23. 01. 2012

PARTIES NOT TO HAVE PAID PROGRAM ON TV

Belgrade, January 23, 2012. (Blic) - In recent years, TV stations violated the law when they were selling program space in duration up to one hour before election, experts say.

Advertising Law clearly stipulates that the advertising block can not exceed 12 minutes when it comes to private TV stations and six minutes when it comes to RTS. The same rule should be applied in the period of election campaign.

According to the agency "AGB Nielsen", during the parliamentary election campaign in 2008,  Serbian citizens were forced to watch paid programs in total duration of ten days, and before the last presidential elections - three days and 10 hours. Instead of regular program, stations broadcast videos and rallies of paries, which culminated in broadcasting final parties' conventions on the last day before the election silence.

Bojan Klačar from Cesid says for "Blic" that such party advertising has no foundation in the Advertising Law and that RRA violated it by sending its binding instructions to commercial broadcaster. Namely, RRA allowed to TV stations 120 minutes a day for leased term for the parliamentary elections and 90 minutes for the presidential elections.