Serbia media broadcasting and regulatory scrutiny

Major telecommunications and cable operators in Serbia, including United Group, Yettel, and Telekom Srbija, have come under scrutiny regarding the legality and ethics of the content they distribute. Initial concerns centered on allegations that certain channels, such as Informer TV, broadcast content that violates journalistic ethics and the Serbian Constitution through the use of hate speech and the dehumanization of political opponents.

Questions also arose regarding the technical legality of certain broadcasts. Reports suggested that channels including Informer TV, Kurir TV, and Blic TV were accessible via terrestrial antennas in parts of southeastern Serbia despite lacking official national or regional frequencies. While some regulatory technical services suggested this might be legal through specific provider contracts, experts identified it as a significant loophole in the Law on Electronic Media.

In late September, sixteen media and civil society organizations escalated the issue by submitting a formal request to Telekom Srbija to cease the unauthorized terrestrial broadcasting of Informer and Kurir television programs. The organizations argued that these channels hold permits for cable, satellite, and IPTV, but lack authorization for national terrestrial broadcasting. They contended that enabling such access bypasses the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media (REM) and provides an unfair advantage in terms of national reach ahead of parliamentary elections.

Legal experts and members of the REM Council, including Rodoljub Šabić, have stated that by unlocking encrypted channels on the MUX 3 multiplex, Telekom Srbija has bypassed regulatory authority and violated the Law on Electronic Media. In response to these developments, the REM Council has reached a consensus to conduct monitoring of TV Informer as part of its pre-election oversight of national and cable television stations.