the Center for Monitoring the Election Campaign, is comprised of five reputable non-governmental organizations - Civic Initiatives, Belgrade Center for Human Rights, Committee of Lawyers for Human Rights, Helsinki Committee for Human Rights and the Policy Center.