Western Balkan media watchdogs warn of concentration and election monitoring needs

Media watchdog organizations are raising concerns regarding media pluralism and regulatory oversight in the Western Balkans. The Bureau for Social Research (BIRODI) announced it will conduct continuous monitoring of media reporting during the election campaign. BIRODI plans to submit findings to various independent and regulatory bodies, including the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption and the Commissioner for Equality, to address potential issues such as the misuse of public resources, discrimination, and hate speech.

Simultaneously, SafeJournalists has highlighted the risks of cross-border media concentration. The organization noted Telekom Srbija’s expanding presence in North Macedonia and raised questions regarding the sale of the Adria News Network (ANN), which includes outlets like N1, Nova, Danas, and Radar. SafeJournalists emphasized that such transactions should be evaluated based on their impact on editorial independence and media pluralism, rather than as mere business deals. They called for transparency regarding ownership and financing, citing the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) standards to ensure that media concentrations do not undermine public opinion diversity.