The Bureau for Social Research (BIRODI) said that 5 national TV broadcasters turned their election coverage into a promotion of the ruling coalition's United Serbia list and a campaign to discredit the opposition Student List.
Its 24-hour monitoring of the state TV (RTS 1), pro-regime TV Pink, TV Prva, B92 and Happy from September 9 to October 15 recorded 25,595 minutes of election-related coverage. The United Serbia list led by Aleksandar Vucic received 12,878 minutes, of which 96 percent was positive. The Student List received 10,024 minutes, of which 95 percent was negative.
BIRODI said the findings indicate possible violations of media laws requiring impartial reporting and equal treatment of election participants. It stressed that the statistical imbalance alone does not prove every alleged violation, but warrants regulatory scrutiny.
The organisation called on the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media (REM) to examine the broadcasts, publish its findings and explain whether proceedings would be initiated against the broadcasters.