Serbia media regulator expands election monitoring

The Regulatory Body for Electronic Media (REM) is expanding its monitoring of television programming during the upcoming election campaign. Ira Prodanov Krajišnik, Deputy President of the REM Council, stated that Informer TV is expected to be included in the monitoring process, potentially alongside one or two other broadcasters. Currently, 24-hour monitoring is being conducted on 11 television programs, including public services RTS and RTV, as well as national broadcasters Pink, Prva, B92, and Hepi, and cable channels N1, Nova S, and K1.

Simultaneously, new restrictions under the Law on Electronic Media have taken effect, prohibiting media outlets from reporting on official functional campaigns. This ban prevents the broadcasting of official public gatherings involving candidates for office, such as the opening of facilities, starting 30 days before the elections. Violations of these regulations can result in fines ranging from 500,000 to 2,000,000 dinars. The law also mandates non-discriminatory representation of all political parties and requires that political advertising be clearly labeled and not disguised as informative or entertainment content.