21. 04. 2014

PRESS COUNCIL RECEIVED MORE THAN 60 COMPLAINTS

Miladinović explained to Tanjug that every individual, organisation or institution directly affected by a published content has a right to complaint, and that all decisions on whether the Journalists' Code was breached are passed by the Complaints Commission within 45 days from the day when the complaint was submitted.

"If the Complaints Commission decided that there was a breach of the Journalists' Code, the media outlet which published the disputed content has to publish the Commission's decision", explained Miladinović and added that complaints to television and radio programs considered "distasteful" are not within the Council's competence.

Talking about the condition of the media, Miladinović said that many media are suffering losses and are having difficulties collecting payments, while the state still expects them to duly fulfill their obligations.

He pointed out that in recent years there have been frequent layoffs of journalists and reductions of their salaries and that, due to grave economic situation, new layoffs and closing down of media outlets can be expected.

"Local media will have the hardest times, and the perspective of local print media is particularly threatened because of low circulations, low economic power of their communities and high costs of publishing newspapers. These media outlets have no more time to wait", Miladinović sent the message to the responsible authorities. In addition to his role in the Press Council, Miladinović is the president of the Managing Board of the association of local media publishers "Lokal pres".

Miladinović also warned that existential uncertainty brings journalists in the situation to fear to ask questions as they do not know who might be offended and what the consequences of "their excessive curiosity" may be.

He also noted the presence of the tabloidization of media content. However, he stressed that such content should not be taken lightly as it is adjusted to the needs of certain groups with the intention to affect the readers' subconscious and create new values in the society.

The counterbalance to that, he stressed, is media literacy - understanding of media content, the ability to interpret it and value it critically, "and then media will not be able to spin information any more".

Miladinović expressed his expectation that a set of media laws will be adopted this year, which should, as he said, bring order into the chaotic media scene in Serbia.

The Press Council was founded in 2011 by journalists' associations The Indepedent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS), The Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS) and the publishers' associations "Association of Media" ("Asocijacija medija") and "Lokal pres". The Norwegian Government financed the work of the Council until the end of 2013, after which it has been financed by the founders.